Firstly – What are subtitles and why am I wasting your time writing about them?
Subtitles are, for most people, an inconvenient special feature on their DVDs or in their streaming services. Most people don’t use the subtitle button on their remote; let alone know where it is.
But, there is nothing I hate more than watching a tv show or a movie without subtitles. While I’ve always enjoyed watching foreign films, I never really understood why. Funnily enough, these days it makes complete sense.
If you didn’t know already, I already have a hard enough time hearing people and the constant “huh” or “what did they say” was driving me crazy. It’s bad enough when I miss jokes but only hearing half a joke was just stupid.
With foreign films, they usually come hard coded with subtitles (meaning films on say, SBS online, have the yellow bolded captions, rather than the live-to-air style of news programs. It made finding and watching foreign films with friends and loved ones both difficult and easier.
Let me explain…
If they were interested in foreign films, it was awesome. I got to watch so many Eastern films and fell in love with a lot of K-pop and Japanese music. On the flip side, friends and family who hated foreign films would always suggest a blockbuster and I would be too ashamed to admit I’d miss half the movie; so a blockbuster it would be, I just couldn’t tell you what happened in them…
It ruined movies for me for a really long time, since I couldn’t understand what was being said and I felt embarrassed to ask anyone to put on subtitles.
Eventually, after the third-millionth time I had to rewind a show or film numerous times for me to hear the joke, I had to confess that I couldn’t hear what was being said. Turning up the volume didn’t help, it just distorted the words more. I tried subtitles for a few nights and since then, I’ve just used subtitles whenever possible; even if it meant going to the cinema for the subtitled viewing.
Which – by the way – is a good sitting if you can make it.
Usually, it’s a mum and bubs session though, so if you are a deaf single male going to the film; be aware I’ve known some mums to be super bitchy to deaf men without realising why they were there…. Just saying.
Now, why is that worth posting here?
Well, did you know that most shows don’t actually have subtitles? It’s really hard to find consistent subtitles, even on free-to-air TV. Often, the subtitles are lagging behind – which makes things worst for me – or the subtitles are just wrong, which ruins a lot of jokes – yes, I’m looking at you; the person who subtitles Comedy Central….
The nightly news subtitles are often 3-4 lines behind what’s being said, so you have you read instead of watching the news as the sound does not match the words.
Would it be so terrible for the news to be recorded with an extra few minutes of time for the transcription people to get correct subtitles in time? I mean, I wouldn’t notice that the 6 pm news was recorded at 5:55… would you?
I have found consistent subtitles with Netflix and Amazon, although not every show has subtitles that are available; or correct – and large streaming services are not an exception. Even though I’ve got a collection of DVDs and other media – not all of that has subtitles. Old series and movies often didn’t have subtitles made for them, or they were not included in the DVD release. I still struggle to watch the first few series of Deadliest Catch because there are no subtitles on the DVD. Like, please… I want to understand what Sig is yelling?!
I’m really thankful Amazon has subtitles for shows like Little Fires Everywhere and The Grand Tour. It makes it easier to watch them without having to rewind and piss off the people around me. Most people, once they know I can’t really hear what’s going on or participate in the conversations, tend to rather watch things with subtitles; at least when I am around.
While it’s something that’s slowly being rectified for newer series and movies, it still makes it difficult sometimes. There is a way I’ve found around this – any DVD that I own that doesn’t have subtitles I usually play through my computer and add a community subtitle file manually. It’s not the greatest solution, but it’s the only one I’ve come up with that doesn’t break some law or another.
If you are a film-maker, insist on subtitles on your film’s release. Not only will it help you reach a whole new audience; but I think you’ll find it’s more likely others watch your movie too!
The more people that know about the struggles people, just like me, face when it comes to subtitles; the more likely it is that we’ll get subtitles on everything, even if they are just an inconvenient special feature to you.
Till next time.