burned in subtitles. . any shortcuts?

[Josh Bass]

There's a fest in France I want to submit to with my english-language short. They request a subtitled (English subtitles, that is) submission copy. I don't want to do anything fancy with selectable subtitles, just want to simply make a copy that has the subtitles burned in as part of the video.

I know there is a program out there where you can somehow convert your script to subtitles and tell each line where to be in the video, but my script likely doesn't match word for word what ended up on tape, especially after cutting out a third of the original length of the film.

So my idea was to simply use FCP, and make another video layer with the text, and just enter however much fits on a couple lines, bit by bit, line by line, 'til I'm done.

Thoughts?

Any standard for font size, type, how to indicate something is being said by an off-camera character, how to indicate something is being said by someone on a TV the characters are watching (if we don't see said TV's picture?)

Thanks.

[Noah Kadner]

Just keep them within the title safe margins and you'll be set. And check on a 20" TV or so just to see how they look. Check out other movies with the subtitles on for pointers.

Noah