How to translate titles and SubCap captions for Avid Media Composer

In Media Composer, a version per language is a duplicate sequence with its titles retyped and a SubCap track loaded with translated caption data. Translate titles does the basic titles from an AAF, and the SubCap caption data you export from Media Composer on its own. You get one translated AAF per sequence and language, and a caption data file for each language, ready to import.

Machine translation. Check with a fluent speaker before publishing.

The manual way: a duplicate sequence for each language

1. In the bin, select the finished sequence and choose Edit > Duplicate. Media Composer adds a copy ending in ".Copy.01". Rename it with the language, such as "Main Edit ES".
2. Load the copy. Open each title in Titler+, or in the Title Tool for older titles, and retype it in the new language.
3. Do every title, then start again for the next language.

Translated text is often longer than the English, so check each title against the safe area. The W3C's article on text size in translation puts short strings at up to two or three times the English length.

SubCap captions

SubCap reads and writes its captions as caption data, a text file with a timecode line above each caption. That file is what you translate.

1. Park on the SubCap effect, enter Effect Mode and choose Export Caption Data. Save the text file.
2. Translate the caption text in the file, or send it to a translator. Keep the timecode lines and the <begin subtitles> and <end subtitles> markers as they are.
3. In the language's sequence, add a SubCap effect on an empty video track, enter Effect Mode and choose Import Caption Data. Pick the translated file.

The import and its usual failures are covered in importing SRT into Avid Media Composer, which uses the same caption files.

The CutConvert way: an AAF and a caption file per language

1. Select the sequence in its bin and choose File > Output > Export to File, with an AAF export setting.
2. Drop the AAF on Translate titles. CutConvert reads it on your computer and lists every basic title it found, with the timecode of each.
3. Pick the languages. Names, brands and anything else that should stay as it is go in Keep these words as they are. The first 10 items in one language preview free, on screen.
4. Check the review table. Every line can be edited, and the lines to look at are flagged: longer than the original, a font that may not have the new script's characters, or right-to-left text. Shorten asks for a shorter version of a line, and Export CSV gives you the table to send to your own translator.
5. Tick the box to confirm a fluent speaker will check the translations and download.

The download has an AAF per sequence and language, named after the sequence with the language and its code at the end. Import the AAFs into a bin. For captions, drop the caption data file you exported from SubCap on the same page: you get one caption file per language, to load into a SubCap effect with Import Caption Data. Each translated sequence starts with a locator named "Machine-translated: review before delivery". Check each sequence against the original after import.

What comes across, and what doesn't

• Basic titles carried in the AAF are translated in place, one AAF per language.
• SubCap captions translate from the caption data file you export from SubCap, not from the AAF: one caption file per language, ready for Import Caption Data.
• Title Tool, Marquee and SubCap titles inside the AAF aren't read, so they stay as they are. Translate those in Media Composer.
• Bins (.avb) aren't read for translation. Export the sequence as an AAF first.

Only the on-screen text is sent to be translated. The AAF and your media stay on your computer.

FAQ

How do I make SubCap captions in another language? In the SubCap effect, use Export Caption Data to save the captions as a text file. Translate the text and keep the timecodes, then add a SubCap effect on a new video track and load the file with Import Caption Data.

Which Avid titles are translated? Basic titles carried in the AAF are translated, with one AAF per sequence and language. Title Tool, Marquee and SubCap titles inside the AAF aren't read, so translate those in Media Composer.

Can it read an Avid bin? Not for translation. Export the sequence as an AAF and drop that instead.

Why is there one AAF per language? CutConvert writes one sequence per AAF, so each language comes as its own file. Import them into one bin and they sit next to the original sequence.

How much does it cost? The first 10 items in one language preview free, on screen. One project costs $5 for one language, $9 for up to 3 or $15 for up to 10. Pro includes 10 translated projects a month with up to 5 languages each, and Studio includes 40 with up to 80.