Translation fees on subtitling
Thread poster: AneValdovinos
AneValdovinos
AneValdovinos  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 17:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
Feb 13, 2015

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to del
... See more
Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to deliver translated subtitles into Spanish
(Latin America) language. These translated subtitles do not need
SDH/Captioning for the hearing impaired. The English master track
provided is an SRT file that contains the spoken English, plus any
plot-relevant on-screen text that would need to be translated.

#2 Captioning non-English videos: We will send you
Spanish (Latin America) source video. You need to deliver a
Spanish (Latin America) Closed captioning file in SRT format. This
caption would need to include SDH/Captioning information for deaf
and hard of hearing.

#3 Captioning and translating non-English videos: We will
send Spanish (Latin America) source video. You would deliver
Spanish (Latin America) captioning (includes SDH/Captioning
information) and translation into English (translations do not
need SDH/Captioning information.) in two different SRT files.


I would really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Ane

[Edited at 2015-02-13 23:52 GMT]
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Bernhard Sulzer
Bernhard Sulzer  Identity Verified
United States
Local time: 19:53
English to German
+ ...
Have a look here Feb 14, 2015

AneValdovinos wrote:

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to deliver translated subtitles into Spanish
(Latin America) language. These translated subtitles do not need
SDH/Captioning for the hearing impaired. The English master track
provided is an SRT file that contains the spoken English, plus any
plot-relevant on-screen text that would need to be translated.

#2 Captioning non-English videos: We will send you
Spanish (Latin America) source video. You need to deliver a
Spanish (Latin America) Closed captioning file in SRT format. This
caption would need to include SDH/Captioning information for deaf
and hard of hearing.

#3 Captioning and translating non-English videos: We will
send Spanish (Latin America) source video. You would deliver
Spanish (Latin America) captioning (includes SDH/Captioning
information) and translation into English (translations do not
need SDH/Captioning information.) in two different SRT files.


I would really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Ane

[Edited at 2015-02-13 23:52 GMT]


Have a look here:

http://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/281794-rates_and_working_times_for_subtitling.html


 
AneValdovinos
AneValdovinos  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 17:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Thank you! I really appreciate it!! Feb 14, 2015

Bernhard Sulzer wrote:

AneValdovinos wrote:

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to deliver translated subtitles into Spanish
(Latin America) language. These translated subtitles do not need
SDH/Captioning for the hearing impaired. The English master track
provided is an SRT file that contains the spoken English, plus any
plot-relevant on-screen text that would need to be translated.

#2 Captioning non-English videos: We will send you
Spanish (Latin America) source video. You need to deliver a
Spanish (Latin America) Closed captioning file in SRT format. This
caption would need to include SDH/Captioning information for deaf
and hard of hearing.

#3 Captioning and translating non-English videos: We will
send Spanish (Latin America) source video. You would deliver
Spanish (Latin America) captioning (includes SDH/Captioning
information) and translation into English (translations do not
need SDH/Captioning information.) in two different SRT files.


I would really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Ane

[Edited at 2015-02-13 23:52 GMT]


Have a look here:

http://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/281794-rates_and_working_times_for_subtitling.html


 
Alyona Sharapova
Alyona Sharapova  Identity Verified
Russian Federation
Local time: 00:53
French to Russian
+ ...
Where could I find a substantial response? Jan 5, 2016

Hello Bernhard,

Unfortunately, this discussion is not informative. Before, I've been subtitling for some Russian companies with "Russian rates" which are usually incomparable with the worldwide tariffs. So, I would like to know what usual rates do my collegues offer for such a work?

Thank you in advance,

Bernhard Sulzer wrote:

AneValdovinos wrote:

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to deliver translated subtitles into Spanish
(Latin America) language. These translated subtitles do not need
SDH/Captioning for the hearing impaired. The English master track
provided is an SRT file that contains the spoken English, plus any
plot-relevant on-screen text that would need to be translated.

#2 Captioning non-English videos: We will send you
Spanish (Latin America) source video. You need to deliver a
Spanish (Latin America) Closed captioning file in SRT format. This
caption would need to include SDH/Captioning information for deaf
and hard of hearing.

#3 Captioning and translating non-English videos: We will
send Spanish (Latin America) source video. You would deliver
Spanish (Latin America) captioning (includes SDH/Captioning
information) and translation into English (translations do not
need SDH/Captioning information.) in two different SRT files.


I would really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Ane

[Edited at 2015-02-13 23:52 GMT]


Have a look here:

http://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/281794-rates_and_working_times_for_subtitling.html


 
Martin Damiano Alcorta
Martin Damiano Alcorta  Identity Verified
Local time: 20:53
English to Spanish
+ ...
I'm still wondering... Oct 13, 2016

Alyona Sharapova wrote:

Hello Bernhard,

Unfortunately, this discussion is not informative. Before, I've been subtitling for some Russian companies with "Russian rates" which are usually incomparable with the worldwide tariffs. So, I would like to know what usual rates do my collegues offer for such a work?

Thank you in advance,

Bernhard Sulzer wrote:

AneValdovinos wrote:

Hello everyone!

Does anyone know how to determine translation fees for subtitling? This company is asking for a fee per minute translated, however, a one minute translation could take me a entire hour to translate or it could take me 10 minutes.

Here are the three work scenarios that they could ask for:

#1 Translating English-spoken videos: We will send you
English source video and English master track (SRT) to use as
reference. You need to deliver translated subtitles into Spanish
(Latin America) language. These translated subtitles do not need
SDH/Captioning for the hearing impaired. The English master track
provided is an SRT file that contains the spoken English, plus any
plot-relevant on-screen text that would need to be translated.

#2 Captioning non-English videos: We will send you
Spanish (Latin America) source video. You need to deliver a
Spanish (Latin America) Closed captioning file in SRT format. This
caption would need to include SDH/Captioning information for deaf
and hard of hearing.

#3 Captioning and translating non-English videos: We will
send Spanish (Latin America) source video. You would deliver
Spanish (Latin America) captioning (includes SDH/Captioning
information) and translation into English (translations do not
need SDH/Captioning information.) in two different SRT files.


I would really appreciate your help.

Best regards,

Ane

[Edited at 2015-02-13 23:52 GMT]


Have a look here:

http://www.proz.com/forum/money_matters/281794-rates_and_working_times_for_subtitling.html


I couldn't find any rates, which is what I'm looking for. At least a tiny example, it's not so hard, isn't it? Sometimes we end up charging lower rates because of this, the simple fact that there's no one out there who is willing to tell you how much is he/she charging for a particular service.

Cheers!


 
José Henrique Lamensdorf
José Henrique Lamensdorf  Identity Verified
Brazil
Local time: 20:53
English to Portuguese
+ ...
In memoriam
There is NO standard whatsoever Oct 13, 2016

There is no standard on fees, nor there are no standards in quality in video translation.

First, there are several different baselines including, but not limited to:
a) Nothing but the video is provided;
b) Video provided, plus similar material previously translated (e.g. other episodes/seasons in a TV series);
c) Video & original (prior to final edit) script provided;
d) Video & final transcript provided;
e) Video & pre-broken time-coded subtitles prov
... See more
There is no standard on fees, nor there are no standards in quality in video translation.

First, there are several different baselines including, but not limited to:
a) Nothing but the video is provided;
b) Video provided, plus similar material previously translated (e.g. other episodes/seasons in a TV series);
c) Video & original (prior to final edit) script provided;
d) Video & final transcript provided;
e) Video & pre-broken time-coded subtitles provided (aka "template").

Second, there are different requests, including:
a) Plain text "concise" translation only;
b) Broken subtitles up to XX chars per line translation only;
c) Time-spotted subtitles in "popular" file format (SRT, SSA, ASS, etc.);
d) Time-spotted subtitles in $$$$ expensive software proprietary file format;
e) Burnt subtitles on SD video;
f) Burnt subtitles on HD, FHD video (rendering takes longer);
g) Authored DVD or Blu-Ray with switchable subtitles.

Third, there are other variables:
a) Technical subject (e.g. "medical" or "legal" TV series, corporate video);
b) Heavy constraints on chars per line, CPS, up&down shifts; switching languages;
c) Quality required (if you watch cable TV, you'll see this varying immensely).

On top of all this, you have specific language pair offer/demand factors.

So my advice is that every individual should check their per-hour "worth". Check how long it takes you to do whatever is requested from you. Do the math, and find out how much in average you should charge. If you can sell your subtitling for this or more, do it! If not, find another endeavor.
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Translation fees on subtitling







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