What is the purpose of subtitles? 

1. To enhance the understanding of the video content for viewers: 

Subtitles improve comprehension of the video. A quick search indicates that many viewers, even those who are native speakers of the original language of the video, turn on captions when they watch TV shows, movies, or other videos. Simply put, they comprehend the written translation better. 

2. To boost content engagement

People prefer reading subtitles resulting in more clicks on a video and thus higher engagement. According to a recent study, 91% of people who watched movies with subtitles finished them to completion, compared to 66% of people who viewed them without subtitles. 

3. Accessibility

According to the WHO, 5% of people worldwide have permanent hearing loss. Thus subtitles help a great deal to reach out to this section of the population who are otherwise not able to understand a video without a written text.

Pros and cons of subtitles

Advantages of using subtitles: 

1. Affordable

The low production cost of subtitles over voice-overs is one of its key advantages. Subtitling does not require recording engineers, voice actors, and audio studios making it a more economical choice. 

2. Preservation of original content

With the usage of subtitles, the real essence of the video is retained including the voices of the original actors and the style of the content. 

3. Makes everything crystal clear

The audience has a smooth time watching a movie with subtitles as they provide clarity and a great comprehension of technical terminologies, full names, and brand names. Furthermore, if one can’t easily understand the accents used in a particular film, subtitles make it simpler to read and comprehend the original dialogue. 

4. Speedy output

In comparison to voice-overs, subtitles are the quickest option to translate the source language of the video into target culture languages. It is because subtitling can be done in the comfort of the home. All you need is just one laptop. 

5. Improves a video’s SEO

One of the most important web optimizations for improving Google rankings is Search Engine Optimization or SEO. It helps you to gain more online visibility and draw in potential clients. The textual content of subtitles can be read by search engines which improve the positioning of your webpage in search engine results. 

Disadvantages of using subtitles: 

1. Distraction

The screen text distracts the audience from the visual content which is the ultimate purpose of watching a video. 

2. A challenging task

Less screen space and subtitling guidelines such as restricted characters per second, the limited number of characters per line, etc. make the job of a subtitler difficult which results in erroneous output. 

3. Dialogue originality sacrificed

Ocassionally, the target language is too long to fit in two lines of text within a short screen time. This forces the subtitler to omit the original elements of the original dialogue making the movie less interesting. 

4. Creates confusion

In rare cases the presence of multiple characters in a single time frame makes it difficult to add subtitles. Even if they are added, they create confusion among the viewers. 

5. May irritate the audience

Subtitles that are automatically embedded in a movie without an option to remove them may infuriate those who don’t like subtitles. Some viewers may even decide not to watch the movie. 

What is the purpose of voice-over? 

To bring life and emotion to the content: 

Voice-overs help to advance plotlines, narrate stories, and give viewers a close-up view of the characters’ thoughts in movies/videos. By evoking emotions and offering clarity, they help the visual composition of the movie/video have a stronger connection with and influence on the audience. 

Transforms content into magnet: 

A voice talent is capable of establishing a tone and rhythm, as well as placing persuasion and emphasis at the right places, in a video/movie. All of this helps to grab the viewer’s attention on the screen which is not possible with subtitles. 

Pros and cons of voice-over 

Advantages of voice-over/Dubbing 

1. No distraction

Voice-overs allow the viewers to concentrate on the characters and sound effects. Therefore, the audience can enjoy the movie/video rather than become sidetracked by reading the subtitles. 

2. No confusion

When there is a complex conversation between multiple speakers in a single time frame, especially if they frequently interrupt one another, voice-over is the ideal option. It is because different voice tones of voice actors will aid in better comprehension of the scene and thus prevent confusion that arises from using subtitles. 

3. Chance to bring back originality

Voice actors can create an authentic tone and voice in a native language which helps in engaging the target audience.

4. No screen space restriction

Since there is no screen space limit while dubbing, translated dialogues need not be shortened as in the case of subtitles. And this way, the meaning of the original dialogue stays intact. 

5. Adjustable speaking speed

If the original speaking pace of a character in a video is fast, then dubbing can help you control that speaking speed to an extent and thus make it easier for your audience to understand the dialogue. 

Disadvantages of voice-over/dubbing 

1. Expensive

Voice-overs/dubbing are costlier than subtitling. The reason lies in its procedure which includes preparing a translated script, hiring voice actors and sound engineers, and finding access to a recording studio. Whereas the job of subtitling is done by a single person which saves money. 

2. Synchronization

If the dubbing is not carried out professionally, viewers may become distracted by lip movements that are not in sync. Dialogues from the translated script should match the actors’ lip movements which is a difficult task and practically, impossible. 

3. Takes more time

Dubbing is a time-consuming process due to its long procedure and large workforce requirement. 

4. The chemistry problem

It can be challenging to find perfect voice actors for your content. The intended audience may not connect with the video if the chemistry among the actors is off, that is if the voices don’t fit the characters in the video. 

5. May bore the viewers

When the production companies use the same voice talent in multiple films, voice-over may become frustrating and boring, especially for movie lovers who watch films frequently. 

Subtitles or voice-over: Which is best? 

By now you must have understood that both, subtitles and voice-over have their pros and cons. As a result of this, no one is superior to the other. The best choice for a video depends upon the kind of content, the complexity of the content, and the target audience. 

1. Kind of content 

Subtitling is an ideal option when the video content depends on the character’s physical and emotional portrayal to tell the story and when viewers are concerned about their privacy and confidentiality. Some examples where subtitling is a good move are movies, e-learning videos, corporate videos, educational videos, and resource videos.

While voice-overs are a better option for videos with crucial visual features that require viewers to pay attention, such as on-screen action, artwork, graphs, and expensive graphics. A few examples where voice-overs are popular include commercial videos, narration videos, video games, e-learning videos, trailers and promos, and announcements.

2. Complexity of content 

This factor needs to be considered while deciding which option is more suitable. If your video already contains screen text then adding subtitles to it would create hotchpotch on the screen. Thus, in this case, a voice-over/dubbing will work best. In comparison to this, if your video is less complex and contains visuals, then adding subtitles can be a better option. 

3. Target audience 

Knowing your target audience is a must when choosing between subtitles and voice-overs/dubbing. For example, corporate audiences often read the subtitles, whereas viewers who are consumers or are receiving help, guidance, or announcements are more receptive to dubbed videos. 

For movies, you should do extensive research about the preference of your target audience. To illustrate, Germany, Italy, and France prefer to watch dubbed movies. However, the people of Holland and Scandinavia like to watch subtitled films. 

Now, we can say that you are ready to make the best decision for your video content. But if you are still confused, do reach out to Naarg. 

Naarg Data Media Services is an established organization committed to serving its clients with high-quality output. Over the years, we have worked on multifarious subtitling and voice-over projects due to which we know what will work for your content and what will not. 

So if you are not sure what will be the perfect choice for you, then seek help because this is a matter of time, money, and energy. 

Choose the best option for your content. Choose Naarg.