An Arashi Fan’s Guide to the World of Fansubbing

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Have you ever wondered about what exactly goes into a fansub? Or how subbers and subbing teams go about producing their videos? I’m in the tl;dr mode today, so here you go!

An Arashi Fan’s Guide to the World of Fansubbing

Subbing (“sub” being the abbreviation of “subtitles”) is the process of attaching English subtitles onto a foreign television program, or in this case Japanese programs featuring Arashi. Traditional fansubs were produced using analog video editing equipment, but the subbing process was completely digitalized in recent years with the advent of technology.

The main processes in fansubbing are as follows:

1) Raw acquisition

2) Translating

3) Timing

4) Typesetting

5) Spotting

6) Encoding

Part 1: Acquiring a Raw

A raw is basically an unsubbed video. Raw acquisition in the past years have been made easy thanks to the work of LJ communities like DSS, ANJ and KnH, who in turn got their videos from Chinese websites like Weibo. (Just don’t ask me how the Weibo users got their videos.)

However, videos downloaded from Weibo typically range in the Gigabytes, as they come in the form of .TS files. Raw-providing LJ communities will then convert the file into smaller versions whilst retaining high video quality. They are truly indispensable to subbing communities because nothing would begin without them.

Part 2: Translating

This is my favorite part of the subbing process and basically where I started out as a subber, before branching off into other jobs. A translator takes the words spoken in Japanese and rewrites them into English. It sounds easy, but here’s an illustration of how a human translator would do it, versus Google Translate.

(Please note that all translators will do things a little differently, I’m just sharing my perspective. Japanese is my third language while English is my first, and our brains process language a little differently based on what our first language is.)

From Arashi ni Shiyagare, New Year SP

A human translator considers the context of the sentence which he/she is translating. For example, Nino says “Sou desu ne!” twice. Instead of writing, “That’s right!” twice to indicate his agreement, I chose to write it as “I would think so!” It’s the same number of words, but creates greater variety within the sentence and denotes a greater sense of agreement.

Another example would be Matchy’s use of the word “Golden Time”. Golden Time is a Japlish term, and would be more appropriately translated to into “Primetime” rather than having the English words copied over into the translation.

The conversation above lasted about 20 seconds, took me about 2 minutes to mentally translate it, then another 3 minutes to type it out as I'm listening to the speech. (I’m slow, I know.) And that’s not accounting for the time I spent on sentences that I have to replay over and over in order to catch a word I’m unfamiliar with, conducting background research or just trying to figure out the context of the situation.

A translation script for a 45 minute variety show (minus commercials) could have around 10,000 words. By the time I’ve finished the script I would have watched the show about 5 times.

Part 3: Timing

Timing, to me, is the most tedious part of the subbing process because it requires a lot of patience and precision, as well as some basic knowledge of Japanese. Experienced timers will be able to help spot missing sentences and sometimes do the favor of transcribing the missing Japanese speech. I use the program Aegisub for my timing and typesetting jobs.

I learnt all my timing skills from Youtube so I’ll just leave you with a beginner’s tutorial on timing. It’s pretty easy to pick up!

Part 4: Typesetting

Typesetting is all about beautifying the video. Communities which provide hardsubs often do so because they have typesetters who use special fonts for their videos which cannot be seen in another person’s computer. Japanese variety shows also have a tendency to use lots of captions themselves, so English subbing teams often have typesetters who will help in creating captions that complement or cover the existing Japanese captions.

Before:

After:

twosen is one of the most meticulous typesetters I know. Do check out her comments here on the intricacies of typesetting.

Part 5: Spotting

The spotting process can also be termed as the editing process. Basically, a translator will look over the video to see if the English lines have been timed according to the actual Japanese speech, check for missing sentences/words, and edit grammar or inaccurate translations.

Part 6: Encoding

Encoding is taking the subtitle file, which is currently separate from the video file, and sticking them together with all the lovely fonts and captions. It’s where the technical expertise of a subbing team comes into play, because competent encoders will get files down to tiny sizes, whilst retaining high video quality. It’s not as easy as just running a video through a program, there can be a lot of trouble shooting to do and it can be frustrating at times. I personally have very little experience in encoding, so that’s why you always see the same file types (.avi) coming from me, I know nuts about converting other file types.

THAT'S IT. (I think.)


And there you have it! It’s not a comprehensive guide, and I left out Karaoke Timing (a can of worms that I have yet to open because I HATE to time), but hopefully you have a better picture of what goes into a subbed video now. It’s not uncommon for a single subber to spend hours on just one episode of an Arashi show.

“Why do people spend so much for their time making fansubs?” you might ask, “Are you guys so hungry for the adulation that comes from the people who view your subs?

I can’t speak for other subbers; while I certainly don’t mind people appreciating my work, a large part behind my motivation to sub lies in a desire to master the navigation between two languages and make a contribution to fandom. Maybe the whole idea of mastery sounds like an ego trip to you, but the ability to level up a certain skill can be very, very satisfying.

Comments

^_^

[naddy0111.livejournal.com]

What a great information.. Now I know all the hardships that hv been faced by the subbers in subbing the shows.. How I wish I hv the skills to contribute the fandom.. You guys are awesome and I really appreciate it.. You guys will always hv my support and once again, thank you so much..:-)

Re: ^_^

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't call it hardship, since we don't actually suffer while subbing (okay, maybe when it comes to timing captions. I HATE TIMING).

We do it because it's fun. :)

[purplegabbie.livejournal.com]

wow, thanks for this. it really is a lot of hard work isn't it. really feel thankful to all the subbers. thanks so much!!

[pucchu.livejournal.com]

I think subbing is something like devotion to fandom. Or at least, this is what I think about my own contribution as a fansubber! =P
Your point about adaptation is interesting as many fansubbers tend to stick to the original, which I think is not completely helpful for the audience.

I found it quite lovely that you shared that TED video, it's really appropriate! <3
As always, thank you for your opinion!

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed! When I first saw that TED video, I thought of fansubbing. XD

Becky from Taiji Fansubs is probably the best fandom translator when it comes to striking a balance between a dynamic and literal translation. At times, I find myself laughing at her translation, rather than Arashi's antics. She has a way with words that carries the humor across really well.

[reiu.livejournal.com]

Very interesting overview, thank you! I always though that subbing was a lot of work, but it wasn’t until I did some (non-Japanese) fansubbing myself that I really understood just how long it can take. You guys are awesome!

PS: Did you mean to link to KnH? It’s against their rules…?

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Thanks for the reminder. I remembered that Miya said no linking back to the comm when it came to using the raws for subs, but I forgot that it applied to the comm as a whole. orz

Subbing is fun, that's why we do it, right?

[mokona-chu.livejournal.com]

wow
that all i can think of as i read
complete lost for word at how hard subbing really is

[anumi91.livejournal.com]

SO many things to do... I really admire your patience and perseverance in what you do, cuz all I can do is time the subs... and yet there are so many other things...
Thank you for you hard work

[sky-fish7.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this! It shows even more, how amazing you are! My thanks and respect to everyone who's subbing, that's really a tough Job that needs a lot of time! That's so amazing...

[mariam-7860.livejournal.com]

You know when the whole business with someone selling subs happened, I thought it would be a great idea for it to be put out there what subbers go through. Since I have a few friends who are subbers, I've read a lot in their personal journals about the amount of work subbing is. I have even helped do encoding a few times and yeah, basically it takes forever. I think this post was a good idea for those people who don't know what subbing means to the subbers.

I think some people really do not have the capacity to sub, whether it's internet limitations, or language limitations, or computer limitations. Even time limitations. There are people out there who can do school and work and still manage to do such time consuming projects. Other people couldn't possibly do it, or for whatever reasons (which I think are perfectly legitimate) choose not to choose subbing over other priorities in their life. WHATEVER the reason, I think people should definitely appreciate subs and subbers.

I know I do. I couldn't possibly keep up with the fandom if it wasn't for subbers.

[twosen.livejournal.com]

Heh, for me, I fall under those with computer/time/internet limitations. My internet speed makes me feel like I'm still in the era of dial-up modems >__<

Thanks for your support!

[cerraazizi.livejournal.com]

I've always wondered how, exactly, does a fansubbing process go and this post gave me really interesting insights! Thank you so much for sharing all these interesting details! :D

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed! I was worried that the article seemed too long or boring, so great job in reading till the end. XD

[atenea005.livejournal.com]

I think It's hard for do it. It's the reason, I respect their works and people who have done it because they spend their time and put their effort for people like me who don't know japanese can watch it. Thank you for tell us like You make it and we can appreciate their work more and say thank you for your effort!

[mochipan.livejournal.com]

thank you so much for sharing, it've definitely allowed me to understand a totally different world that i've always been looking but never had the time to dwell in .
Hopefully one day i can also master the skills of subbing >

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed!

Just curious, what kind of subbing skill are you thinking of picking up?

[chibi18tenshi.livejournal.com]

Thanks a lot for sharing this! I know it's not easy to sub a video and after reading this, I understand more the works of the subbing teams. I have a dream of translating some articles or shows of Arashi but I'm not that confident since my English is not that good and I just started attending some Japanese lessons :)

[chuline.livejournal.com]

Thanks for sharing this, it's very interesting, when I discover the subbing process I loved it, I don't know Japanese *trying to learn some*, but I'm subbing from English to my language *though not Arashi related*, and it takes a lot of time and effort. I like the translating part but it definitely is what takes me the most time, it's so hard to try to convey the meaning and at the same time be precise, and at least for me it requires a lot of research sometimes. I really enjoy timing, it's like the part when I kinda see some result..
"the ability to level up a certain skill can be very, very satisfying"
I totally agree!

[fullmoon312.livejournal.com]

I try to do subbing once when I made a fanmade music video. The timing part is the most difficult one for me.
So, I really can understand the feeling of the subbers.

[kazue19.livejournal.com]

Thank you soooo much!
I've always wondered about the specific tasks involved in the subbing process, and I understand how difficult it is/can be. This post has made it a lot clearer and counts a lot in helping us understand all the work a subbing team or individual has to do; therefore, to be more respectful of the limitations when it comes to sharing/using the subbed files.

I was close to subbing short Arashi vids myself but would have to learn the language more.
This post would be really helpful!

[topazera.livejournal.com]

Great article! I already knew the basics of subbing but I found the section on translation especially interesting. It's such a art, to not just change the words from one language to another but also to approximate tone and consider "Well, if this person was speaking English, what words would they be using to say what they're saying?". My own preferences about the balance between literal and more creative tend to shift.

Actually, just if you happen have time otherwise feel free to skim on by, there's a question or two re: amateur subbing I've been thinking about. I'd be curious to hear the perspective of someone who subs but I don't know any serious subbers personally.

1) Do you have an opinion on people writing their own "subs" on gifs, in our new tumblr culture? I've been wondering if it's a great annoyance for subbers to have people snipe out the best parts of a project before it could possibly be completed. And 2), do you think standards for translations vary by fandom? I keep being tempted to try subbing short things for the Kanjani8 fandom, since very few projects ever get subbed, and yet I wouldn't consider myself qualified if there WERE others (i.e. Arashi fandom).

Thanks again for starting such a great dialogue! ♥

[barbosa2007.livejournal.com]

Glad you enjoyed! I'm currently reading books in dual languages and it's interesting to see how professional translators handle the transition from one language to another.

I appreciate your questions. Let's see if I can answer them adequately.

1) I think that subbed gifs are lovely. In fact, people have asked me if they could use my translations for subbed gifs, and I always look forward to seeing them. I think that they do have a place in fandom, it serves as a good platform to get people interested in variety programs which they would otherwise have no access to (given the open nature of Tumblr). I don't see them as "sniping" the "best parts of a project", simply because a GIF cannot do what a video does, which is to convey a message via sound and speech.

A Tumblr user whom I think utilizes GIFs and translations together very well is mou-ippo.

http://mou-ippo.tumblr.com/post/28840538748/i-kind-of-felt-like-we-needed-to-do-something-that

I like reading translated quotes in this format, and the imagery just enhances the sentiment behind the words.

2) Certainly, translation standards vary WITHIN and BETWEEN fandoms. I've always felt that it was due to the size of the "talent pool" within a fandom. For example, Naruto has a huge following, so naturally you'd be able to find better subbers there due to the larger fanbase. Conversely, the larger the fanbase, the greater the variance within the translated works that are churned out. It's not my place to comment on the current quality of work in Arashi fandom, I just try to do the best I can.

Personally, I found subbing to be very intimidating for someone who's just starting out. I started translating very short articles in 2009 and only felt confident enough to move to variety shows in 2011. Nowadays, twosen and I exchange ideas when it comes to translating a certain sentence or phrase. It helps to bounce ideas off against another translator to see what they think. We also utilize a large pool of online resources to double check our accuracy, and yet sometimes we still fail.

I'd love to discuss this further, it's certainly an interesting topic.

[sandster101.livejournal.com]

Thanks for this post! Even though this should have been a bit state-the-obvious for me since I'm sort of a closet subber, it was eye opening! I found it quite interesting~ :D

[twosen.livejournal.com]

I'm intrigued by what you mean by 'closet subber'!

[coolohoh]

all i do occasionally is take loads of screencaps, translate the interesting dialouge/the ones i can understand, and write it out as a picture guide to the episode... and that alone takes me 4-5hours for a single 45min episode...

needless to say i appreciate the work of the subbing teams in helping to make arashi programs accessible to all! thank you for all your hard work! m(_ _)m

[boohaysaging.livejournal.com]

This was a nice read :)
Thanks for sharing some details regarding the subbing process!

[belalangchan.livejournal.com]

thank u so much for everything..! i really love your sub until now.~

[ll-unikorn-ll.livejournal.com]

Wow, thank you so much for sharing these. With this post, I hope everyone realize how much hard was put into subbing even though it's just a short clip, and that no one will break the fandom rules ever again!

I may not be able to contribute much given the little knowledge I have for each role, but I will continue to support your hard work. Keep it up!

PS. I never understood what "spotting" is but now I do *lol*

[arashicraze.livejournal.com]

Sugoi!!! muzukashikute, nagai purosesu desune~!
itte kurete arigatou (⌒▽⌒)

[ryoxy.livejournal.com]

Woah! Fansubber are amazing! Thank you so much for all for your wonderful hardwork! I hope I can be one of the fansubber soon :)

[sweenocence.livejournal.com]

this was really informative :D although i knew the basics of fansubbing, this was a very interesting read. i still wonder about encoding though and maybe you do too XD lol. i think this could be very encouraging and helpful for people who want to fansub in the future. i read the comments so far and it seems like there is a lot of potential out there! so it would be great for the fansubber community to grow ^^

i have also thought about fansubbing myself, although i need to brush up on my japanese (kind of left it in the dust when my class ended ..2 years ago D: and was working on my korean haha). after reading this i think i will try my hand at it some time in the future. i've done a few non-japanese videos before. like timing lyrics and such. i think it helps just to practice with pvs or something because you get used to using aegisub and timing. the first video i ever subbed took me very long in the first minute of the video, but after i got used to it ^^

so kudos to you for writing about the process :D really hope it does encourage other people to fansub and to understand about the process in general :) i think it's hard to start out because people may not have much confidence in their subs, or they need to find someone to spot their translations. i hope someone can write a similar summary of encoding...seriously have no idea about what you actually do there..i mean the programs and stuff LOL

thanks for this again!! will be looking forward to more posts from t101 :D

[mizumi10.livejournal.com]

Thank you for the great mini guide! i've been wondering what each jobs were. i have attempted at translating before and it's hard. well it' hard because my Japanese is so limited but even with simple sentences, i have to re-read or listen again and again to make sure i'm reading or hearing it correctly. xD Plus since Japanese is like my third language i want to speak fluently it's hard to juggle between english and my cultural language. (not even my cultural language i'm fully fluent in. =.=) but anyways! love this post. i hope with the things that have been happening, people will start to understand more from a subber's point of view.