Everyone’s Using Subtitles – The Fascinating Reasons Why!
Mar 5, 2024
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The podcast explores the rising trend of using subtitles while watching TV shows and movies. Experts discuss the impact of subtitles on viewer experience and the challenges in sound technology. They also touch on the evolution of audio technology and the struggle of navigating subtitles on streaming services
Subtitles are increasingly popular for improved understanding and accessibility in video content.
Advancements in sound technology and the challenges of dialogue clarity highlight the importance of balanced sound mixing.
Deep dives
The Rise of Subtitles in Video Content
The podcast explores the increasing use of subtitles in video content, with up to 61% of viewers regularly using them. The discussion highlights the challenges faced by content creators in ensuring clear dialogue delivery. The guests discuss the impact of technology advancements on dialogue clarity and sound mixing, emphasizing the importance of balancing sound elements for an optimal viewing experience. They also address the shifting trends in audience preferences towards subtitles for improved understanding and accessibility.
Dialogue Enunciation and Sound Technology
The podcast delves into how historical practices and advancements in sound technology have influenced actors' enunciation and dialogue clarity. The conversation emphasizes the evolution of sound recording techniques from post soundstage mics to modern mobile recording capabilities. The guests discuss the challenges faced by sound editors in enhancing dialogue clarity amidst background noise and address the limitations in post-production enhancements when actors' enunciation is unclear.
The Impact of Dynamic Range and Streaming Standards
The podcast examines the concept of dynamic range in sound mixing and the challenges faced in balancing sound elements for impactful storytelling. The discussion touches upon the shift in audio standards from dialogue-focused to overall loudness considerations in streaming platforms. The guests highlight the complexities of downmixing multi-channel sound formats for different playback devices and the limitations in standardization across streaming platforms.
Accessibility and Inclusivity in Content Creation
The podcast underscores the role of subtitles and audio descriptions in enhancing content accessibility for diverse audiences, including those with hearing impairments and processing difficulties. The guests emphasize the positive impact of technology in making storytelling more inclusive and accessible. They discuss the importance of maintaining dialogue clarity and sound quality to ensure a rich viewing experience for all viewers, regardless of their hearing abilities.
In case you haven’t noticed, there appears to be a subtitle revolution, with current research showing that as many as 61% of us are using subtitles regularly. And that number is rapidly growing! Really, no really!
Everyone hasn’t suddenly become hard of hearing, so why are subtitles suddenly becoming the norm? This global entertainment trend is transforming the way we watch television and movies…and content creators secretly admit there is a problem that necessitates subtitles! So, we had to unravel the reasons why more of us are opting for on screen text.
To help us explain the subtitle takeover, Jason and Peter enlisted the services of film researcher and producer Ed Vega, who specializes in - as his bio says - all things cinema, from the intricacies of film history to the nuts and bolts of filmmaking AND prolific dialogue editor and sound designer Austin Olivia Kendrick whose notable work includes - Star Trek Discovery, the HBO series Barry, Monster High, Rugrats, Transformers: Earthspark among many others.
IN THIS EPISODE:
The pros and cons of using subtitles.
How today’s actor’s vocal performances differ from those in the past. Generational reasons and differences in subtitle use.
Why the 1970’s era -inferior technology- seemed to work better.
Do modern TVs really have speakers facing the wrong way?
Is A.I. the answer to better sound mixing?
Wait…competing streaming services have no audio standards!
What about the George Lucas created THX?
Which do we prefer in foreign language movies-Dubbed or subtitled?
Have subtitles and audio descriptions made entertainment more accessible?
How Jason accidentally watched the original Squid Game.
Googleheim: Other cutting-edge technologies that have made life worse!