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Adding Subtitle
Hello, I need help on adding subtitle after finishing grading.
As usual we got Dpx sequence, so what is the easiest way to add subtitles on the picture? Using smoke? Or using FCP with gluetools Dpx plugin? Usually we have the editor prepared a timeline on his FCP already. -
16 Replies
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Do you already have the subtitles prepared for you ? Is it white text on black background ?
If you’re using Resolve v8, you can create a new video track (v2), add the subtitle to the new v2 track and then set the Composite Mode of v2 track to Add and this will “superimpose” the subtitles over to your graded v1 track.
You may want to import the audio track just to check if the subtitles are in sync.
-chrispy
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As I’m in the middle of a big feature, I havnt upgraded to 8 yet, for the safety reason.
Maybe after final grading proved by director, I’ll try your solution.If I want the sub characters is outlined by black, is there anyway? Maybe set outline color to very dark grey (95% percent black), with black background. Can I have the outline on final composited image?
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Hey Nick,
OK… so I’ve been developing a work flow for this for Resolve 8… there are some issues currently due to lack of “still” image support and lack of support for embedded alpha channel. That said here is a quick Resolve 8 workflow…
You will need…
1) Quick Time w/alpha
or
2) Image sequence w/alpha (TIFF, png)
Using After Effects or the like…
– Render out separate alpha channel
– Import image sequence into media pool (not the alpha channel files)
– add video track that is above the base layer
– add the alpha channel as Matte to the “subs” clip (this is done by selecting the main clip in the Media Pool, then navigating to the “alpha clip” and right clicking on the alpha clip and selecting “add as Matte”
– drop subs clip onto the new video track
– select the clip in the timeline on the Color page
– on the Node window right click into the window (not on the node) and select Add Alpha Output
– drag connect the “alpha channel” output from the node to the alpha channel output port on the node page
– right click on node and select the “Add Matt” pulldown submenu and select the alpha channel that you associated with node in the Browse tabIf all is good you will see your subs composited on the image.
Using the simple add function may not work if you are using drop shadows or outlines.
This is really rough, I’m working on refining it. I’m using Annotation Edit to generate subs and CC’s. Once still’s are supported I have an awesome XLM workflow.
If you are not on v8. Use an Avid DS if you have that. You could also use Smoke. I have both here and I prefer using the DS as it is a little simpler. FCP may give you issues with colorspace if you are running RGB 10-bit. I tried to use it and it was problematic with 10-bit RGB material.
I’ll be creating some tutorials for creating subs for HD and digital cinema, but that is a little ways off.
I had to figure this out on my own and it was a PIA.
best,
Jonathon
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I have an update to this… I was mistaken when I said you need to render out a separate alpha pass. You can actually use a Pro Res 4444 file with alpha… and you can “add it to its self” as a Matte. I just tried this on a show and it worked!
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That’s quite a detailed step by step instruction, thank u Lee.
1. So does annotation edit output alpha channel? Or I need export subtitle to one mov, then change subtitle to pure white and render a separate mov?
2. The 10bits issue in FCP u mentioned, is that about gluetools or FCP itself?
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Annotation Edit makes a special varialble rate QT file that you first need to open in QT Pro 7. You then need to save it out as a Pro Res 4444 (or another codec that creates a proper alpha channel).
It’s actually a really cool program and very reasonable in price. It does many different formats.
As far as the 10-bit issue and rendering. As far as I know, FCP 7 cannot process 10-bit RGB unscaled video data. You can do 10-bit YCBCR, but not 10-bit RGB. So, you will be left with a color shift due to the color space conversions. This is why Resolve v8 is so great. AND, the Resolve v8 will render this out FASTER then anything else due to the CUDA acceleration. In After Effects 5 on OS X and in Avid DS (on win 7) the renders are at about 4-5 FPS for HD 10b RGB or 2k DCI 10b RGB. Resolve did it faster then real time.
So, install another HD in your Resolve and install v8. Just clone the startup HD, rename it and install v8. This way you can finish your v7 show. Or if you have another machine on your network install Resolve there and do the render on that system. Even if you only have a single CUDA GPU on the second machine it will still render faster then AE or DS.
– Jonathon
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Thank u for ur detailed information.
After some investigation, I guess annotation edit might not be the choice me, as for the functions it provides, the price is reasonable. But it’s far more than enough for me. I just need to render the subtitle to a QuickTime mov, I guess fcp can do that, right? -
I don’t know about you all, but i wouldn’t do sub0-titles in my color pass. Either way when you export the finished QT/DPX/whatever, it’s baked in. How will you have a textless master then?
And i can’t think of one time, even on features, where every card was perfect all the way through.
IMHO, i would do the subtitles in Smoke/FCP/Premiere, as just changing a single period to 2 periods (just an examaple), will not require you to re-render the entire shot. hell, you may not need to render anything, depending on your system.
And if you’re setup up with multiple workstations, it makes even more sense, as you won’t need to book more time on the Davinci to finish your online Master.
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Yep, depends on your workflow and how often you do subtitled masters. If you have a smoke great, if you have a DS great.
Hut if you don’t have those systems, the Annotation Edit + Resolve workflow is fast and cheap. Annotation edit renders out a variable frame rate QT file, so the render is super fast even for a feature. You have to render out a Pro Rez 4444 from QT pro, but that only takes a few min if you have fast storage+comp. Doing the same render in FCP (which is unusable for doing full-range 10-bit 444, but OK for 10-bit scaled 422) or rending in Adobe After Effects takes hours per reel… so for a feature this is time prohibitive for most.
Actually, I have both smoke and DS and I prefer using the Annotation Edit + Resolve method. It renders way faster then DS, have not tested in Smoke yet. I have yet to find anything that will render faster then Resolve 8 and I use many different platforms. Not sure why, but I’ll take the win.
Anyhow, many different ways to skin the cat, but at 1k per resolve license it is a HUGE time and money saver. We have 2 mac resolves and 1 linux.. one of the Mac Resolve systems is just for rendering and i/o.
One last thing… authoring subs in Annotation Edit is much, much faster then trying to do it in Smoke, DS, FCP or any other NLE or composting system. AND, if you need to re-purpose subtitles for DVD, Bluray, Digital Cinema, mpeg delivery and CC’s, you will need a subtitle authoring system such as An Ed. or the like…. an NLE just can’t do the various file format translations.
– Jonathon
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Hi
“I’ll be creating some tutorials for creating subs for HD and digital cinema”
Did you create the tutorial ?
If you have I would like to give it a trykaram
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