Do you know what SDH Subtitles are and their benefits in audiovisual productions?
TV programs, movies, and streaming videos provide audiences with some options to make their content accessible. In audiovisual production, it is important and even regulated in some cases to ensure that the content is accessible to audiences that are deaf or hard of hearing.
Closed captions, subtitles, and SDH subtitles are all accessibility tools. They provide viewers with a means to understand the content and enjoy what they consume. Each of these options, however, is quite different.
SDH Subtitles Meaning
So, what are SDH subtitles? SDH stands for subtitles for the dead and hard of hearing.
These are subtitles that provide information on subtitles as well as captions. They include captions of the dialogues and important audio such as speaker identification and sound effects.
Normal subtitles are geared toward audiences that can hear but are not able to understand the spoken language. In SDH, it is assumed that the audience cannot hear the dialogues and audio.
SDH is intended to mimic closed captions and can be translated into any language to make it accessible to those individuals who do not understand the language.
Subtitles SDH vs Closed Captions
English SDH subtitles and closed captions are both subtitling services for those with impaired hearing. They may seem to be the same, but there are several key differences between the two.
The main difference between the two is the way they appear. Captions are displayed on a black background in white text. SDH can be in any colour. Closed captions may be positioned anywhere on the screen, while SDH is always displayed at the bottom of the video.
Closed captions are displayed on the video permanently. Viewers can choose to turn SDH subtitles off or on and can even manipulate the fonts.
Why Include Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing?
Producers today are aware of the importance of making their content accessible to a larger audience. They want to ensure that they provide their audience with the means to fully enjoy and understand their creations. Hiring a voice-over agency with experience in subtitling is a good solution.
Here are a few reasons why you should include SDH subtitles in your videos.
Increased Exposure
Including subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing in your videos will increase the exposure your video receives. With them, you may experience engagement from those with impaired hearing.
Audio video translation also allows you to target non-native audiences, as they can easily understand the video with the proper subtitles.
Better Comprehension
SDH subtitles can help not just those with impaired hearing but also help regular audiences understand speakers with accents. It can help viewers understand the video even with the audio muted.
Because these subtitles provide a transcript of the dialogues as well as audio sounds, they help audiences better comprehend the video in a number of different situations.
Regulatory Compliance
In the US, companies are obligated to make their content accessible to their audiences. Failure to do so can result in lawsuits. Making your video content more accessible to audiences that are deaf or hard of hearing can help you avoid lawsuits and ensure that you are complying with all regulations.
More Views on Social Networks
On social networks, a majority of video content is consumed without audio. Including subtitles ensures that social media users will watch your video till the end. They capture the attention of viewers and ensure that your message comes across even without the audio.
SEO Benefits
When uploading videos, search engines are only capable of scanning the title of the video and descriptions for keywords. Subtitles provide a text transcript of the video, providing more data to search engines. This has immense SEO benefits, helping you bring more traffic to your video.
Accessibility Guidelines for SDH Subtitles and Captions
SDH subtitles may be legally required for your video content. The European Accessibility Act and Americans with Disabilities Act are laws that make it necessary for companies to make audiovisual content accessible.
Captioning and subtitling may be required for live and pre-recorded presentations of audiovisual material. As a best practice, it is recommended to follow FCC’s guide on subtitling and captioning:
- Captions must accurately reflect the music, sounds in the audio track, and dialogue, even if they are shortened because of time constraints.
- Captions should match the timestamps and audio track on the video.
- There shouldn’t be any periods without captions or gaps.
- Captions should not cover the video in such a way that it interferes with the comprehension of the video.
English SDH Subtitling Services
GoLocalise has over 15 years of experience creating English SDH subtitles for a variety of content, such as promotional videos, feature films, e-learning courses, corporate videos, and business presentations.
With industry-standard software and in-house project managers and subtitlers, GoLocalise is also equipped to deliver subtitles in over 100 languages to help you increase the reach of your video content.Â
Each project we work on goes through rigorous quality checks to ensure that you receive perfectly translated and accurately timed SDH subtitles. Our cost-effective and hassle-free solution ensures that you receive the best results based on your specifications without any stress.
Check our Subtitling Rates Guide and this post discussing if non-Standard English be Used in Subtitles.
