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Video Subtitling and Transcription Rate
Thread poster: Tariq Shaar
Tariq Shaar
Tariq Shaar
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 06:15
Arabic to English
+ ...
Nov 30, 2019

Dear colleagues,


Recently I received a job to translate (subtitle) and transcribe a large number of videos each averaging 20 minutes of runtime. The client offered a 1$ per minute rate for his videos.

My question is, what's the average rate to translate and transcribe videos of this length and how much do usually charge for such tasks? And how long does it take to translate a 20-minute video?

Thanks
 
Juan Jacob
Juan Jacob  Identity Verified
Mexico
Local time: 20:15
French to Spanish
+ ...
First of all... Nov 30, 2019

...do you know how to subtitle? Very different from "normal" translation.
And $1/min is just ridiculous! (There are 2 tasks: translation and timing)
For both, $15/min is a minimum in western countries.
Good luck.

Tariq Shaar
 
Tariq Shaar
Tariq Shaar
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 06:15
Arabic to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
I was unsure about the rate Nov 30, 2019

Juan Jacob wrote:

...do you know how to subtitle? Very different from "normal" translation.
And $1/min is just ridiculous! (There are 2 tasks: translation and timing)
For both, $15/min is a minimum in western countries.
Good luck.




I have done subtitling before but it was part of my duties as an employed translator not as a freelancer, so I haven't done any freelance subtitling before. I wasn't sure about the rate the client suggested. You're right, it's very low.

Thanks a lot for the info. I appreciate it
 
Zibow Retailleau
Zibow Retailleau  Identity Verified
Mauritius
Local time: 06:15
English to Chinese
+ ...
... Dec 1, 2019

Tariq Shaar wrote:

The client offered a 1$ per minute rate for his videos.


I hope the client genuinely does not know the market, which I highly doubt; otherwise, this is outright exploitation!


And how long does it take to translate a 20-minute video?


I am assuming you mean timing, transcribing and translating all together? This depends on various factors, e.g. your personal skills and the nature of the video. Imagine how different the time needed will be to subtitle a BBC nature documentary and to subtitle, say, The Social Network. I would recommend you to try your hand at it before attempting a real (paid) job.

[Edited at 2019-12-01 11:33 GMT]

[Edited at 2019-12-01 11:46 GMT]

Tariq Shaar
Alex Kovalenko
 
Zibow Retailleau
Zibow Retailleau  Identity Verified
Mauritius
Local time: 06:15
English to Chinese
+ ...
Huh Dec 1, 2019

Tariq Shaar wrote:

Juan Jacob wrote:

...do you know how to subtitle? Very different from "normal" translation.
And $1/min is just ridiculous! (There are 2 tasks: translation and timing)
For both, $15/min is a minimum in western countries.
Good luck.




I have done subtitling before but it was part of my duties as an employed translator not as a freelancer, so I haven't done any freelance subtitling before. I wasn't sure about the rate the client suggested. You're right, it's very low.

Thanks a lot for the info. I appreciate it


When I replied, your reply somehow did not show. Please ignore what I said, then.
 
Tariq Shaar
Tariq Shaar
United Arab Emirates
Local time: 06:15
Arabic to English
+ ...
TOPIC STARTER
Seems the client wants the lowest pay for the biggest job possible Dec 3, 2019

Zibow Retailleau wrote:

Tariq Shaar wrote:

The client offered a 1$ per minute rate for his videos.


I hope the client genuinely does not know the market, which I highly doubt; otherwise, this is outright exploitation!


And how long does it take to translate a 20-minute video?


I am assuming you mean timing, transcribing and translating all together? This depends on various factors, e.g. your personal skills and the nature of the video. Imagine how different the time needed will be to subtitle a BBC nature documentary and to subtitle, say, The Social Network. I would recommend you to try your hand at it before attempting a real (paid) job.

[Edited at 2019-12-01 11:33 GMT]

[Edited at 2019-12-01 11:46 GMT]





I really doubted his price. I haven't done paid subtitling job before. So many clients these days tend to exploit. What makes me angry is that most of them gravely underestimate translation as a profession and assume it's as easy as typing some words.

Thank you for your feedback Zibow

Zibow Retailleau
 
Pasodina Miler
Pasodina Miler
United States
Danish to English
+ ...
my price is $0.50 per min Apr 30, 2020

I use the automatic subtitle translation machine only to arrange the real text and the translated text on the other side of the table nicely and the time is automatically set, and then I just make corrections or modify everything and quickly finish translating each subtitle .
Hope this helps you to translate the subtitle quickly.


Best regards

[Edited at 2020-04-30 08:49 GMT]
 


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