Behind the screen: The Ins and Outs of Subtitling on Live Television

Overview

Talk on Behind the screen: The Ins and Outs of Subtitling on Live Television by a freelancer translator and interpreter, Maria Dunkley

Speaker:

Maria Dunkley is a freelance French & German to English translator, interpreter and live subtitler based in Glasgow, Scotland, who works from French & German into English. She holds a BA in Modern Languages and an MA in Translation and Interpreting. Maria has experience subtitling a wide range of programmes for live TV, from Love Island to the Olympics & Paralympics 2024. Outside her work, she endeavours to spread awareness of the importance of access services to ensure all viewers are able to enjoy and educate themselves without barriers.

Abstract:

From news bulletins and interviews to sporting events and talk shows, live television allows viewers to watch events as they unfold. In the UK, we watch an average of 17.5 hours of broadcast TV each week. Live subtitles are thus vital to ensure that live television is accessible and inclusive to all viewers, regardless of hearing ability. Translating live speech into readable text, however, is not as simple as it may seem. With live TV available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, it takes a team of subtitlers working seamlessly together behind the scenes to ensure subtitles remain accurate, consistent and compliant with subtitling requirements.

This presentation provides an introduction to the world of live subtitling and its use on live TV. Find out more about the skills involved in respeaking in a broadcasting context, the challenges of subtitle production on live TV and its impact on the respeaker’s cognitive load. We will look at the link between live subtitling and accessibility, and the importance of maintaining high quality standards to increase viewer engagement and comprehension.

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