Captioning & subtitling

DCP Digital-Cinema Subtitles (SMPTE & Interop)

Digital-cinema subtitles have to conform to the DCP spec exactly, or the package fails ingest. I author SMPTE ST 428-7:2014 and Interop (CineCanvas) subtitle XML that holds to 52 characters per line, up to three lines, a minimum 15-frame duration, an exact 2-frame gap between events and exclusive out-points, and I delivered a 3-minute DCI-compliant sample to prove it.

✓ SMPTE ST 428-7:2014 + Interop✓ Conformed to the DCI spec✓ 3-minute sample delivered
Dao Huy (Lucas)

Dao Huy (Lucas)

Subtitle & caption specialist, Da Nang, Vietnam

BA in EnglishIELTS 7.0HSK 5Upwork Top-Rated Plus4.99/5 from 80 reviewsTop 1%7+ years, 200+ projects
Recently delivered English SDH for six episodes (around 160 minutes) with true CEA-608 and CEA-708 embedded and independently QC-verified, for a US media-localization agency.
letterboxtitle-safe areasubtitle safe zoneup to 52 characters per line, maximum 3 lines
DCP frame: letterbox, title-safe area and the subtitle safe zone, within the DCP line limits.

Subtitles inside the title-safe band, within the DCP line limits.

What you receive

SMPTE ST 428-7:2014 subtitle XML
Interop (CineCanvas) subtitle XML
UTF-8 text conformed to the DCP spec
Font and timing packaged for the DCP
3-minute DCI-compliant sample on request

Spec checklist

✓Up to 52 characters per line, maximum 3 lines
✓Minimum 15-frame event duration
✓Exact 2-frame gap between consecutive events
✓Exclusive out-point timing
✓UTF-8 text, DCI-compliant structure
✓23.976 and 24 fps timing

How it works

1

Scope and spec

You send the video and target profile. I confirm frame rate, timecode, caption style and the delivery formats you need.

2

Author

I time and write the captions or subtitles to the reading-speed, line-length and positioning rules for the target.

3

Encode and wrap

I produce the deliverables: SCC, MXF OP1A embed, SMPTE ST 2052-1 or DCP XML, plus a burned-in preview.

4

QC and deliver

I decode the result independently with caption-inspector, fix anything that drifts, and deliver with a report.

Three-layer QC before anything ships

Broadcast and cinema files fail on decoders, not in an editor preview. Every delivery goes through three passes and an independent decode.

1. Rough pass

Spot and draft every caption against the script, source audio and shot changes.

2. Alignment and timing

Tune reading speed, line breaks and positioning; align to shot changes and clear names and lower-thirds.

3. Independent senior QC

Decode the result on a separate decoder, check conformance to the target spec, and sign it off.

✓Characters-per-second held to spec on every event
✓Safe-title and safe-area violation check per caption
✓Multi-device and projection playback testing
✓Independent CEA-608 and CEA-708 decode with caption-inspector
NDA and secure handling for unreleased films and pre-air episodes; screeners are deleted on delivery.

Indicative rate

From $5 / minute

✉ Request a quote

Related captioning services

Captioning & subtitling →Closed Captions →SDH Captions →Subtitle Translation →Caption QC →Vertical Subtitles →Vietnamese translation →

Frequently asked questions

Do you deliver SMPTE or Interop subtitles?

Both. I author SMPTE ST 428-7:2014 subtitle XML and Interop (CineCanvas) XML, so your DCP mastering house can ingest whichever the project calls for.

How do you make sure the file passes DCP ingest?

I conform to the DCP rules that trip files up: up to 52 characters per line and three lines, a minimum 15-frame duration, an exact 2-frame gap between events, exclusive out-points and UTF-8 text. I can deliver a 3-minute DCI-compliant sample first so your facility can validate it.

How much do DCP subtitles cost?

Indicative rates start at $5 per minute, depending on line volume and turnaround. Send the film and target language and I send an exact quote within 10 minutes.

✉ Request a quote

⏱ Typical response within 10 minutes

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