Closed captioning was originally created with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in mind. Looking back prior to 2000, the average person would expect that if the subtitles were on during a movie, that someone was struggling to hear. Somehow, the nature of subtitles meant that captions were associated with older viewers. But today’s youth have set subtitles, movie and video captioning on a new path. Captioning times are a-changing, and in this blog, we’ll delve into how, when and why!
Why do more young people now watch films and TV with subtitles?
Younger audiences are increasingly turning to captions and subtitles for a range of reasons. Many people watch content on their phones or laptops in noisy environments, such as on public transport or in busy cafés. Watching videos on-the-go can mean it’s difficult to catch every word. In addition to this, with the incredible popularity of global streaming platforms, viewers are watching shows and films in different languages, with various accents.
Foreign subtitles and even English CC helps to bridge any gaps in understanding dialogue, ensuring viewers can understand every word. The preference for movie and video captioning can also be centred around multitasking and difficulties in focusing. Captions can help viewers to absorb storylines better, clarify mumbled speech and make videos easier to follow.
Subtitles and captions, once limited to TV and film, are now crucial for social media videos like TikTok and Instagram Reels. Their use helps viewers quickly grasp content – even without sound – especially in brief, fast-paced clips.
How have caption styles and the fundamentals of subtitles changed?
Because the type of media that people watch has changed, with video shorts being even more popular than long form videos, the look and style of captions has become more creative. Content creators have begun to experiment more with the look and animation of captions, often incorporating stylistic fonts, animations and colours to engage audiences further and enhance accessibility. Single words flashing up onscreen in perfect time with speech have become incredibly popular.
This fast paced style of captioning encourages intense focus for short bursts of time, and can almost be seen to mesmerise viewers. Interestingly, such incredibly rapid captions are an absolute ‘no-no’ in terms of caption regulations for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences, where reading speeds are prioritised.
Ultimately, the shift in style over function serves to show how integral subtitles have become as part of a trendy digital viewing experience, catering to a diverse and global audience, whilst ironically not actually being properly fit-for-purpose in terms of genuine accessibility.
So there you have it, a quick look into how movie and video captioning is changing in the industry and why it’s important. If you have a project that you would like captioned, dubbed or translated for accessibility purposes, then why not contact us today to see what we can offer you. Just click the button below.
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