A Brief Summary of Subtitles and Closed Captions

For most people, the words ‘closed captions’ and ‘subtitles’ may seem to be interchangeable, essentially different words describing the same thing. But in the world of professional closed captioning and subtitling, it’s imperative to understand the fundamental differences between the two terms. So, for everyone who needs to know, here’s the lowdown on what the differences between Subtitles and Closed Captions are, who needs them and how to tell the difference between them.

What is the difference between subtitles and closed captions?

Subtitles can be described as onscreen text which includes dialogue within a video. Subtitles can be burned into a video to display permanently and are often used for translating video into multiple languages.

Closed captions are onscreen text which includes dialogue, sound effects and formatting which helps Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences engage better with video content. Closed captions can be turned on and off and are provided in the video’s source language.

What are subtitles or closed captions for?

Subtitles only include dialogue. They are created under the assumption that the audience can hear what is going on but requires onscreen text to assist in their understanding. Subtitles are usually created for translation purposes, with options available for foreign subtitles in many different languages. Subtitles can be burned into videos, this being common practice for social media content.

Closed captions are created for Deaf and Hard of Hearing audiences. They are usually supplied in the language of the source video (though they can also be translated). Closed captions can be turned on and off and are never burned in. They are the standard caption requirement for broadcast content.

Which is better? Closed captions or subtitles?

There is no simple answer as to which option is better: close captions or subtitles (open captions). Each format has its own benefits and is specifically tailored to its designated audience. For instance, for those who use subtitles to help their concentration but don’t require descriptions of sound effects, subtitles are preferable because the descriptions can actually be a distraction. However, for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, closed captions are formatted in a way that ensures the most accurate descriptions of audio, along with speaker identifications and even strict adherence to reading speeds.

In summary, for foreign audiences or those using onscreen text recreationally, subtitles are the best option. For Deaf and Hard of Hearing viewers, closed captions are always the best option.

Do Capital Captions provide services to create subtitles and closed captions?

We work with all forms of captioning, be it open captions or closed captions. Our services include but are not limited to:

Closed Captioning (formats including STL, EBU-TT, SCC, XML, CAP and more…)

Subtitling (formats including SRT, WebVTT and more…)

Subtitle translation (languages including French, German, Italian, Chinese, Japanese and more…)

Subtitle burning (video outputs including MOV, MP4, WMV, H264, ProRes and more…)

We are one of the UK’s biggest subtitling and closed captioning companies, if you know what sort of captions or subtitles you’re after, why not click below to get your quote today.