Getting Into Fansubbing
 

To the many fansub groups out there,how did some of you get your start?What does it take to start a fansub group?I'm trying to start my own so I want to hear actual experiences.

Above all else, you'll need lots and lots of charisma.

The fansubbing community breaks down into different fields, one of which each of these fields has someone that is more of an expert of it. Here are the fields:

Translator: Must be able to translate the show from its origin language to the language of choice you wish to sub to, in this case japanese to english.
Translator Check: Must be able to go through the translation and spot any mistakes or pronounciation. This is to ensure that there are no translation error.
Editor: This person has the job of editing the translated text into comprehensible english. Not all translators have this problem, but its still something to be tackled.
Timer: This is another field where this person has to time the dialogue and other stuff to have it ready for the script to be put in.
Typesetter:His/her job is to create styles, such as signs, logos, action, etc. Some people believe that typesetting and karaoking are the same thing. But its much easier to understand it this way.
Karaoke Stylist: S/he creates effects for opening and ending songs, these effects can either be simple or very complicated. In the end, it makes the songs look good.
Raw Provider: Using special programs, this person must be able to have a good connection speed and download the raw, which is basically the video that has been aired in the country of where you want to sub.
Encoder: Depending on your raw, an encoder takes that raw and begins to "fuse" it with everything, the timing, the dialogue, the typesetting, and the karaoke. Then s/he creates a file which is now you find as .avi, .mkv, or even .mp4.
Quality Check: Before encoding, you make sure that everything is ready and perfect to begin the final encode and release.

Its a real tough job to do. Like Celes mentioned, you would need loads of Charisma, as well as patience. Good luck and hope to see some good subs from you...

Welcome to the world of fansubbing.
________
BMW GINA

My own experience - I started out as a fansubber as just a mere member - hired by someone. I was a translator to start with. In a year or so, I've learned basics of how to time, typeset, and encode. With those skillsets, I could almost start up a group by myself. I started out the group with a few editors along with me, but I had the assuarance that if all else fails, I could still make releases on my own. But otherwise, if things go well, people should come to me, willing to help. And that's what happened.

The secure plan and resource was present at first, then people just followed. And I think that's the best way to start a group - not to just start a group, then go look for a translator or whatever other positions later. Otherwise, it's MUCH BETTER to go join any existing group than starting up a new one.

I also want to know about all that ftp and server jazz and anything finance wise.

Personally, I prefer getting the phone numbers of my group members to nag them on the phone when they aren't working.

Staff FTP's you can get for free from dowxp. There are free BT trackers such as DA and PB and ScaryWater if you do unlicensed. Paying for bots costs anywhere from like $40 - $200 depending on where you get your server from, what country, what kind of service you want, etc. You can also rely on public release bots such as Nekomancer or Jedi Master if you can't find someone to provide you with your own personal bot.

There's no real "instruction manual" to "being a group leader", but experience and understanding of all aspects of fansubbing is a must...

:O Be an insane leader, just like ^.

Seriously, all that jazz can be learned by being in a group that's already operating well. If you're asking around for that kind of help, then many of the bystandars are only covering their eyes, thinking "Oh, they're sure to fail."

If you still are willing to start up a group, then learn how to use google better than learning to ask questions on these forums.

I guess I am rather crazy, but I'm not entirely sure of how many other groups operate. I really do have a group numbers phone #, and I have called him before at 2am and called him a fag...

koda entices prospective staff by promising there's hot lesbian action in staff channel, but she doesn't deliver. Don't believe the hype. :>

Jcubed, remember when you gave me your phone number?

i too, have yet to receive my promised 'hot lesbian action'. i even pay her every month for it. disappointing, really.

Speaking of which, where IS the server payment for April?

That "in the mail" BS can't work on me every time!

qc:
now : can't work
change: won't work
it still might work, ya see... >_>

:whistles innocently:

yes, i will get back to qcing now. just don't call me.

-_- now just get DoGfOoD to move along on his stuff, and you'll have lots to do flymolo D:

*growls at Movax

O.o
 

What are you people doing here? Get to work! ^-^

I could have sworn this was the staff room.

No, the group might be fine. See solar for an example where the founders were useless after a month or so. (One was completely useless.) You do have to worry about the occasional revolt against the founder for being useless...

Okay that's it... I order all of you to get this thread back on track. Either get back to work or go spam in the staff channel. If you don't, there won't be birthdays, christmas, easter, halloween, lollipops, creamsicles in the summer, Jcubed won't get laid in Japan, movax will become sober, ells will start spelling things in American English, I will personally order 20 more seasons of Rec from Shaft, and acidflower will become a not-loli.



And that is pretty much how I run my group/monkeys/stuff.....