Subtitle Styling

[Xvoki]

I've never liked fancy, colourful fonts. I prefer to keep it plain and simple, easy to read, and easy on the eye, so it doesn't distract from the animation.

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by Xvoki

I've never liked fancy, colourful fonts. I prefer to keep it plain and simple, easy to read, and easy on the eye, so it doesn't distract from the animation.

well the whole point of coloring the fonts is to first give contrast and second allow the style to seamlessly blend into the animation so it is not "in your face." Many newer, less experienced stylers hope to get noticed so they make their styles very noticeable "please look at me" type coloring. I think boring is better. You are watching the anime for the anime not to look at fonts.

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by getfresh

Who?

Anyways, I was watching a few subs recently since I'm sick and useless... Not that I'm useful when I'm not sick, but anyways. As I was saying, I have been watching diff subs recently and noticed some very bad trends in styling. One, people are setting their sub too close to the bottom of the screen. I know the whole thing about "omg I don't wanna cover up the animation", but in reality no matter what you are going to do this. It is better to place the subs high enough so that ppl are looking down then up, then down, then up over and over. They should be placed so that they do not get in the way of most things of course but also so that your eyes are near the action to start with. Another thing I've seen is really poor color selecting. Please, learn wth contrast is people. Also don't use confusing looking fonts. Just because the font is curvy or whatever does not make it a good choice. If you pick a font where the characters all look too similar it makes it much harder to read. As a styler you should WATCH YOU DAMN WORK IN REAL TIME, objectively. This means without thinking things like "omfg my font is so original!" Being original is fine, even good sometimes, but it is NOT needed.

My last pet pev of recent, one show I watched had color by character. This is extremely EXTREMELY annoying and distracting to watch. Don't do it. Two diff groups subbing it both did this. Watching the show is much less entertaining due to it.

His post was directed at me. Leader of Chihiro, if you need references.

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by Kristen

His post was directed at me. Leader of Chihiro, if you need references.

*waves at Kristen*

@getfresh:

>.> I think Tenza needs to read this too...that is if he still fansubs..

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by Kristen

His post was directed at me. Leader of Chihiro, if you need references.

ic... who is Chihiro? lol...

[fireshark]

you dont want to know

[Septimus]

Hmm yeah I agree here. While matching an exact Japanese font does show some form of elitism or some shit, there are times when another just looks and feels better.

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by getfresh

ic... who is Chihiro? lol...

a fansubbing group
#Chihiro @ Rizon

>.> I'm actually surprised that you don't know who they are o.o
just do /list and you should see them quite easily

[Kristen]

Originally Posted by getfresh

ic... who is Chihiro? lol...

Well, Chihiro is the eyepatch girl in ef - a tale of memories, if you need references. XD

Chihiro is a fansub group. We're kind of plastered over the main page of Animesuki since we release a lot. XD. But, we don't exactly have the best styling, which is why we're being mentioned in here.

[Jaka]

Originally Posted by getfresh

well the whole point of coloring the fonts is to first give contrast and second allow the style to seamlessly blend into the animation so it is not "in your face." Many newer, less experienced stylers hope to get noticed so they make their styles very noticeable "please look at me" type coloring. I think boring is better. You are watching the anime for the anime not to look at fonts.

http://www.ji-hi.net/rosario2/chihiro/05-dialog2.png
http://www.ji-hi.net/zettai/chihiro/04-dialog1.PNG

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by Jaka

http://www.ji-hi.net/rosario2/chihiro/05-dialog2.png
http://www.ji-hi.net/zettai/chihiro/04-dialog1.PNG

/me didn't style those, so meh



I would say, use a different font on the first one (more simple), not going to comment on colors since I don't know show too well

second one ... pink = how does that fit... o.o (I don't look at that show so iono :X)



then again, I have yet to read this topic in length `_`
as well as I haven't done styling for a while...>.>

correct me if im wrong here, getfresh x.x

[pichu]

So if an Anime is based on an old English kingdom, you should use Old English/blackletter font regardless of its readability? And, if the Anime is filled with girls and love, you should use pink/magenta regardless of the color hurting your eyes?

[Septimus]

Haha oh man. Surely those picture cannot be real... are they?

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by zhurai-tsuki

a fansubbing group
#Chihiro @ Rizon

>.> I'm actually surprised that you don't know who they are o.o
just do /list and you should see them quite easily

It's more of a don't care factor than don't know. I don't really give a shit about who is who anymore and haven't for years.



Those styles are trash either way imo. The bottom on of the first type is nearly ok color wise, but still garbage as it is not easy to ready since the border is way too thin for the width of the type (boldness), nothing is in balance, the font of the first on is trash and the styler should punch their self in the face for using it. The second ones colors make me sick, but the font is fine as a font goes.

[Jaka]

Originally Posted by pichu

So if an Anime is based on an old English kingdom, you should use Old English/blackletter font regardless of its readability? And, if the Anime is filled with girls and love, you should use pink/magenta regardless of the color hurting your eyes?

>rosario
>old english kingdom

cool logic bro

Originally Posted by getfresh

It's more of a don't care factor than don't know. I don't really give a shit about who is who anymore and haven't for years.

you must've been fansubbing for a very long time -v-;

[zhurai-tsuki]

Originally Posted by Jaka

you must've been fansubbing for a very long time -v-;

...yes. he has been.... >____>

[DryFire]

Originally Posted by Jaka

you must've been fansubbing for a very long time -v-;

He put himself out to pasture more than once.

Good thing the old English text one was softsubbed or it would swallow bitrate like a.... err nm.

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by Jaka

you must've been fansubbing for a very long time -v-;

too long...

[BOFH_of_OZ]

I hope it's not considered thread necromancy... -_-;

From Aegisub help thread:

Originally Posted by getfresh

Effects are never a must. To be able to make great kara effects or not, you need to be able to make damn good looking stuff without even having effects to begin with. Just \k \K with fades if done right can look really good.

In that case, the important things would be using proper fonts and colors, right?
Considering that I usually do triple subs (kanji + romaji + english) for Jpop PVs (not anime), what would you recommend for:
- fonts (all three should ideally look same or at least similar, right?)
- colors (font+border, on white background and on black one)

For example, here's a screenshot of a PV I'm thinking of doing (Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago by Morning Musume). As I see it, romaji goes into the white area at the top, english - at the bottom, and kanji will be on the right, vertical. What's the better font/color combination for that?

[getfresh]

Originally Posted by BOFH_of_OZ

I hope it's not considered thread necromancy... -_-;

From Aegisub help thread:
In that case, the important things would be using proper fonts and colors, right?
Considering that I usually do triple subs (kanji + romaji + english) for Jpop PVs (not anime), what would you recommend for:
- fonts (all three should ideally look same or at least similar, right?)
- colors (font+border, on white background and on black one)

For example, here's a screenshot of a PV I'm thinking of doing (Namida ga Tomaranai Houkago by Morning Musume). As I see it, romaji goes into the white area at the top, english - at the bottom, and kanji will be on the right, vertical. What's the better font/color combination for that?

From just a pic you can't accurately style something. This is even more true when it is a song styling. For songs you need to match the video of course but also the way the vocals are done as well as the style of music. Styling is also much more than just font+color. There are diff ways of adding borders and shadows that can completely change the representation of the subtitle and the mood they will set. If you'd like to see what I mean you can find me on rizon and I can give you some "example" styles for that clip granted I am given a script+vid. The script can have gibberish in the lines incase you wish to protect the translation. I just need correct timing for test views with some text in them.