There are two common ways to use subtitles within Resolve:
- Exporting the subtitles as an SRT/TTML file with timecodes and subtitles.
- Importing SRT/TTML subtitles and burning the subtitles into the video.
Exporting the subtitles as SRT or TTML
File- Export – Subtitle
SRT files can also be used in VLC player, Youtube, Vimeo, and others. But not all support italics tags. TTML are also supported many places.
Common errors in SRT files from Resolve
Resolve automatically break long lines, but the exported SRT lacks line break tags <br> in the exported SRT file.
Resolve uses the settings from Projects Settings – Subtitles setup – Max characters to automatically insert line breaks on long lines. If it set to 50, all lines that are longer than 50 will get an auto line break <br>. But the SRT files are missing these automatically generated line breaks.
Possible fixes:
– When exporting TTML the automatically generated line breaks are present, so you can first export a TTML file and then reimport it in resolve and export it as SRT, (Fix suggested by Tam Le)
– Open the ttml file in Subtitle Edit and then export it as srt.
– Insert manual line breaks.
Subtitles are shown too short and be shown for at least 1 sec,
Burning in the subtitles
Sometimes when exporting a DCP or Prores/h264/h265 I burn in the subtitles. When burning in subtitles, you will keep formatting like italics.
Converting SMPTE MXF or XML SMPTE or INTEROP XML subtitles to SRT
I use Subtitle Edit to convert MXF or XML subtitles from a DCP to SRT
Choosing “Burn into video” when exporting
When exporting the video in the delivery pane
I choose “Export Subtitle”
and choose Format: Burn into video
Burning in subtitles imported from SRT
When burning in subtitles imported from SRT files with italics in Resolve I change the subtitle formatting to DCP-style subtitle formatting
Adding the SRT file to the timeline
Drag the SRT file to the Media pool
- Right-click the timeline
- Choose timelines
- Set starting timecode to start at 0
Right-click the SRT file and choose
Insert selected subtitles to the timeline using timecode
or drag the SRT file to the correct time code for the first subtitle
Choosing a new subtitle style
Default Resolve subtitle settings
The default subtitle settings in Resolve are different from those used on DCPs. It uses bold or semi-bold 58 Open sans font, and middle anchoring.
DCP subtitle style
- DCPs usually have subtitles with a sans-serif font like Arial.
- The color is usually white.
- The default XML font size is 42 with drop shadow in SMPTE 2014.
- Some DCPs use border/outline.
- DCPs use bottom anchoring and center alignment.
- Some film festivals recommend a font size of 38-42, and the subtitles must be at least 8 percent from the bottom edge.
More info of font size:
The DCP style font size can be 42-50 depending on how you measure it:
A 2048×858 DCP with burned in 42 XML subtitles scaled down to 1920×1080 will have the same size as Arial size 42 in a 1920×1080 Resolve project.
Arial with a font size of 50 in a 1920×1080 project will have the same size as a:
- a DCP with burned in subtitles with XML size 38 in Flat project (1998×1080)
- a DCP with burned in subtitles with XML size 42 in a Scope project (2048×858).
Change to DCP-style formatting
In the timeline in the edit pane – Select all subtitles with the mouse
In Inspector – Track
I choose:
Font: Arial Regular or Arial Nova Regular.
(or Bold to make the text easier to read)
Size: 42-50
Border/outline (Can make text easier to read, can be used with drop shadow or alone)
Stroke: Color Black. Size 1-2. Outside only
Alignment: Center
Anchor: bottom and center
Transform: Y: 80 (1920×1080 8 percent from bottom)
Drop Shadow
Offset X 2.5 Y -2.5
Blur: 4
Opacity: 92