German subtitling

Subtitling in Germany

Let's face it- it's challenging enough to come across a reliable subtitling service provider online. But try finding one that can truly convey the authentic experience with your content in German!
 

There is a commonly adopted subtitle development process that all subtitling companies follow. For a start, customer content is reviewed, and professional audiovisual translators are assigned. Then English Master Templates are created, translated into German, and proofread by captionists. Finally, the German subtitles or captions are QCed and delivered in the requested subtitle format. And following this workflow should be enough to transcend the authentic content feel in German.
 

But there's a catch.
 

The original content has been produced in another country, within a different cultural context and simply translating and subtitling it in German language is not enough to convey its creative intent. In result, the translated version fails to engage the German viewers and very successful TV shows, films, commercials, video games or other media end up as mediocre for the German audience. 

To help you transcend the original experience with your content and achieve a native feel, we apply a culture first approach- we craft and deliver German subtitles that consider all local norms and traditions to create a culturally relevant and immersive viewer experience for Germany.

GoPhrazy provides German subtitling services through our native subtitle translators for the needs of your TV, films, cartoons, animations, e-learning videos, commercials, and video games. Here's the deal- it takes just 3 easy steps with us to make your subtitles perfect for Germany:

Since 1994 we have localized over 10 000 hours of TV programming in foreign languages for providers like Discovery Channel, TLC, HBO, FOX, Cartoon Network, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel and many more. The list gets bigger when we add localizing of over 1000 film titles for theatrical and TV distribution, as well as blockbuster games like League of legends, GTA and Civilization.

But that's not all.

We are also a preferred multilingual subtitling company to leading advertising agencies like Ogilvy, Leo Burnett and Saatchi & Saatchi, localizing countless TV commercials for Fortune 500 companies like Coca Cola, Nestle, Procter & Gamble, Samsung, Gillette, Sony, BMW, Danone and more.

Where dialogue becomes vision

What makes over 300 companies come back and reward us with more than 10 000 projects over the years is our culturally intelligent approach. It’s a group of methods that blend meaning and feeling with local expertise to provide a peace of mind that your media feels great in German.

It all starts with you

We know that the most important factor in communication is to make sure that your viewers can connect and engage with your content not only on a linguistic but most importantly on a cultural level. That's why we don’t simply translate and subtitle your script in German language. Instead, we assist you in adapting your content to the local culture and craft a superior viewer experience.

Receive German subtitles that are created with precision and style, regardless of deadlines! Whether it is for entertainment (TV programs, films, documentaries), education, gaming or advertising, our German subtitle translators always provide them in a quick and accurate manner.

German subtitling company

GoPhrazy is the number one choice for German subtitles and captions due to our obsession with Client needs and our determination to deliver all projects always on time, in full and error free. We are an award winning subtitling company, trusted by major broadcasters and platforms.

Expertly written and perfectly timed

Our subtitlers are not only true experts in German language but also in weighing written against spoken words, editing text to fit both visually and contextually, retaining the essence without any loss of meaning. While translating and developing German subtitles, we consider the rhythm of the video, dialogue pace and the viewers' reading speed. We create subtitles and captions with timings synchronized with a surgical precision to the highest level of accuracy (up to 1/100 sec). As a result, our German subtitles are always consistent but above all, always a pleasure to read.

Our German subtitling specialists

Creating German subtitles requires much more than simply making a word-by-word translation of a video script. Our subtitlers need to understand and experience the content; retain the context and meaning of the original version and convey it into German, considering cultural differences. That's why we work with a large pool of German subtitle translators that have expertise in many sectors, including entertainment, advertising, video game, e-learning, technology, and more.

Our team is comprised of subject-matter experts and industry craftsmen that handle large volumes of content at an impressive speed while maintaining quality and timing of your German subtitle file deliveries. From exceptional technical skills like time-cueing and positioning of BD and DVD subtitles, to following methodology for content verification and cultural validation, including collaboration with local experts, researching and working with National libraries, our native German captionists provide you with the ultimate, end-to-end subtitle translation experience.   

Our in-house subtitling department

Though we employ highly trained, experienced and subject-matter competent, native freelance German subtitle translators, we also have a team of in-house subtitling QCers who validate each and every file against the assigned specifications and cultural checklists to ensure that your German subtitling service is always delivered correctly. In result, your German versioned media is ready to publish, in the style and format that you require. We strive to provide a seamless viewer experience in German and we know that the perfect subtitling is the one that you never notice.

Subtitling technology

While our culturally intelligent approach ensures the cultural fit of your content in German, it's our best-in-class technology that enables us to deliver superior quality while remaining cost effective. It empowers a collaborative environment and content flows that simplify the process and help you reach your German audience faster, cheaper and better than ever before.

Get more done with our unique subtitle management platform which provides agility, automates workflows, and enables a seamless collaboration with the best German subtitlers in the world! Thanks to our cloud-based task distribution, real-time status and delivery updates, your global teams can now search, find and download your German subtitles from anywhere, anytime!

German subtitling services

At GoPhrazy we develop, translate and provide German subtitles that are relevant from both culturally linguistic and technical standpoint in order to create a truly immersive and memorable experience with your content for Germany. Our subtitling and captioning services are mostly used by TV channels, OTT, IPTV and VOD platforms; film, advertising, education, video game and IT companies for making their media accessible to the German audience and are well known for their focus on precision and style. In the recent years we are also facing an increasing demand for German subtitling services by social/ video sharing platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and iTunes.

Our subtitling services

• German subtitling from template
• German subtitling without template
• German subtitling on provided script
• German subtitling with no script available

German closed captioning

Improve the accessibility of your content in Germany by taking advantage of our German closed captioning services! While subtitles are created for hearing viewers and only reflect dialogue, our German closed captioning includes all audio elements to provide more context and enhance the experience for viewers with hearing disability. We cover any sound in the video that is not visually evident and develop German closed captions with the assumption that the viewer is restricted from hearing audio. We split the transcribed text into chunks (caption frames) and enable your German audience to follow the audio, video or captions interchangeably. Thus, we improve the accessibility and overall viewer experience for German audience with hearing impairments.

German open captioning

In case you need to improve accessibility for your videos, cinematic and theatrical content, our German open captioning services are the perfect match for you. Unlike closed captions, open captions are embedded (burnt-in) the media file and become an inseparable feature of the video. They cannot be switched on and off like closed captions but on the other side have other benefits. They are easier to use, eliminate the need to manage separate files and inconsistencies among various media players. They enable publishers to control caption size and style and (if the text is generated properly) come in sync with video while not requiring a special software for playback.

German SDH subtitling

Subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing (or HoH subtitling) quickly becomes a media accessibility standard in Germany to respond to emerging regulations. It provides the closest-to-equal experience with your content to the German audience that suffers of hearing loss and combines both subtitle and caption content into a single file that is then translated into German. SDH include dialogue transcription, speaker IDs, audio description and could be placed anywhere on the screen to follow the sound positioning. While SDH includes audience with hearing loss, it also improves entertainment value and adds flexibility to education and information resources.

SDH are particularly designed for deaf, Deaf or hard of hearing audience.

• Deaf with lower case "d" refers to viewers that cannot hear but can speak
  
• Deaf with upper case "D" refers to viewers with hearing loss that prefer "sign language"
  
• Hard of hearing refers to viewers with any level of hearing impairment

We are aware that German SDH is not your primary area of expertise and is something you might have not done before. That's why we are here- to provide you with a guidance consulting on the most suitable approach and ensure that your content is fully accessed and enjoyed in Germany.

Led by exceptional people and supported by a state-of-the-art technology, we deliver German captions in a quick, responsive, reliable, convenient, consistent, transparent, and risk-free manner across various industries, while keeping you informed at every step of the way with your project.

German subtitling rates

Due to economies of scale, technology utilization and supply chain integration GoPhrazy provides some of the most competitive rates for German subtitling services at no compromise on quality. We build collaborative relationships with German linguists to guarantee consistency with the costs over time and make your ongoing projects predictable with budgets. At the same time, we know that each subtitling project is unique, and we consider certain factors to estimate our rates.

Factors affecting German subtitling rates

• Deadline- a rush charge applies for urgent/ same day German subtitle delivery
  
• Complexity- for super complex matter additional charge could apply
  
• Volume- bulk order discounts are available for formal volume commitment
  
• Source language- for subtitling videos that are not in English additional charge applies
  
• Subject matter- topics that require in-depth competence might cause additional charges
  
• Source video quality- poor image and sound makes subtitling harder and affects rates
  

For long form media broadcast projects, German subtitle translation, caption translation or development rates are estimated per minute of video. For short form, or non-broadcast projects, German subtitle translation, caption translation or development rates are quoted per project. We don't support a generic rate card as we approach every request individually to provide custom quotes that best serve your needs at the most competitive price. Our individual approach and attention make sure that you always get the right files, within the right budget, at the right time. 

About German language

German language (also referred to as German Deutsch) is the official language in Germany and Austria, as well as one of the official languages in Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Belgium and the Italian province of South Tyrol as well as a national language in Namibia. It belongs to the West Germanic group of Indo-European languages, along with English and Dutch. German is most similar to the other West Germanic languages, including also Afrikaans, Low German, Scots, Luxembourgish, Yiddish and the Frisian languages. At the same time, it also has similarities with the North Germanic group of languages- Danish, Norwegian and Swedish.

About German culture

Germans are well known for placing a high priority on structure, privacy, and punctuality. The core concepts of German culture also include pragmatism, honesty, privacy, critical thinking, and pacifism. Germans are most comfortable when they manage to organize their world in controllable units. Time is carefully managed, and schedules, calendars and agendas must be respected. German people strive for perfectionism and precision in every aspect of their lives. While their initial attitude might seem unfriendly, they have a strong sense of community and desire to belong. While the Germans are known as very punctual people, they also know how to have fun and enjoy life. Their popular carnivals and festivals confirm this statement best. Both types of events are a joyful period of the year in which whole cities engage in all-out parties.