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Build two essential professional skills: subtitle timing and subtitling for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.

This bundle gives you a structured introduction to both. First, learn how to time subtitles effectively. Then develop the specialist skills needed to create SDH and closed captions, including speaker identification, sound description, music and lyrics, and other conventions used in professional captioning.

Your learning path

Two complementary courses, one structured learning path

  • Step 1: Timing subtitles 101

    Learn the principles of effective subtitle timing.

    Develop your understanding of subtitle duration, reading speed, shot changes, synchronisation and chaining.

  • Step 2: Subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing (SDH)

    Build on your subtitle timing skills and learn how to create accessible subtitles and closed captions.

    Explore speaker identification, sound description, music, lyrics, foreign speech and professional captioning conventions.

What our students are saying

Ravi Shankar

5 star rating

“I highly recommend the AVT Masterclass course for all those who are interested in learning the fundamentals and applications of subtitling, either for work or simply to acquire a new skill. I completed two courses, ‘Fundamentals of Subtitling’ and...”

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“I highly recommend the AVT Masterclass course for all those who are interested in learning the fundamentals and applications of subtitling, either for work or simply to acquire a new skill. I completed two courses, ‘Fundamentals of Subtitling’ and ‘Timing Subtitles 101’ as part of the bundle package (I highly recommend), so that I could become qualified to become a subtitler for my work. Previously, I had no experience with subtitling but Professor Agnieszka Szarkowska and Lukasz Dutka, the course instructors, are very welcoming and guide you through the course material in a fun and friendly manner. Both of the courses are broken down into bite-size lessons of around 5-7 minutes long, which is ideal to be able to digest the information and study at your own pace. Each lesson is followed up with a short quiz to test you on the new material that you have learnt. I really enjoyed the fact that you could go back to previous lessons and quizzes at a later time to recap any material. After completing the courses, I definitely felt that I had grasped the fundamentals of subtitling and I am now successfully working as a subtitler and audiovisual translator, which is very satisfying and enjoyable. A big thank you to the AVT Masterclass team for organising a thoroughly enjoyable and educational experience. ”

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Tiffany Cândido

5 star rating

“A self-paced course lectured by some of the best AVT professionals, that offers the trainee the chance to work with ultimate softwares, as well as the most pertinent and useful tips to the translators who would like to pursue a carreer in the audi...”

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“A self-paced course lectured by some of the best AVT professionals, that offers the trainee the chance to work with ultimate softwares, as well as the most pertinent and useful tips to the translators who would like to pursue a carreer in the audiovisual field. The fact that every lesson includes an exercise helps knowledge consolidation and makes a complete difference!”

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Myriam Vacher Harnett

5 star rating

“Just completed the Timing Subtitles 101 course and was very happy with the content, structure and outcome of the course. AVT Masterclass provides a 3-month trial version of both OOONA and EZ Titles, which is great to get to grips with how both sof...”

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“Just completed the Timing Subtitles 101 course and was very happy with the content, structure and outcome of the course. AVT Masterclass provides a 3-month trial version of both OOONA and EZ Titles, which is great to get to grips with how both software packages work (note that although the course is self-paced, obviously you would need to complete most of it within 3 months while you have access to the software). There is a lot of content and there are lots of in-depth exercises to practise on both packages. The videos are insightful and break down the material nicely for beginners. The small video projects you get to work on are also pretty cool. Personally I would say the course may not be suited to a complete beginner as you do need to troubleshoot your own work at times and fill some gaps in knowledge, but overall it is a very complete course for learning the principles of subtitling, and it also refers to additional resources online such as the EZ Titles videos on YouTube, blogs, articles, etc. I also like that you still have access to the course contents for a year as I am sure I will need to refer to it again! I do feel I have learnt a lot and I feel a lot more confident in my subtitling skills now. Thanks to Agnieszka and Lukasz for their support!”

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Dylan Camilleri

5 star rating

“This course is a very helpful tool in order to improve your subtitling skills.”

“This course is a very helpful tool in order to improve your subtitling skills.”

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Simone Taylor

5 star rating

“I finally got to grips with my subtitling demons of spotting, segmenting, CPS, shot changes and chaining. Everything seems so much more straightforward now!”

“I finally got to grips with my subtitling demons of spotting, segmenting, CPS, shot changes and chaining. Everything seems so much more straightforward now!”

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Inna Myhyrych

5 star rating

“This is a good course. Now I know how to time my subtitles. Reading speed, shot changes, chaining are a piece of cake. What is more, I got access for three months to professional subtitling software and learnt how to use it.”

“This is a good course. Now I know how to time my subtitles. Reading speed, shot changes, chaining are a piece of cake. What is more, I got access for three months to professional subtitling software and learnt how to use it.”

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Petr Čermoch

5 star rating

“What I loved about this course: - All the information is nicely structured. No live & unedited recordings from Zoom meetings where you have to strain your mind to catch all the important information. - You get to learn at your own pace. ...”

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“What I loved about this course: - All the information is nicely structured. No live & unedited recordings from Zoom meetings where you have to strain your mind to catch all the important information. - You get to learn at your own pace. - The course includes interviewers with hard of hearing viewers, which are especially insightful. - The course utilizes a hands-on approach, featuring many practical exercises, and letting you use Ooona and/or EZTitles for free. What I could use more of: - Resources on describing music in SDH. This is something that I still struggle a bit with even after completing the course.”

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Ravi Shankar

5 star rating

“I highly recommend the AVT Masterclass course for all those who are interested in learning the fundamentals and applications of subtitling, either for work or simply to acquire a new skill. I completed two courses, ‘Fundamentals of Subtitling’ and...”

Read More

“I highly recommend the AVT Masterclass course for all those who are interested in learning the fundamentals and applications of subtitling, either for work or simply to acquire a new skill. I completed two courses, ‘Fundamentals of Subtitling’ and ‘Timing Subtitles 101’ as part of the bundle package (I highly recommend), so that I could become qualified to become a subtitler for my work. Previously, I had no experience with subtitling but Professor Agnieszka Szarkowska and Lukasz Dutka, the course instructors, are very welcoming and guide you through the course material in a fun and friendly manner. Both of the courses are broken down into bite-size lessons of around 5-7 minutes long, which is ideal to be able to digest the information and study at your own pace. Each lesson is followed up with a short quiz to test you on the new material that you have learnt. I really enjoyed the fact that you could go back to previous lessons and quizzes at a later time to recap any material. After completing the courses, I definitely felt that I had grasped the fundamentals of subtitling and I am now successfully working as a subtitler and audiovisual translator, which is very satisfying and enjoyable. A big thank you to the AVT Masterclass team for organising a thoroughly enjoyable and educational experience. ”

Read Less

Cora Fröhlich

5 star rating

“As a professional translator and a newbie to subtitling, I got referred to AVT by one of the translation agencies I work for. I am very glad that I booked this course because the friendly instructors, quick reaction times to my emails, hands-on in...”

Read More

“As a professional translator and a newbie to subtitling, I got referred to AVT by one of the translation agencies I work for. I am very glad that I booked this course because the friendly instructors, quick reaction times to my emails, hands-on information, free software trial and downloadable resources form a comprehensive package that left no wish unserved for me. In combination with the free EZTitles introduction on YouTube, I worked through the two courses and feel much more comfortable now. The only thing missing is more practise. Thank you very much!”

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Our guarantee

We are confident in the quality of our courses, which has been confirmed by many satisfied students. That’s why we are able to offer a 100% money-back guarantee.

If you buy the course and find that you did not learn anything new or that you think the course is not in line with its description or syllabus, we will refund you 100% of what you paid. [See “Terms of use” for details.]
We offer 100% money-back guarantee.

Showcase your skills

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

When you complete each course included in the bundle, you will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Use your certificates to document your professional development and share them with clients, employers and colleagues. You can also add them to your portfolio or LinkedIn profile.
A woman holding a university diploma

Meet your instructors

Learn from experienced industry professionals and educators

“Łukasz Dutka, PhD, is an audiovisual translator, subtitling trainer and expert in media accessibility. He has worked as a subtitler and QC-er for leading localisation companies since 2012, including on high-profile titles.
He also has extensive experience training subtitlers and teaching audiovisual translation at university level.
As a trainer, Łukasz combines practical industry experience with a clear, hands-on approach, helping subtitlers understand not just what to do, but why.”

“Agnieszka Walczak, PhD is an audiovisual translator and trainer specialising in subtitling and audio description. She has spent over ten years creating subtitles and audio description for clients, working on projects across film, television and streaming.
Alongside her industry work, she has more than ten years’ experience teaching applied linguistics and audiovisual translation at university level.
As a trainer, Agnieszka combines extensive professional experience with university-level teaching, helping learners understand how subtitling and accessibility principles are applied in professional practice.”

“Prof. Agnieszka Szarkowska is a researcher and educator in audiovisual translation and media accessibility. She leads the Institute of Applied Linguistics at the University of Warsaw and has published more than seventy works in the field.
She has over twenty years’ experience teaching audiovisual translation and training the next generation of subtitlers and researchers.
As a trainer, Agnieszka brings the research behind the practice, grounding every technique in why it works and where it comes from.”

Choose your payment plan

Pay in full or spread the cost over three instalments

FAQ

  • Which order should I take the courses in?

    If you are new to subtitle timing, we recommend starting with Timing Subtitles 101. It introduces key principles such as reading speed, shot changes, synchronisation and chaining. You can then move on to Subtitling for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH), where you will develop specialist captioning skills. Both courses are self-paced and available to you for 12 months, so you can complete them according to your own schedule.

  • Will I have to attend live classes?

    No. Both courses are entirely self-paced. The lessons are divided into short modules, typically lasting around 5 to 7 minutes. There are no scheduled live classes, so you can study whenever it suits you. You will have access to the courses for 12 months.

  • Do I get subtitling software with the bundle?

    Yes. The bundle includes three months of access to professional subtitling software, allowing you to apply what you learn through practical exercises. This gives you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience with professional tools while working through the courses.

  • Do I get a certificate?

    Yes. You will receive a Certificate of Completion for each course you complete. If you complete both courses, you will receive two Certificates of Completion documenting your training in subtitle timing and SDH.

  • Is the bundle cheaper than buying the courses separately?

    Yes. Purchased separately, the two courses cost €598. The bundle costs €499, so you save €99. The bundle also brings together two complementary areas of professional training: subtitle timing and subtitling for deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers.

  • Is there a version with one-to-one coaching?

    Yes. The Become a Captioner Premium bundle includes the same two courses, plus 90 minutes of one-to-one coaching and personalised feedback on your assignments. This option is designed for learners who would like additional individual guidance from an experienced trainer.

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