Template creation

The rare skill in a crowded field

A streamer commissions one show and needs it subtitled into twenty languages. Nobody times and translates that show twenty separate times from scratch. One person builds a master template, the timed, transcribed, annotated source that every language works from, and the rest of the chain adapts it.

That one person is the template creator, and good template creators are in short supply.

Most subtitlers can translate from a template. Far fewer can build one, and building one is the skill LSPs and platforms need. It sits earlier in the workflow, and it is the difference between being handed the work and being the person who prepares it for everyone else.

If you want to move up the subtitling chain rather than sideways, this is the skill that does it.

Subtitling templates: your 5-step plan to becoming a template creator

Do you want to become an audiovisual localization professional?

  1. Understand subtitling templates - What a template is, who uses it, and why the whole localisation chain depends on it
  2. Ensure accurate transcription of dialogues - Accurate, time-coded transcription, the foundation everything else sits on
  3. Time the subtitles - Reading speeds, shot changes and the timing decisions that make a template usable in any language
  4. Add annotations - The notes that let a translator in another language recreate your intent instead of guessing it
  5. Keep quality in check! The QC pass that means your template arrives clean and does not bounce back

Who is this course for?

Your career in audiovisual localization starts here

  • Translators. You already translate written texts and want to add subtitling to what you offer. Templates are the professional end of that skill.

  • Linguists. Put your languages to work in audiovisual localisation, one of the few corners of the industry that is still growing.

  • Subtitlers. You already translate from templates. Learn to build them, and move to the better-paid end of the workflow.

By the end of this course, you'll learn how to...

  • prepare accurate, time-coded transcriptions ready for subtitling

  • write annotations that help translators

  • time subtitles for multilingual workflows built on templates

  • run a proper quality-control pass so your templates arrive clean

  • automate and speed up your whole template-creation workflow

What’s included

Everything you need to go from your first transcription to a finished, professional template

  • 100 lessons

    A masterclass in template creation consisting of several modules broken down into detailed micro-lessons

  • 4.5 hours of video content

    Including screencasts that show you exactly what to click in both tools

  • Quizzes

    To check what you've learnt

  • Hands-on exercises

    Practise template creation by downloading hands-on exercises and watching screencasting video tutorials

  • Access to professional subtitling software

    90-day free access to professional subtitling software

  • Downloadable resources

    Download our checklists and style guides for future use in your subtitling projects

  • Social media learning community

    Gain unlimited access to our private Facebook group to engage in discussions with your fellow students

  • Discounts on professional software

    After completing the course, you will be eligible for a discount to purchase professional subtitling software

  • Certificate of Completion

    To show clients and employers you can do the work

5 steps to becoming a subtitling template creator

COURSE SYLLABUS

    1. Welcome!

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. How to use this course

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Glossary of AVT terms

    4. Before we begin...

    1. What are subtitling templates?

      FREE PREVIEW

    2. Quiz on subtitling templates

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Original language vs. pivot English templates

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. Potential problems with pivot templates

      FREE PREVIEW

    5. Locked vs. unlocked templates

      FREE PREVIEW

    6. Quiz on types of templates

      FREE PREVIEW

    7. INTERVIEW: Different perspectives on subtitling templates: LSPs vs. subtitlers

      FREE PREVIEW

    1. Let's talk about transcription

    2. Keep it spotless!

    3. Typographical conventions in subtitling

    4. Punctuation in subtitling

    5. Quiz on creating spotless transcriptions

    6. Line breaks in subtitling templates

    7. Line break rules

    8. Exercise: transcribe a video

    9. KEY to the exercise on transcribing the video

    1. It's time for timing!

    2. Subtitling tools in this course

      FREE PREVIEW

    3. Subtitling style guides

    4. AVT Masterclass style guide to use in this course

    1. Introduction to EZTitles Basic Course by EZTitles Development Studio

    2. How to install EZTitles

    3. Understand the EZTitles workspace (sightseeing tour)

      FREE PREVIEW

    4. How well do you know the EZTitles workspace?

    5. How to define project settings

    6. How to customise layout

    7. How to time subtitles

    8. Automatic fixes

    9. How to remove a keyboard shortcut?

    10. How to translate from a template in EZTitles?

    11. EZTitles User Guide

    12. Where to find more info?

    1. How to sign up

    2. Introduction to Closed Caption Creator

    3. How to organise workspace and edit events

    4. How to define project settings and fix errors

    5. How to configure metrics in your workspace

    6. How to work with multiple media files in one project

    7. How to use table view

    8. How to batch export files from multiple projects

    9. Want to learn more?

About this course

  • €299,00
  • 97 lessons
  • 4.5 hours of video content

Showcase your skills

CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION

Finish the course and pass the quizzes, and you will get an official Certificate of Completion. Add it to your portfolio or LinkedIn, or send it to clients and employers to show you can build templates, not just translate from them.
A woman holding a university diploma

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.

Choose your version

Choose the version that suits you

  • Template Creation

    The full course: 100 lessons, 4.5 hours of video, 90 days of professional software, and everything in the list above. Self-paced, one year’s access.

    €299,00

    Standard (€299)

  • Template Creation PREMIUM

    Everything in Standard, plus up to 90 minutes of one-to-one coaching with your trainers and personal feedback on your assignments. Choose this if you want someone to look at your actual templates and tell you how to make them better, not just mark them right or wrong.

    €549,00

    Premium (€549)
  • Agnieszka Szarkowska

Meet your instructors

Made by the people who train the industry

“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.”

Łukasz Dutka

“Agnieszka Walczak, PhD is an audiovisual translator and trainer specialising in subtitling, SDH, voice-over and audio description. She has spent over ten years working on projects across film, television and streaming.
Alongside her industry work, she has more than a decade of experience teaching audiovisual translation at university level.
As a trainer, Agnieszka draws on both sides of her career, showing subtitlers how professional template creation works in practice, not just in theory.”

Agnieszka Walczak

“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.”

Agnieszka Szarkowska

FAQ

Any questions?

  • What is the difference between standard and premium editions of AVT Masterclass courses?

    The premium edition of the AVT Masterclass courses includes up to 90 minutes of one-on-one coaching with our trainers. The trainers can also check your course assignments and provide individual feedback.

  • Will I have to attend regular online classes?

    No, this course is self-paced, which means you can do as much as you want at a time. You're in full control of your learning process. Join our private Facebook group to network with your fellow students.

  • How long does it take to complete the course?

    Usually the students need 20-30 hours to complete the course, but it's up to you - the duration of the course depends on your individual needs and the time you have. Please remember that by signing up, you get a one-year access to the course and lifetime access to our social media learning community. This course includes access to subtitling software for 90 days. Ready for your subtitling challenge?

  • What kind of materials are included?

    The course includes a variety of resources, downloadable materials and exercises: video lessons, screencasting tutorials, quizzes, videos to be subtitled, subtitling files for revision exercises as well as key to all exercises (guided step-by-step explanations and files with correct answers).

  • What software will I work with?

    You can use any software you like. We provide you with video materials and .srt files for exercises. If you don't have access to any subtitling tool, by signing up to this course, you will get a free 90-days access to professional subtitling software.

  • Can I get an invoice for the course with my company/organization details?

    Sure! All you need to do is send us your organization details (name, address, VAT number) at [email protected]. Our accounting team will be back with the invoice.