Why we all need subtitles now

Why We All Need Subtitles Now

I watch a lot of movies and TV, whether at home or on the train. But no matter where I'm watching, I find myself constantly needing subtitles to understand the dialogue. Surprisingly, this isn't unusual. A survey of YouTube viewers revealed that about 57% of people feel they can't understand dialogue in movies and TV shows unless they use subtitles. This situation seems relatively new, so I reached out to an expert to get some answers.

Hi, my name is Austin Olivia Kendrick, and I'm a professional dialogue editor for film and TV. Essentially, I perform audio surgery on actors' lines. When asked about the growing reliance on subtitles, Kendrick said it's a common question with no straightforward answer, citing that it's layered and complex. After discussing the issue for nearly two hours, one main factor kept emerging: technology.

Evolution of Sound Technology in Films

Originally, sound recording technology was cumbersome and limiting. Microphones were large, wired, and recorded onto hard memory like wax or tape. All sound was captured on a single track, so actors had to project and face specific angles for clear audio. As technology advanced, microphones became smaller, wireless, and more efficient, allowing actors to give more naturalistic performances without worrying about their voice reaching the mic.

This evolution is evident in performances like Alec Baldwin's in "30 Rock," where he speaks so quietly that co-star Tina Fey couldn't hear him, but the audience can, thanks to improved mics. Naturalism in performance has its downsides, though, as mumbly actors like Tom Hardy can still be intelligible despite the technology.

The Role of Dialogue Editors

Dialogue editors now depend on digital tools to enhance clarity. Unlike the old days of analog, where actors would re-record unclear lines (a method called ADR), digital editing allows for more nuanced fixes. Kendrick shared an example from her current show where she had to replace a word affected by a loud noise with a different take, matching it to the actress's mouth movements.

The transition from analog to digital also affects mixers, who ensure that various audio elements like sound effects, music, and voices don't overlap in frequency. However, maintaining dynamic range—the difference between the quietest and loudest sounds—can make dialogue hard to hear amidst other loud sounds like explosions.

The Christopher Nolan Effect

Modern directors like Christopher Nolan embrace dynamic range, even at the expense of dialogue clarity. Nolan has received complaints about inaudible dialogue but stands by his mixing choices, aiming for a cinematic experience meant for high-quality theaters. This highlights a fundamental issue: movies are mixed for the best surround sound systems, not for viewing on your living room TV or mobile device.

Down Mixing and Speaker Quality

Movies mixed with upwards of 128 channels need to be downmixed for simpler systems, which can flatten the audio and obscure dialogue. Today's thin TVs and mobile devices come with small, often rear-facing speakers that further degrade sound quality. This mix of quiet performances, dynamic audio, and poor speaker quality makes it challenging to understand dialogue.

Solutions and The Future

Some modern TVs have features like "intelligence mode" or "active voice amplification" to enhance dialogue clarity, but these are more Band-Aids than solutions. As the industry is unlikely to change its mixing methods, we're left with a few options:

1. Invest in better speakers and high-quality theaters.
2. Relax and accept that you might not catch every word.
3. Keep using subtitles.

Subtitles also offer crucial accessibility for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, a benefit that now extends widely due to laws and technological advancements.

Keywords

• Subtitles
• Dialogue clarity
• Sound technology
• Dynamic range
• Down mixing
• Audio editing
• Accessibility

FAQ

Q: Why do we need subtitles more now than in the past?
A: Advances in sound technology, naturalistic acting, dynamic range in audio mixing, and poorer speaker quality in modern devices have all contributed to making dialogue harder to hear.

Q: How did early sound recordings in films work?
A: Early sound recordings used large, wired microphones recorded onto hard memory like wax or tape, capturing all sounds on a single track.

Q: What is ADR, and is it still used today?
A: ADR, or automated dialogue replacement, is when actors re-record specific lines. It's still used but less frequently due to digital editing tools.

Q: What is down mixing, and why is it important?
A: Down mixing is the process of converting audio from formats with many channels into simpler formats (e.g., from 128 channels to stereo), necessary for devices that can't support advanced audio systems.

Q: What can I do to understand dialogue better?
A: You can invest in better speakers, watch content in high-quality theaters, use TV features to boost dialogue, or keep subtitles on.