Pricing subtitling & captioning work

Runtime is only the ruler

A finished minute is a convenient counting unit, not a promise that every minute requires equal labor. Inspect representative media and source assets before fixing price or schedule.

• Audio clarity, accents, overlap, code-switching, names, and specialist subject matter
• Availability and quality of scripts, templates, shot changes, and prior subtitles
• Transcription, translation, spotting, adaptation, SDH cues, speaker labels, and forced narratives
• Dialogue density, reading-speed limits, line rules, positioning, and safe areas
• Frame rate, recuts, multiple versions, conformance, burn-in, and platform formats
• Secure media access, storage, retention, and deletion

Separate the production steps

• Template creation: transcribe or adapt source dialogue and create timing.
• Translation: render meaning for the target market within subtitle constraints.
• Spotting or timing: create and adjust in and out cues against picture and speech.
• Caption or SDH work: add speaker identification, meaningful sound cues, music treatment, and accessibility conventions.
• Bilingual or monolingual review: evaluate language, timing, readability, context, and consistency.
• Conformance and QC: validate the final cut, frame rate, format, positioning, line rules, and full-program playback.

Delivery rules are labor

Do not present a buyer cap or procurement coefficient as a universal freelancer rate. Use the relevant delivery guide to estimate the actual work, then set your own commercial terms.

Netflix's timed-text guidance defines detailed requirements for timing, duration, line treatment, language-specific practice, and full-program review. Evidence: netflix-timed-text, netflix-timing

Published buyer and procurement schedules use different units and conditional multipliers for particular audiovisual workflows, illustrating why a figure must stay attached to its program and scope. Evidence: netflix-npfp-rate-card, eu-language-services-2024

Quote with visible lines

Template creation or repair        finished minutes × your rate
Target-language translation       finished minutes × your rate
Spotting / retiming                finished minutes or hours
SDH / caption accessibility       finished minutes or project fee
Full-program review and QC        hours or program fee
Additional delivery formats       per format or project
Recut / conform after picture lock defined change-order basis
Minimum and rush adjustments      separate visible lines

Questions to settle before acceptance

• Is picture locked, and what is the recut policy?
• Which template is authoritative?
• Which language variety and style guide control?
• What counts as a finished minute?
• Are credits, songs, on-screen text, and forced narratives included?
• How many review and correction rounds are included?
• Which files, frame rate, naming, and platform validations are required?
• Who approves language and technical delivery?

How this was built

Admas uses official professional-association, platform, buyer, and delivery documentation to explain pricing structure without publishing a tariff. Examples are arithmetic illustrations, not market recommendations. Every freelancer and supplier must set prices independently for their costs, capacity, expertise, market, risk, and local rules.