Closed Captioning vs. Subtitles: What’s the Difference?

Closed captioning and subtitles are common tools in the world of video production. But what’s the difference between closed captioning vs subtitles? And why are they so important?

Continue reading to learn more about closed captions, subtitles, how they combat muted devices and understand the importance of accessibility in media.

What are Closed Captions?

Developed for hearing-impaired individuals, closed captions are a text version of what’s being spoken and heard in video content such as tv programs, movies or presentations, usually, in the same language it's being broadcasted in. Every TV in the US (unless yours is older than 1993), has a built-in caption decoder with the option to turn them on and off.

Most television programs are captioned in advance, but other programs such as live broadcasts require live captioning done by a stenographer. The stenographer listens to the broadcast and types a shorthand version of what’s being said, as well as spoken audio, then a program converts it into captions that get added to the television signal, ultimately appearing on the audience’s television screen.

What are Subtitles?

If you’ve seen a foreign film, muted your phone or laptop, then you’ve used subtitles to understand the dialogue of video content. Subtitles involve translating video content such as motion pictures, television programs or short-form video content from its native language to the audience's language or providing an alternative way to understand the video without the use of audio.

Unlike closed captions, subtitles do not contain non-speech elements such as background sounds or sound effects.

Why are Closed Captions and Subtitles Important?

Although closed captioning vs subtitles are different in a lot of ways, they are both very important to the video production industry.

Closed captions open up a whole world of entertainment to deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers. These folks can enjoy the sarcasm, the comedy, even the anger of the characters that they would totally miss out on otherwise. 

A number of laws have been passed since the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to make the use of closed captioning for public entities mandatory.  For example, in 2012, Netflix was deemed a “place of public accommodation” and therefore required to have closed captions available.

Closed captions are not only crucial for individuals with hearing loss, they’re wonderful tools to use when televisions must be quiet or muted, like hospitals, or in an environment with a lot of background noises, like an airport.

As for subtitles, with global video platforms like Netflix, Hulu, TikTok and YouTube dominating the entertainment space, foreign films and foreign video content have become more accessible than ever. With that increased accessibility comes the need for tools for a global audience to enjoy them. Subtitles provide a way for non-native speakers to experience content made outside of their native environment. It also allows your video content to be consumed without audio.

Federal law mandates came a little later for subtitles. In The Telecommunications Act of 1996, it became law that 100% of all new, non-exempt English-language television programs must be subtitled and closed captioned.

Alternatively, most of us have our devices’ volume turned off, or social media feeds default to muted volume. In a scrolling feed, subtitles are one more thing that captures attention. In a public environment like a hospital lobby, it helps people understand the message or story.

Should I Use Closed Captions or Subtitles For My Project?

When it comes to choosing closed captioning vs subtitles for your project, there are some easy questions you can ask yourself to come to a conclusion.

What is the purpose and the audience of your content? If it's necessary to translate the language, then you will want to use subtitles. If your viewers cannot hear, then closed captions is a better choice.

There is, however, an option to add subtitles developed for deaf communities.

Another important consideration is the use of subtitles gives you the control to make sure things are spelled correctly, described correctly, and brand names are used correctly. Auto-generated closed captions run the risk of being wrong, but are easier to implement and built into most platforms, e.g. YouTube. However, the ability to turn CCs off allows a viewer to remove the distraction when not needed.

There's a practical difference in workload, and therefore the cost, of each of these. In order of most time-consuming to create to the least, is subtitles, .srt files, and then auto-generated closed captions. Subtitles, especially designed ones, can take a significant amount of time to add to a video.

A Larger Focus on Accessibility in Media

Accessibility in media can mean different things. It can mean being accessible to differently-abled individuals, but it can also bring accessibility to a wider audience no matter the environment. 

Closed captioning is becoming more integrated in the film industry. More and more movie theaters are adopting closed captioning services in the form of a hand-held device that is only viewable by the patron who needs it. However, a growing movement to include open captions in movie showings is gaining momentum, with AMC Theaters being the latest to adopt the practice. Open captioning is beneficial for not only deaf communities, but for individuals with autism, attention deficit disorders, or auditory neuropathy.

On the other hand, adding subtitles is almost essential if you hope to share your film or video across your country's borders, have it be picked up by global video platforms, or have it function as a global advertisement. 

Even if you are a creating content for social media, it's important to include subtitles in case your audience watches videos without their sound on their mobile phone or laptop. It’s best to assume the device has been muted or the scrolling feed it’s on has videos muted by default. Subtitles are a great way to make sure your video content can grab attention without the sound on. 

Conclusion 

When it comes to closed captioning vs subtitles, there are important distinctions to be made, but the importance of both is indisputable to the video production and film industry.

At Once Films, we're proud to follow accessibility and inclusion best practices on our sets and in the projects we produce. As well as provide ways your video can be enjoyed—with the sound on, or the sound off.
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