02. 02. 2020.

Serbian Timed Text Style Guide – Netflix | Partner Help Center

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Serbian Timed Text Style Guide

Serbian Timed Text Style Guide

*This document covers the language specific requirements for Serbian. Please make sure to also review
the General Requirements Section for comprehensive guidelines surrounding Timed Text deliveries to
Netflix.  

1. Serbian Script

Serbian files will be delivered in both Latin and Cyrillic scripts. Please refer to the source request in
Backlot to identify the correct script being ordered.

2. Acronyms

Acronyms should be written without periods between letters: BBC, CIA, SAD, UK / Би-Би-Си, Си-Ај-Еј,
САД, УК

3. Character Limitation

42 characters per line

4. Character Names

Proper names should be transliterated (or left in the original for the Latin script). Do not translate
unless approved translations are provided by Netflix.
Nicknames should be transliterated (or left in the original for the Latin script). Only translate if the
nickname conveys a specific meaning relevant to viewers.
Use language-specific translations for historical/mythical characters.

5. Continuity

Do not use ellipses when a sentence is split between two continuous subtitles.
Use ellipses to indicate a pause or an abrupt interruption. In the case of a pause, if the sentence
continues in the next subtitle, use ellipsis at the beginning of the second subtitle.  
Use ellipses without a space to indicate that a subtitle is starting mid-sentence.

6. Documentary/Unscripted

Only translate a speaker’s title once, the first time the speaker appears.
When ongoing dialogue is interrupted by a speaker’s title, use ellipsis at the end of the sentence in the
subtitle that precedes it and at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.
Dialogue in TV/Movie clips should only be subtitled if plot-pertinent and if the rights have been
granted.
News tickers/banners from archive clips do not require subtitles unless plot-pertinent.

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Avoid going back and forth between italicized and non-italicized subtitles when the speaker is on and
off screen. If the speaker is on-camera for at least part of the scene, do not italicize. Leave italics for
off-screen narrators.

7. Dual Speakers

If two characters speak in one subtitle, use a hyphen without a space to denote the second speaker
only, with a maximum of one character per line.

Чекај!
-Имаш ли документе?

 8. Font Information

Font style: Arial as a generic placeholder for proportional SansSerif.

Font size: relative to video resolution and ability to fit 42 characters across the screen.
Font color: White.

9. On-screen Text

Forced narrative titles for on-screen text should only be included if plot-pertinent.
When on-screen text and dialogue overlap, precedence should be given to the most plot-pertinent
message. Avoid over truncating or severely reducing reading speed in order to include both dialogue
and on-screen text.
The duration of the FN subtitle should as much as possible mimic the duration of the on-screen text,
except for cases where reading speed and/or surrounding dialogue takes precedence.
Forced narratives that are redundant (e.g., identical to onscreen text or covered in the dialogue) must
be deleted.
Forced narratives for on-screen text should be in ALL CAPS, except for long passages of on screen
text (e.g. prologue or epilogue), which should use sentence case to improve readability.
Never combine a forced narrative with dialogue in the same subtitle.
When a forced narrative interrupts dialogue, use an ellipsis at the end of the sentence in the subtitle
that precedes it and no ellipsis at the beginning of the sentence in the subtitle that follows it.

10. Foreign Dialogue

Foreign dialogue should only be translated if the viewer was meant to understand it (i.e., if it was
subtitled in the original version).
Cyrillic Script: Familiar foreign words and expressions, such as bon appétit, rendezvous,
doppelgänger, zeitgeist, persona non grata, should be transliterated. Unfamiliar foreign words and
phrases should be either translated (if meant to be understood) or left in the original, depending on
creative intent.
Latin Script: Foreign words and expressions should be italicized.
When using foreign words, always verify spelling, accents and punctuation, if applicable.

11. Italics

Italicize the following:

Dialogue that is heard through electronic media, such as a phone, television, or computer
Only use italics when the speaker is not in the scene(s), not merely off screen or off camera
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Song lyrics (if rights have been granted)

Voice-overs
Foreign words for Latin script only.

For albums, books, films, program and song titles do not use italics - quotation marks should be used
instead.
Do not use italics to indicate emphasis on specific words.

12. Line Treatment

Maximum two lines.

13. Numbers

Numbers from 1 to 10 should be written out један, два, три, etc.

Numbers above ten should be written numerically: 11, 12, 13, etc.
When a number begins a sentence, it should always be spelled out.
Note that the above rules may be broken due to space limitations or reading speed concerns, as well
as for consistency when listing multiple quantities, for example.
Measurements should be converted to the metric system, unless the original unit of measurement is
plot relevant.
Time should be noted in the 24-hour format, except if otherwise plot-pertinent.
Currency symbol comes after the amount.

Example: English: $23.99, Serbian: 23,99 $ (OR: 23,99 dolara)

A comma is used as the decimal separator: 23,99.

For numbers up to 9999 no comma or period should be used: 4000, 9000.
Numbers with five or more digits should be written with a space (not with a comma) before the last
three digits.
Dates are written as follows: 20 February 2004 = 20.2.2004.
The full stop is always placed after the year.

Example: English: Olympics 2004   Serbian: Olimpijada 2004.

14. Quotes

Quotes should be used at the start and end of a line of applicable dialogue and not at the start of
every subtitle.
Use top/bottom quotation marks („ “) without spaces for regular quotations.
Use single quotation marks (’ ’) for quotes within quotes: „Чарли је рекао: ’Све је у реду.’“
Punctuation should be included within the quotation marks if the quote is an independent clause and
outside if it’s not.

15. Reading Speed

Adult programs: 17 characters per second

Children’s programs: 13 characters per second

16. Repetitions
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Do not translate words or phrases repeated more than once by the same speaker.
If the repeated word or phrase is said twice in a row, time subtitle to the audio but translate only once.

17. Songs

Only subtitle plot-pertinent songs if the rights have been granted.

Opening and ending theme songs should only be subtitled if clearly plot-pertinent (e.g. for children’s
content when the lyrics tell a story) or if instructed by Netflix. Normally, adult programs should not
have the opening songs subtitled, except for SDH.
Italicize lyrics.
Use an uppercase letter at the beginning of each line. 
Use ellipsis when a song continues in the background, but is no longer subtitled to give precedence to
dialogue.
Punctuation: only question marks and exclamation marks should be used at the end of a line – no
commas or periods. Commas can be used within the lyric line, if necessary. 

18. Titles

Main titles: do not subtitle the on-screen main title card.

Episode titles: do not subtitle episode titles if they do not appear on screen/are not voiced-over. If on-
screen (either as part of the principal photography or burned into video) or voiced-over, please
reference the KNP tool for approved translations.
Titles of published works, existing movies and TV shows: use official or well-known translations. If
none are available:
For Cyrillic Script: please transliterate.
For Latin Script: please leave in the original language.

19. Special Instructions

Dialogue must never be censored. Expletives should be rendered as faithfully as possible.

Plot-pertinent dialogue always takes precedence over background dialogue.
Deliberate misspellings and mispronunciations should not be reproduced in the translation unless
plot-pertinent.

20. Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) Guidelines

Include as much of the original content as possible.

Do not simplify or water down the original dialogue.
Reading speed can be increased to:
Adult programs: 20 characters per second
Children’s programs: 17 characters per second

Truncating the original dialogue should be limited to instances where reading speed and synchronicity
to the audio are an issue.
For TV/Movie clips, all audible lines should be transcribed, if possible. If the audio interferes with
dialogue, please give precedence to most plot-pertinent content.
All same-language audible songs that do not interfere with dialogue should be titled, if the rights have
been granted.

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Use song title identifiers when applicable - song titles should be in quotes:
["Forever Your Girl" playing]
Song lyrics should be enclosed with a music note (♪) at the beginning and the end of each subtitle.
Use brackets [ ] to enclose speaker IDs or sound effects.
Identifiers/sound effects should be all lowercase, except for proper nouns.
Only use speaker IDs or sound effects when they cannot be visually identified.
When a speaker ID is required for a character who has yet to be identified by name, use [man] or
[woman], or [male voice] or [female voice], so as not to provide information that is not yet present in
the narrative.
Use a generic ID to indicate and describe ambient music (e.g., rock music playing over a stereo).
Sound effects should be plot-pertinent.
Sound effects that interrupt dialogue should be treated as follows:

         Subtitle 1: However, lately, I've been...

                         [coughs, sniffs]

         Subtitle 2:  ...seeing a lot more of this.

Never italicize speaker IDs or sound effects, even when the spoken information is italicized, such as in
a voice-over:

         [narrator]
         Once upon a time, there was…

In instances of foreign dialogue being spoken:

If foreign dialogue is translated, use [in language], for example [in Spanish]
If foreign dialogue is not meant to be understood, use [speaking language], for example [speaking
Spanish]
Always research the language being spoken – [speaking foreign language] should never be used 

  

Change Log:

2018-06-04

Revised section 9 On-screen Text – section header revised for clarity

2018-03-09

Revised section 4 Character Names - 1st and 2nd bullet points revised
Revised section 6 Documentary - 3rd, 4th and 5th bullet points added
Revised section 9 Forced Narratives – 2nd and 3rd bullet points added, 5th bullet point added
Revised section 13 Numbers - 4th and 5th bullet point revised
Revised section 14 Quotes - 2nd bullet point revised
Revised section 16 Repetitions – 1st point revised for clarity
Revised section 17 Songs – 2nd bullet point added
Revised section 18 Titles – 1st and 2nd bullet points revised

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Revised section 20 SDH Guidelines - renamed and expanded for clarity

 

PROVIDE FEEDBACK ON THIS STYLE GUIDE

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