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kinkersnick127
Inspiring
September 20, 2013
Answered

Font for closed captions in Premiere Pro CC? (Premiere Pro 14.9 and earlier)

  • September 20, 2013
  • 8 replies
  • 73629 views

Hi,

 

I'm creating closed caption in Premiere Pro CC and wondering if it's possible to change the font/tracking/leading etc.?

 

The font, spacing between letters and words and just general style of the default captions is awful!

 

Do closed caption files imported into Premiere suffer from the same problem?

 

As a side question, is there a good way of creating subtitles on the Mac, that is free and easy?

 

Thanks

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Kevin J. Monahan Jr.

kinkersnick127 wrote:

Hi,

I'm creating closed caption in Premiere Pro CC and wondering if it's possible to change the font/tracking/leading etc.?

The font, spacing between letters and words and just general style of the default captions is awful!

Hi kinkersnick127,

No, you can't change the font or anything about the format of the text. Only the color.

kinkersnick127 wrote:

Do closed caption files imported into Premiere suffer from the same problem?

That text style is the norm for closed captions. You can't change it.

kinkersnick127 wrote:

As a side question, is there a good way of creating subtitles on the Mac, that is free and easy?

I don't believe there are any good free tools, but some offer a free trial. Once you get your captions done, you can edit them from scratch.

Thanks,
Kevin

8 replies

Stan Jones
Community Expert
Stan JonesCommunity Expert
Community Expert
September 19, 2019

sipcreative,

 

This is a very old thread, and there are a number of changes. Closed Captions always have limits, since many can be overriden by the TV setup. But in 2019, you can now use the "Import Settings" button (and Export Settings) in the Caption Panel. It allows you to treat import file types srt and stl EBU N19 differently then their file characteristics. You can specify how to treat the imported file in one or more of 3 areas: Video Settings (e.g make it a 608 closed caption instead of Open Caption; pixel size; timebase; PAR); Alignment settings; and Style settings (font, color, etc).

When set as 608 import, you have very few font types to select from. But you have zero font types once the caption file is imported.

If your goal is to burn in or export a sidecar file, you can use Open Captions, whihc gives you many choices. That is mostly the nature of captions.

 

    S
    sipcreative
    Participant
    September 19, 2019

    In Premiere Pro CC 2018, you now have the option of creating captions in premiere, as well as edit the font, style, size, etc. Unfortunately, however, for captions that you import (I used an .scc file) it still does not give the option to modify the font. You still get the ugly font with only the option to edit text and background color. I ended up having to recreate my transcript in Premiere's caption tool to be able to have control of the fonts.

    A
    Autovitalsmedia
    Participant
    February 26, 2018

    how can this really be the intended formatting?

    you expand the text and cut off my sentence mid word and stick a period int here, and theres nothing we can do? really?

    this looks terrible. I thought adobe was design software...

    Super disappointed that i have to underdeliver and not meet specifications because i will not submit something that looks like this.

      dsienko
      dsienko
      Participating Frequently
      February 26, 2018

      The monitor screen doesn't reflect what you get, which is one my of biggest complaints about Close captioning.  I use a lot of Unicode characters and they don't show up on the Program monitor.     Try exporting including the Sidecar file which contains the closed captioning, then upload to Vimeo and, then under the advanced tab upload the sidecar file.    I prefer the 608 over 708 and using the Subrip file format.     Make sure you select the right language and caption type.

      If you run into an error uploading the captioning file, it's usually an extra empty line.   I go to the last period for the area and make sure everything else is deleted.     If you still run into a problem open it in a text editor.   Sometimes extra code gets inserted so take out any tags refers to size color etc.

      Remember don't trust Program Monitor for captioning

      Good Luck

      R
      razvan_i
      Participant
      June 23, 2016

      Alright, with 2015.3 we have Open Captions. Nice!

      BUT! How do we export these captions to srt/stl/whatever? How can you guys not think about this and just leave the burn-in feature in?

      Then - how can you guys NOT think about a way to change the fonts/colours of more than one open caption at a time? Really?!?!? Do I really have to change the settings one caption at a time??

      Come on, Adobe! You can do better.

        J
        Johnny_Zet
        Participant
        December 16, 2014

        Hi all,

        have the same feeling as others. How one of the leading producers of film software
        could do such a poor solution. It is really a poor solution, that first of all, you really have to struggle with limited formats being readable by Premiere (e.g. .srt that is one of the most popular format!),
        secondly, editing the captions is like someone made this function between lunch and smoking. On top of it all, the final look of the subtitles looks like notepad from windows, modest, poor and unreadable text.

        And I am not talking about titler and colorful fonts that are needed. Any cheap subtitles merging soft have better solutions reg, increasing font size, encoding etc.

        Now i have an issue with Chinese text, that is not visible at all...

        i am a bit tired of the fact, that there always is something missing, that must be ptached, or you have to surft to read about others complaining and hope for a solution using 3 external software.
        It really is a poor, disappointing finish, as for a leading company producing film editing software, sorry to be so honest.

          Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
          Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
          Legend
          December 22, 2014

          Johnny,

          • As I said, there is an extremely limited number of fonts available for closed captions. It's not like any font can be chosen.
          • Premiere Pro is not an application for creating closed captions, it is more suitable for editing existing captions. File a bug report if you are having trouble with the editing process.
          • You mention subtitles. What I am speaking of is closed captioning for folks that have hearing disabilities. Subtitling is a totally different thing.

          If you are having trouble with foreign language text, then that is a totally different issue. Create a separate post describing your issues.

          Thanks,
          Kevin

          Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
          M
          marchofer
          Participant
          December 25, 2014

          1. Well the closed caption text is just text. How it is displayed in the final "viewer" depends entirely on the viewer and the settings you make there (or the file format you are using for the CC's has the meta data section to define formatting of the text in its standard ). BUT…Premiere Pro SHOULD let us editors CHOOSE how we want to preview the captions IN the program monitor i.e. Just to make it easier for us to read and work with them, without having to have 3x3 meter TV connected to it. So, THAT is from a editors point of view. Even if the CC file in the end doesn't have any format infos, so let me at least choose INSIDE Premiere for internal use.

          2. Premiere Pro is not an application for creating closed captions: That might have been not the core intention of the developers back in the days, but seriously, CC belong nowadays in the intl market to the core functionalities of a NLE Suite. And honestly, all the tech is already there, its just not thought about and a little bit shoddily implemented. But as soon as PP can show me the text in the Monitor, technically I should be able to change the font, size etc. Actually, I should EVEN be able to Hardcode them into the vid file, cause the renderer OBVIOUSLY has access to the data and can render it ( cause it shows it to me in the program window !? ).

          3. Subtitles and Captions are different things: Well maybe in the textbook they are. But in a real production environment, they are not always totally different. Why not giving me the options of DOING both. The data is there, who it is in the end worked with ( sidecar, hardcode ) all depends on the different case. If I want to make a caption for people with bad hearing, GREAT…I write down all the stuff but maybe also let me use the same data for a subtitle track ( which honestly is kinda the same ). Preaching up and down that CC's and Subtiltles are completely different things, are somehow is neglecting production reality. To do subtitles with the Title tool is just cumbersome.

          Titles are just not really helpful for complex subtitle projects. Period. If I have to subtitle a 30 mins feature etc. then I'd rather go with a separate ST tool which is sleak and fast. But I also want to be able to import a STL, SRT or whatever file and work with it right in the NLE. Preferably I would not even want to use a 3rd party tool. Let it all be done in PP. Make it simple.

          Yes, I already put in a Feature request.

            3
            381968
            Participant
            October 24, 2014

            Calling the default style of the captions "awful" is being kind.  Who in hell would make this choice?

              Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
              Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
              Legend
              October 24, 2014

              Hi 381968,

              If you wish to create closed captions with different fonts, you need a dedicated Closed Caption program like this. Premiere Pro should really only be used to edit closed captions, not create them.

              Are you sure you want to create captions or do you want to create subtitles? Two different things with the latter designed in the Title tool.

              Thanks,
              Kevin

              Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
              3
              381968
              Participant
              October 25, 2014

              Not interested in subtitles.  Just feel the default captioning font in Premiere Pro is not the most readable choice. The choice baffles me.

                Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
                Kevin J. Monahan Jr.Correct answer
                Legend
                November 15, 2013

                kinkersnick127 wrote:

                Hi,

                I'm creating closed caption in Premiere Pro CC and wondering if it's possible to change the font/tracking/leading etc.?

                The font, spacing between letters and words and just general style of the default captions is awful!

                Hi kinkersnick127,

                No, you can't change the font or anything about the format of the text. Only the color.

                kinkersnick127 wrote:

                Do closed caption files imported into Premiere suffer from the same problem?

                That text style is the norm for closed captions. You can't change it.

                kinkersnick127 wrote:

                As a side question, is there a good way of creating subtitles on the Mac, that is free and easy?

                I don't believe there are any good free tools, but some offer a free trial. Once you get your captions done, you can edit them from scratch.

                Thanks,
                Kevin

                Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
                D
                Dennis de Pijper
                Participant
                April 2, 2014

                Is there any chance we are getting font controls with the closed captions tool anytime soon?
                It would make working with subtitles a lot easier.

                Many Thanks

                Dennis

                  Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
                  Kevin J. Monahan Jr.
                  Legend
                  April 2, 2014

                  Hi Dennis,

                  Use the Titler for subtitles, not closed captions. What you wish to do is different.

                  Thanks,

                  Kevin

                  Kevin Monahan - Sr. Community and Engagement Strategist – Adobe Pro Video and Audio
                  Ann Bens
                  Community Expert
                  Ann BensCommunity Expert
                  Community Expert
                  September 20, 2013

                  No idea, I think you are stuck to one font for the time being.

                  http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/mmform/index.cfm?name=wishform

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