Skip to main content
Natabbsha
Natabbsha
Participant
November 13, 2020
Question

Possible to import .docx premiere to do subtitles

  • November 13, 2020
  • 3 replies
  • 8321 views

Hi everybody,

 

I have a job that requires me to add subtitles to many differents videos (all together about 20 hours) I have been given the translations (a WORD document) but, unfortunately, they do not contain timestamps. As a result, I plan to just use the normal captioning tool inside of Premiere, creating timestamp templates for each video and what not. 

I'm only paid for 2 days work, and it seems like it might be way more than just 2 days. 

Is there are an easier method to do something like this? Can I at least import the text in the captions and only need to synchronise and not also copy/past. Or do I have to buckle down and do it the good old and long fashioned way?

 

Thanks for your help :))

This topic has been closed for replies.

3 replies

Stan Jones
Community Expert
Stan JonesCommunity Expert
Community Expert
November 14, 2020

Sorry I did not see this yesterday. PR is not a great tool for this.

 

I would use a third party app (SubtitleEdit is my favorite). 

 

I just walked through a try at this.

 

In the Word document, remove any lines that are not to be created as captions.

Save As -> plain text. (I specified ending lines with CR/LF, but this may be automatic.)

In SubtitleEdit (SE), File -> Import plain text. (Pick your .txt file.)

In the window that opens, I left it as "Auto split text." There are a number of options. I also left the defaults, including single line max length of 42. "Generate time codes" allows specifying if you want a gap between captions or one right after another. I would experiment with these based on your material.

 

You can pull a version of your video into SE and adjust timing there.

 

Then export .srt. If you are burning in, just bring into PR and make final adjustments there. If your end product are sidecar files, you may be able to use the ones from SE.

 

Stan

 

 

 

    gerikp
    Community Expert
    gerikpCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    November 14, 2020

    Using a text editor you could take the captions from Word and all the proper formatting to make an SRT file. I'm sure there are instructions on how to do it exactly via a google search. And then import the SRT file into Premiere Pro. Or you could do it the way you suggested. Sometimes there aren't any shortcuts, sadly.

    M
    Michael Grenadier
    Legend
    November 14, 2020

    as far as I know, that's the only way to do it...  but maybe someone else knows better.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices