Shaky Captions

[joekal25319550]

Every time I import an .srt file that I've created with Aegisub into Premiere and add it to my timeline it never fits my sequence no matter if I give it all the same settings, including frame size and rate. The captions always come on too small and shaky.

Usually, my fix for the size is to right-click the caption on the timeline and select "Scale to Frame Size" but then it becomes off-centre. So I have to change the position to what looks centred for me, and even then it doesn't even seem to be centred for every line.

Now, when I try to fix the shaking by changing the frame rate from 1000 fps (I find it ridiculous that it's at this speed by default) to 24fps the entire caption freezes on the first line, but at least it stopped shaking right..?

I need to figure out a better system because this is frustrating now, my client keeps complaining about shaky captions and there's nothing that I can do about it anymore. The frame rate change worked once, but now the entire captions are being stuck on the very first line.

BONUS PROBLEM!

Premiere tends to create double lines as well. At first, I thought they were random, but then I thought maybe they create a duplicate when a line is too long. Still, sometimes it seems random.

The problem now with these double lines is it creates a duplicate of the line before and sometimes when changing to the next line there's a quick flicker of the previous line appearing above for a fraction of a second.

The only way I can fix this is to drag one of the lines that sandwiches the duplicate away and then adjust the timing of the duplicate in the captions window because it's way too small to even be selected on the timeline. The timing of the duplicate line is always so short that it's pretty much null, for example, the starting time would be 1:01:01 and then the end time would be 1:01:01. So the only way to click the line and delete it would be to change the end time, for instance, to 1:01:04. But of course, only after I've moved the line after it out of the way.

It would be extremely helpful if someone has a solution to this problem because I've been searching really hard to find one both in Premiere and online, but it's really hard because my search terms aren't relating to anything else that someone has posted before.

I appreciate any help!

[Stan Jones]

What specific dot version of PR are you running?  There have been caption changes in many recent versions.

Problem 1:

When PR imports an srt, it sets the size/framerate. If it is not correct, you need to modify it before you add it to the timeline. New in 2019, before srt import, you go to the captions tab, and there is a button in the bottom left called "import settings." It allows you to specify import file type as srt (or stl EBU N19), and specify how to treat the imported file in one or more of 3 areas: Video Settings (e.g make it a 608 closed caption in stead of Open Caption; pixel size; timebase; PAR); Alignment settings; and Style settings (font, color, etc).

If your version of PR is prior to 2019, select the file after import in the Project Panel, and right click -> Modify -> Captions and make the pixel size, framerate, and par setting there.

As you have discovered, scaling and similar do not work correctly.

[joekal25319550]

Hey, thanks Stan, that's unfortunate that the new option is in the 2019 version. I'm still on 2018.

As for the modify settings that you mentioned. This is what I was trying to explain in my post. Whenever I change the framerate there from 1000fps to 24fps, or anything for a matter of fact, the entire caption file gets stuck on the first line. If I pick a faster frame rate then sometimes I get to see two lines. But the length of the caption file remains the same with the first or second line/s.

It's been happening with every caption file that I've been using, but I can attach one here.

https://ufile.io/hbn2s

[Stan Jones · Accepted solution]

Your main problem is that the timecodes in your file overlap by tiny amounts (a few milliseconds). They should not overlap. When PR sees this, it creates a new caption for the overlap, and puts both lines of text in it. The ones I saw were only one frame, and I do not get the shakiness you describe. But it is not a good thing!

I usually use SubtitleEdit and not Aegisub. There's a function to fix this in SubtitleEdit, but I'm wondering what happened that the overlaps were introduced to begin with.

FYI, I get the same results of the following tests whether using 2018 (2018.1.2) or 2019 (2019.0.2). Which 2018 version are you running? Mac or PC? I am PC, Win 10.

Your srt has no special coding for size/framerate etc. If I import a video file, make a sequence from it, then import your srt, the srt size/framerate is the same as the sequence. I do not get 1000 fps or odd sizes.

I recall complaints about this, and I don't recall if it was fixed in one of the 2018 updates, or in the original 2018.

[Stan Jones]

Bonus problem:

I wonder about how PR is interpreting the caption block size and the length of lines vs an srt setting.

Can you share the .srt file for me to look at?

[aniko-haus]

any lucky on this ?? I am having the same problem 😞

[Stan Jones]

aniko, in the srt you are importing, do the times overlap? Is it importing with the correct pixel size and framerate?

[hello-fau]

Stan, thank you for your answer. I am having exactely the same problem.The client is sending me the SRT is 1000 fps and the video file is 24fps, whenever I change that it frozes in the first caption forever. although the framerate is correct. could this be the problem? how to know whats the correct pixel size? did you manage to stop the shaky of yours?

[Stan Jones]

hello sent me an srt showing this behavior.

The srt is a "plain" srt: no header, no special formatting info. As for most, the "frames" are set in milliseconds, but that really means nothing.

When I import it to PR 2019.1.5, it conforms to the last sequence I created (1920x1080, 59.94fps). 

So first, what specific dot version of PR? When you import it, does it conform to the last sequence you created, pixel size and framerate?

Let's see if we can sort this.

Stan

[hello-fau]

Stan it doesnt conform to my sequence, it goes this way: (720x480,  1000fps). 

my PR is the latest version.

[Stan Jones]

It is odd that it doesn't conform to the sequence. In any event, in the Caption panel, select the "import settings," and set them to override the file and set the correct settings. Does that work?

[China_Boy]

I guess I've found the solution. Just turn on the OpenCL in the project settings and the subtitle would stop shaking.

I was using a RX 470 graphics card until it was broken recently. So I had to use a very old GTS 250 (it can not accelerate the playback in Premiere) these days during which time I had found that my srt subtitles start to shake. So I immediately replaced the GTS 250 with another old graphics card (R7 250) and turned on the OpenCL. And the problem was gone. If I turn off the OpenCL and use the CPU to do the same work. Even with the R7 450, the subtitle would not work normally.

I hope this helps.