New Service — Captioning & Subtitling
Transcribe it. Caption it. Ship it.
Closed captions, subtitles, CDSL/CCSL, and feature scripts — ordered alongside your DCP, timed to your locked cut, and QC'd before anything goes out the door. One invoice, one point of contact, no separate vendor to manage.
From The Toms, written & directed by The DCP Works’ CEO, Thomas Verdi
The Work
Every line, every timecode
A caption that's a few frames early or late reads as sloppy no matter how accurate the transcript is. We time every line against your actual locked cut, format it to spec, and route it back through the same pipeline that's already handling your DCP — so nothing drifts between the picture and the text on top of it.
That covers the full range of what festivals and distributors ask for: closed captions with lyrics, subtitles in English or additional languages, CDSL/CCSL continuity documents, and as-broadcast feature scripts — formatted the way each recipient actually wants to receive them.
Why It Matters
Caption where you master
Most filmmakers end up managing captions as a separate errand — a different vendor, a different invoice, a different set of files to reconcile against the final picture. We fold it into the same order as your DCP.
One point of contact
You talk to us, not a vendor you've never worked with. One invoice, one thread, one place to ask a question.
Timed to your actual DCP
Captions and subtitles are timed against the same locked cut your DCP is mastered from — no reconciling two versions of the film.
Every format, on request
SRT, SDH, open or closed, CDSL/CCSL continuity lists, and as-broadcast scripts — formatted to what your festival or distributor actually asked for.
Checked before delivery
Every file is reviewed for timing, spelling, and formatting before it ships — not just spell-checked and sent.
What We Deliver
Formats we produce
Closed Captions (SDH)
Full dialogue, sound effects, and lyrics — with cue sheet support for musical numbers.
Subtitles (SRT)
English or additional languages, timed to your locked cut and formatted to festival or DCP spec.
CDSL / CCSL
Continuity and dialogue-spotting lists — a cut-by-cut description of every shot, built to the spec your recipient requires.
Feature & Trailer Scripts
As-broadcast scripts for distributors who want a post-production script format alongside your CCSL.
The Process
From locked cut to delivered file
Spec review
Tell us what you need and who it's for — a festival's caption spec, a distributor's CCSL requirements, or both. We confirm the exact deliverables before anything starts.
Transcription & timing
Dialogue, sound effects, and lyrics are transcribed and timed against your locked cut, frame by frame.
Translation, if needed
Additional language tracks are translated and timed separately from the English master, not machine-translated from it.
Formatting to spec
Files are built to the exact format requested — SRT, SDH, CDSL/CCSL, or feature script — matching your festival's or distributor's requirements.
QC & delivery
Every file is checked for timing and formatting before it's delivered alongside your DCP, on your timeline.
Questions
Captioning FAQ
What's the difference between captions and subtitles?
Subtitles assume the viewer can hear the film and just need the dialogue translated or transcribed. Captions (SDH) are built for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, so they also include sound effects, music cues, and speaker labels.
Do I need to provide a cue sheet?
Only if your film has lyrics you want captioned and you have music cue information to share — it speeds up accuracy on musical passages. If you don't have one, we can still caption from the audio directly.
What languages can you deliver?
English is standard on every job. Additional languages are quoted per language — let us know what you need when you request a quote.
Can this be bundled with my DCP order?
Yes — that's the point. Captions and subtitles are timed against the same locked cut your DCP is mastered from, and delivered on the same timeline under one invoice.
How long does it take?
It depends on runtime and how many deliverables you need. We'll give you a firm timeline with your quote, and we're used to working backwards from festival deadlines.
How much does it cost?
Pricing is quoted per project based on runtime, deliverables, and language count. Send us your details and you'll have a custom quote back fast.
Ready When You Are
Get your captions right the first time
Tell us about your project — runtime, deliverables, and languages — and we'll send back a custom quote.
Get Your Quote Now