Add subtitles in Avid Media Composer

Step by step: import subtitles with SubCap

1. Export a reference video of your sequence and upload it to the HappyScribe subtitle generator. You can start with the free trial.
2. Choose the spoken language. The AI creates the subtitles in a few minutes, in any of 150+ languages.
3. Review text and timing in the online subtitle editor, and translate into 80+ languages if you deliver other versions.
4. Export as Avid DS subtitles (.txt) or EBU-STL (.stl).
5. In Media Composer, add a new video track above your picture and drag the SubCap effect from the Effect Palette onto it.
6. Open the Effect Editor, go to Caption Files > Import Caption Data, choose Avid DS or EBU N19 as the file type and select your file. Media Composer splits the effect into one SubCap clip per subtitle.

Caption formats Media Composer accepts

SubCap imports two caption file formats: Avid DS and EBU N19 (.stl). HappyScribe exports both. SubCap does not read SRT files, so don't pick SRT for Avid. For CEA-608 closed captions, Media Composer imports Scenarist SCC files, which HappyScribe also exports. HappyScribe's Avid markers and ScriptSync exports are for editing, not for subtitles.

Timecode: the most common import error

SubCap only imports captions whose timecodes fall inside the SubCap effect on your timeline. Before you click Open, the Import Caption Data dialog shows the file's start and end timecode and tells you whether the import will work. If your sequence doesn't start at zero, make sure the subtitle file uses the same timecode as the sequence, or the import will be refused.

Subtitles, closed captions or burned-in?

SubCap text renders over the picture, so any export with the SubCap track switched on has burned-in subtitles. Put each language on its own track and turn tracks on or off for each deliverable. When the broadcaster or platform needs closed captions that viewers can switch on, deliver SCC instead. For a quick social version, HappyScribe can also export the video with subtitles burned in.

In the Effect Editor you control fonts, colors, line length and line spacing, apply changes to every caption on the track, and save the look as a stylesheet for other sequences.

Avid Media Composer subtitles: FAQ

Can Avid Media Composer create subtitles automatically?

Yes, recent versions can: right-click in the Timeline and choose Transcript > Create SubCap to generate subtitles from the transcription. HappyScribe adds 150+ languages, translation into 80+ languages and a subtitle editor before import. For other editors, see our Premiere Pro guide.

Can I import an SRT file into Avid Media Composer?

Not into SubCap, which imports Avid DS (.txt) and EBU N19 (.stl) files only. Export one of those formats from HappyScribe instead of SRT.

Why does Import Caption Data fail?

Almost always because of a timecode mismatch. The captions must fall inside the timecode range of the SubCap effect; check the start and end values in the import dialog and match the file to your sequence timecode.

How do I add closed captions in Avid Media Composer?

Import a Scenarist SCC file with File > Input > Source Browser. Media Composer creates a data-track clip you can cut into the sequence, and it can export closed captions as SCC or TTML.