Moving Text

[Lunagel]

While those are good suggestions, the majority of TV-Nihon's viewers are not hearing-impaired and thus those descriptions are unnecessary. I do like the fact that TVN is becoming more deaf-friendly, and I actually prefer having the lines line up with the speakers, putting the names in front of the lines makes for unnecessary reading. The sound effects also draw the attention down to the bottom of the screen instead of up towards the action. There's a real difference between subtitling and closed-captioning, and although TVN is teetering slightly on the edge, you really can't throw away the larger audience for a smaller group. Now, maybe alternate deaf releases with those suggestions you made could be possible, but I think you'd definitely need a dedicated sub-group in order to make those changes.

[Silentwolfdog]

This is why I didn't say anything about that part. I knew that majority wouldn't like having sound effects being subbed even though it can be helpful for deaf viewers. So as I said before no one get everything they want.

I am just happy that at least TVN decided to add sound effects if it's important enough to ep or scene itself, like they did in Keitai ep 41 or one ep of Decade. I can't imagine what I would have thought if they didn't add <sounds of shaver> in ep 41 of Keitai because of character's gesture. O.o

Unnecessary to hearing viewers but necessary to deaf (hearing impaired) viewers. Ah, sometimes it sucks to be on such side, no? ^^

As for names before lines, I thought sub-placement or color subtitles were enough to let us know. So far I didn't have any major problem identifying who was speaking.

[That Guy]

If I got it right, the subs moving around the screen, following who speaks, causes confusion for certain viewers. So that's why I suggested to add the character's name before its line. And about the background sounds and music, its the same. Just write a description of it. Something like this:

Kotoha: I made you a special medicine to heal your wounds.
Chiaki: I don't need this thing.
Mako: Hey! Don't talk to her like that!
Chiaki: I'm off.
Kotoha: Wait!

Scene description not to be included on the subs: Kotoha slips and falls with her face on the compress she prepared for Chiaki. The metal bowl with the rest of the medicine also falls.

Background sounds descriptions needed to be included:

"Sound of her face splashing on a sticky medicine"
"Sound of the metal bowl crashing"

I'm not sure my example of the metal sound can be used. How is it explained for a deaf person the sound of metal? To my sister I try to say that when something made of metal falls and it is big, it produces a very loud noise calling everyone's attention. I think that's it.

We are not making closed captions, we are making fansubs and being sensitive to the needs of deaf persons. The former would limit our audience because it alienates people that can hear and don't need to be told who's speaking or what sound effects every object in sight makes, the latter expands it by not babying our hearing audience while still making it easier to follow if you don't have the benefit of voice recognition.

[Podima]

Striking a balance, as others have said, is quite important - I don't feel, as a viewer, that sound effects all over the place are necessary. But very out-of-place sound effects with no visual cues - for example, in a recent Decade episode, there was a cash register noise obviously put in for comedic effect. There was no visual cue to go along with it, but the typesetter (blanking on names right now, apologies) put a very fast "$$$$$$$$" in to represent that. I feel like that's a great example of both non-intrusive callout and appropriate sound effects to note in subtitles.

As a culture note, as an American deaf person, it's actually more complex than you'd think. Most of what I've noted is that deaf people dislike being referred to as 'hearing impaired' - 'hard of hearing' tends to be more accepted. But then again, there's deaf, and then there's Deaf (culturally deaf). It's complicated!

[Cheetah]

There was no visual cue to go along with it, but the typesetter (blanking on names right now, apologies) put a very fast "$$$$$$$$" in to represent that.

Podima doesn't remember I typeset Decade? *sniff* Fine, I'm going to ignore you in the chat room now.

I'm glad the "$$$$$$$$" went over well. I was laughing as I was making it and was worried it was going to be something stupid that only I would laugh at.

[Silentwolfdog]

I got to admit I didn't know what "$$$$$" meant but it was nice of you to put it down regardless.

Anyhow, I agreed with Podima.

[lblanime]

Striking a balance, as others have said, is quite important - I don't feel, as a viewer, that sound effects all over the place are necessary. But very out-of-place sound effects with no visual cues - for example, in a recent Decade episode, there was a cash register noise obviously put in for comedic effect. There was no visual cue to go along with it, but the typesetter (blanking on names right now, apologies) put a very fast "$$$$$$$$" in to represent that. I feel like that's a great example of both non-intrusive callout and appropriate sound effects to note in subtitles.

As a culture note, as an American deaf person, it's actually more complex than you'd think. Most of what I've noted is that deaf people dislike being referred to as 'hearing impaired' - 'hard of hearing' tends to be more accepted. But then again, there's deaf, and then there's Deaf (culturally deaf). It's complicated!

I don't know the deaf culture stance on Deaf and deaf in America but in Britain, a deaf person view is:

Deaf = Born deaf and proud
deaf = a person who become deaf in certain stages of live and isn't involved with the deaf community

Again regarding effects of sounds effects, normally on certain dvd's they usually have 2 English subtitles,

English Subtitles = Vocal only
English for the Hard of Hearing = these subtitles usually have sounds effects added into them, for example (cash till bing) (water tap dripping) etc etc

and not being too ignorant but sometimes sounds effects will help me as sometimes if an actor is responding to an everyday sound or explosion that appears off screen, sometimes it would be nice if text could comply with this so that the deaf viewers would know what the actor is responding to as far as sounds are concerned... it's just a suggestion

[wanmoke]

And then there's my side of the coin: vision problems. I have to look real close at the screen to read subtitles, and it was really confusing to have to adjust my focus to keep reading and enjoying the show. But oddly, after I'd done it for episodes 5 and 6 of Shinkenger, 7 wasn't too bad. So I guess I got used to it. It also works for me when I don't recognize necessarily who's speaking.