👀 Ain't no title like a good subtitle

#441 | Why do we need subtitles for pretty much everything now?

There's a popular text post meme that goes something like this: "I can't hear the TV without my subtitles." Well, it is me; I am it.

I need my subs—yes, even when I'm watching TV in languages that I'm fluent in. Subtitles and closed captions help a viewer understand what's happening on-screen—either by translating the dialogue to a different language or making the content accessible to the deaf or hard of hearing, which I am not. So why am I so insistent on my subtitles?

Oddly enough, I'm not the only one. Over the years, more and more people have reported needing subtitles to understand dialogue in films and TV. And oddly enough, we have technology and innovations in sound recording and mixing to blame for it. Today's Thing is this fantastic explainer by Vox which takes you on a journey through film and TV history to explain exactly why dialogue has become much more unintelligible over time.

And on the flip side of that discussion, subtitles can actually add a whole new dimension to what you're watching. One of my classmates at film school made a short film where the subtitles themselves fall in love with the protagonist - essentially twisting the notion that subtitles have to be merely functional. And the best example of this in recent times? Stranger Things season 4 - even if you haven't seen the show, you've definitely seen the subtitles all across the memeverse. [Eleven pants], anyone? Here are two fantastic interviews with the subtitling team behind the show, wherein they explain the origins of gems such as [writhing wetly], [ferocious guitar riff] and many more. 

Pai