Welcome to the 231st insertion of DEMUR®, an analytical series highlighting the intricacies of the artistic world and the minutiae lying within. In this episode, we better understand the controversy behind closed captions, explaining why subtitles are suddenly so popular yet profoundly hated.
Over the past decade, the use of subtitles has grown to dominate the cinema industry. Found at the top or bottom of any given film, these visual queues, initially intended for those with impaired hearing, have surged in use among the public eye. A debate has stirred in contention with this superimposed text as enthusiasts wrestle over their efficacy and diminishing values, leading many to question such behaviour and perhaps even more to criticize it.
But before we explain the rather complex debate, we must first apprehend why viewers are drawn to sub-text in the first place. As quoted from deaf-led charity Stagetext, “80% of 18-24-year-olds use subtitles some or all of the time when watching TV… and only 10% of those surveyed were deaf or hard of hearing”, meaning there must be a problem with modern audio production studios. In fact, researchers have already developed a few ideas behind this theory, most of which are ironically rooted in the development of microphones.
You see, decades ago, in the era where movies were shot on wax and film, microphones were sub-par, to say the least. Forcing actors to annunciate their lines as clearly and concisely as possible to avoid ‘automated dialogue recall’ fees, discourse was, in turn, highly intelligible. However, as recording devices have developed, actors are encouraged to toy with their dynamic range, which has led to an increase in inaudible lines and a surge of subtitle users.
Igniting a fury of debate from those who claim subtitles ruin the visual experience, it’s safe to conclude that captions aren’t ruining film; mumbling, post-production mixing, and sound systems are. Aside from the rare case like Christopher Nolan, who simply doesn’t care to mix audio for sub-standard theatres, the increase in subtitle use can be traced to lousy workmanship and decreased retention.
Comments