Fansubbers? Translators? Please help!

[RemSaverem]

I'm hoping to learn how fansubbing & translating are engaged in the otaku community & how this compares with how it's done for mainstream films. I'm hoping to learn software & hardware (having thus far only provided translation -- in Spanish, not Japanese).

Please post here, & see also:
http://www.kumoricon.org/forums/index.php?topic=13020.0

[Blue Leader]

I don't actually know much about fansubbing... I know more about fandubbing than subbing. However, what little I do know is that fandubbing is sometimes more accurate than the official release (such as ADV, Funimation or whatever).
Sometimes in the official releases they'll change words so they're more acceptable within US society, though this seems to be less true lately. Fansubbers tend not to worry about the acceptable part of it so much and you get the rawer, usually more accurate translations.

Of course, both venues do tend to have some mistakes in translation from time-to-time, I've noticed that too.

As for programs, I'd imagine any old video editing program would do as long as it allows you to add text over the video. I use MAGIX Movie Edit Pro 15 Plus, but there are tons of other programs out there.

[Imposer12]

Subtitling can even be done with Windows Movie Maker. But for good quality, ask some of the otaku/fansubbing sites. They would be the best source. Translating-that depends. Sometimes an anime will have characters that uses exaggerated dialogue/phrases-example "Tsukiumi" from the series Sekirei. "I Tsukiumi will be the the only one allowed to kill Minato Sahashi!", she doesn't mean "kill" in the literal sense. She means bring an end to his single life (marry him). Intrepretation of the dialogue is a factor.

[RemSaverem]

Would either of you be up for helping run a half-hour panel introducing some of the challenges involved for folks involved in translating, fansubbing, or fandubbing? If so, we might still be able to get in to the Creation Station schedule for this year, or if not, definitely for next year (or potentially for Orycon, if that's of interest).
I would be so grateful to know more of your personal experiences, how you got involved, what else you recommend, other problems you've experienced. What I've done is in the realm of fan creation, but outside otakudom: I translated the script of a full-length, award-winning H. P. Lovecraft fan film into Spanish for subtitles for its DVD. I found there were so many unexpected challenges. It's not the same as translating for the written page, because you have to take time code into consideration. Differences between English & Spanish in syntax may mean it takes more words to say the same things, yet, you only have the length of time the speaker's image appears on screen to fit in the words, and you need them to not overlap critical parts of the visual....etc....It really takes a lot more planning, collaboration, & editing than one may think, even before you get to the level of idioms & colloquialisms that don't directly translate.....

Thanks so much for posting! You two have really made my night!