The Kaleido Subtitling Style Handbook

Disclaimer

This document is a living document, and is not meant to be the definitive word on the subject, but rather a collection of guidelines and best practices that we have found to be effective.

Editing Guidelines

Always ensure you follow the guidelines provided to you by the group or company you work for!
This is especially important if you're working in an official capacity.

This document covers different aspects of subtitling best practices. These guidelines are tailored to portraying subtitles in a way that is both accessible and appealing to viewers.

The contents of this document are written by and for Kaleido's subtitlers, and are not affiliated with any streaming service or other entity. Many guidelines covered here fall in line with common practices in the English fansubbing community, but may deviate in certain aspects.

These are not hard rules you must follow to the letter, nor are they intended to be the definitive word on the subject. The hallmark of a good subtitler is knowing how to adapt as the situation demands, and when one should deviate from the norm.

Starting out

This guide covers a lot of topics, and can be overwhelming to read at first. For beginners, it is recommended to start with the roles page, and work your way up from there.

The most important thing you can do is to start creating. While we do our best to cover all aspects of subtitling, there is no better teacher than practice, so get practicing!

If you need help getting started, or get stuck on any specific aspect of subtitling, you shouldn't hesitate to ask for help. Our Discord server is a great place to start, and our community is always happy to help each other out, regardless of skill level and what kind of subtitles you want to create.

If you're looking for a fansubbing hub to chat with other fansubbers and learn more about the community and the subtitling process, we highly recommend checking out the Good Job! Media Discord. That's where most modern-day fansubbers congregate at the time of writing, and you'll learn a lot there, even if you're just lurking.