Subtitle The Pyramid -

Fixed at roughly 15–20 characters per second (cps).

Finding equivalent idioms that make sense in the target culture.

A subtitle must stay on screen for at least 1 second and no more than 7 seconds. 🟡 Level 2: Linguistic Equivalence (The Middle) subtitle The Pyramid

Timing the text to appear and disappear exactly with the speaker's breath or a camera cut. Why the "Pyramid" Matters

Subtitlers often trim 20–30% of the original dialogue. Fixed at roughly 15–20 characters per second (cps)

The "Subtitle Pyramid" is a concept used in professional media localization to balance readability with viewer immersion. It represents a hierarchy of priorities that subtitlers must follow to ensure the audience can follow the dialogue without missing the visual action. 🟢 Level 1: Technical Legibility (The Base)

When a subtitle fails, it is usually because the creator ignored the base of the pyramid. You can have the most poetic translation in the world, but if it flashes on screen for only half a second, the viewer loses the experience entirely. 🟡 Level 2: Linguistic Equivalence (The Middle) Timing

Breaking lines at natural pauses (e.g., not separating a noun from its adjective). 🔴 Level 3: Cultural & Artistic Resonance (The Peak)