Final Cut Pro is the ultimate video editor for Mac video professionals.
It provides various options for creating and managing subtitles, from automatic transcription to manual captioning and importing pre-made files.
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about subtitles in Final Cut Pro.
You’ll be glad to know that Final Cut Pro offers a built-in feature for automatic captioning.
Final Cut Pro’s "Transcribe to Captions" feature uses advanced speech-to-text technology to generate captions directly from your video’s audio. This functionality is available for spoken English and provides a convenient way to create captions without relying on external tools.
Final Cut Pro also allows you to customize these auto captions. You can modify the text, adjust timing, and change the visual style, including font, size, and color.
Generating subtitles in Final Cut Pro is a straightforward process, especially with its built-in "Transcribe to Captions" feature. Here’s how to generate subtitles step by step:
Start by opening your project or creating a new one in Final Cut Pro. Import the video file you want to subtitle by dragging it into the media library. Then, drag your video to the timeline, ensuring it’s ready for editing.
Once your video is in the timeline, highlight the audio clip or track that contains the dialogue.
Go to the "Captions" section in the Final Cut Pro interface and click on "Transcribe to Captions." The software will prompt you to confirm the settings, including the language of the audio (currently supported in English).
After a few moments, Final Cut Pro will display the generated captions on the timeline, aligned with the audio. Open the captions panel to review the text. Carefully read through the transcription and make edits where necessary. Correct any inaccuracies or refine the text to improve clarity and readability.
They will be some discrepancies in the timecodes of the captions. Slide the subtitle blocks to sync in with the audio. If there's an overlap between two captions, you can go to "Edit", "Captions", and select "Resolve Overlaps". This will remove any overlap. Just play the video and check if the previously overlapped captions are well synchronized.
Final Cut Pro allows extensive customization of your captions. Use the "Inspector" panel to adjust the font, size, color, and position of the captions. You can also modify the timing by dragging the edges of the caption blocks on the timeline, ensuring they align perfectly with the spoken words.
When you’re satisfied with the captions, you can export them. Go to the "File" menu and choose your preferred export option in "Export Captions". You can also burn the captions directly into the video or export them as a separate file, such as an SRT or iTT file, for use on other platforms. To do that, go to "File, "Share", "Export files". Click on the "Roles' tab, then the blue icon "Captions" and select "Burn in captions".
While Final Cut Pro offers automatic transcription, there are times when you may need to create subtitles manually. Here’s how to create subtitles manually in Final Cut Pro with the manual caption blocks feature:
Start by opening your project in Final Cut Pro and navigating to the "Timeline Index." Click on the "Roles" tab and create a new caption role. Assign this role to the track where you plan to add subtitles. This sets up a dedicated layer for your captions, ensuring they remain organized and easy to edit.
To add subtitles, go to the timeline and position the playhead at the point where you want the first caption to appear. Then, click on the "Captions" menu and select "Add Caption." A new caption block will appear in the timeline. You can resize and reposition this block to align with the dialogue or action in the video.
Double-click on the caption block to open the text editor. Type the subtitle text directly into the editor. Keep your text concise and easy to read, ensuring it doesn’t overcrowd the screen. Use line breaks strategically for better readability, especially for longer dialogues.
Once you’ve entered the text, adjust the timing of the caption block by dragging its edges in the timeline. ou can also reposition the captions within the frame using the "Inspector" panel to avoid obstructing important visuals.
Final Cut Pro offers extensive styling options to help you customize your subtitles. Use the "Inspector" panel to modify the font, size, color, and background of the captions.
For each new subtitle, repeat the process of adding a caption block, inputting text, and adjusting timing and placement. While this can be time-consuming for longer videos, it gives you full control over every detail of your captions.
Importing captions into Final Cut Pro is a time-saving feature, especially if you already have pre-made subtitles or transcription files. Here’s how to import captions step by step:
Before importing, ensure your captions are in a compatible format. Final Cut Pro supports commonly used formats like SRT, iTT, and CEA-608. If your captions are not in one of these formats, use a conversion tool to reformat them before proceeding.
Open your project in Final Cut Pro and navigate to the "File" menu. Select "Import" and then choose "Captions." Browse your computer to locate the caption file you want to import and click "Open." The captions will appear in your project timeline, aligned according to their timecodes.
Once the captions are in the timeline, assign them a caption role to organize them within the project. Go to the "Timeline Index," click on the "Roles" tab, and assign the imported captions to the appropriate role. This keeps your timeline neat and ensures accurate export settings.
Carefully review the imported captions to ensure they match the audio and visual elements of your video. If any adjustments are needed, you can edit the text directly in the timeline or the "Inspector" panel. This step is crucial for maintaining accuracy and professionalism.
Final Cut Pro allows you to customize the appearance of your captions. Use the "Inspector" panel to modify the font, size, color, and background of the captions. This ensures they align with your video’s style and branding.
If the timing of the captions is slightly off, drag the edges of the caption blocks in the timeline to align them perfectly with the audio or video cues. This fine-tuning ensures a seamless viewing experience.
Once your captions are imported and finalized, you can export the video. Go to the "File" menu, select your export settings, and ensure captions are included. Final Cut Pro offers options to embed captions directly into the video or export them as separate files, such as SRT or iTT.
If you’re looking to save time and streamline your workflow, Checksub can do a great job for you. It leverage advanced speech to text technology to automatically create accurate subtitles, which can then be imported into Final Cut Pro.
Here’s how to speed up subtitling with an AI subtitle generator:
Start by logging into an AI-powered subtitle generator like Checksub. Upload your video file to the platform. Checksub supports a wide range of video formats, making it compatible with most projects. Once uploaded, select the original language of your video’s audio and any additional languages for translation if needed.
The AI will process the audio in your video and generate subtitles within minutes. These subtitles are time-coded to match the audio, reducing the need for manual adjustments. The accuracy is typically high, especially for videos with clear dialogue and minimal background noise.
Once the AI-generated subtitles are ready, you can review and edit them directly within the platform. Adjust the text, refine timing, and split sentences for better readability. You can also style your subtitles, customizing the font, size, and color to match your branding.
After finalizing the subtitles, export them in a format supported by Final Cut Pro, such as SRT or iTT. These formats ensure seamless integration into your project without requiring additional conversion.
You want to speed up your subtitling process in Final Cut ? Try Checksub for free.
