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3. SRT and Dialogue Files

    The  digital SRT or "Sidecar" file is the subtitle/captioning file created by the filmmaker and delivered with their film file as a separate file.

    The file is created initially within the editing environment as prepared captions. When working in Premiere, your captions can be directly exported as an SRT file.

    Premiere SRT files have embedded information based on timecode. It includes the start and stop of the timecode placement, and the caption information for each of those segments.

    The limit for Premiere is that the file doesn't retain any information about sizing, colour and placement of the captions. An alternative is to use another type of captioning software. That additional formatting information allows it to be imported into a media player with the final media file, and the embedded timecode synchs it frame-by-frame with the film's file, and matches the general visual qualities. Professional broadcasters will need to have SRT files that contain these qualities so that your captions suit their standards for captioning.


    Every SRT file is made up of four components:

    1. The number of the caption frame in sequence
    2. Beginning & ending timecodes for when caption frame should appear
    3. The caption itself
    4. Blank line indicating the start of new caption sequence

    EXAMPLE:

    1
00:00:00,498 --> 00:00:02,827
- Here's what I love most
about food and diet.

2
00:00:02,827 --> 00:00:06,383
We all eat several times a day,
and we're totally in charge

3
00:00:06,383 --> 00:00:09,427
of what goes on our plate
and what stays off.


    There are different types of captions to choose from, and they relate to the intended destination, such as posting to online media versus delivering it for professional broadcasting.

    • SRT files are generated by exporting the captions you've created from inside of Premiere. 
    • If you don't have Premiere, but have a good editing software, you may need to export what's called a XML file, and then processing it using an SRT conversion software. Free online conversion sites can be found easily. Here is an example of one.

    • SRT files use the editing timeline's timecode IN and OUT and the typed in captions to create every caption CUE, which is what governs how it plays back with your exported media. Basic font and placement choices are also included in the SRT file's information. When loaded into a basic Notepad or Text Reader app, you can review the file and edit it if needed (but not recommended unless you're familiar with the process).

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