Uploading source media

The starting point for most subtitling projects is one or more videos. Once a joblist has been created in Plint, the next step is often to make this media available to the online editor and other tools. The goal is to eliminate the need for any manual file handling by freelancers and other users. A job with Delivery method "Media upload" is a simple solution for accomplishing this. Please note that this is the most basic method and requires some manual action, usually from a project manager. Media can also be made available to the system through automated means and integration.

Read more about media logic and the technical aspects here. 

Using the "Media upload" job 

This is often the first job in a joblist, meaning it has no dependencies on other jobs and can be done as soon as the media itself is available. It is typically assigned to a project manager (but may be performed by anyone with an account, including Resource users). Select "Upload media" on the Dashboard to start. 

Click the dropzone to browse for the file on your local computer or network (or just drop the file on it). Please note that only one file can be uploaded with this delivery method. With a correctly set up project and template, this means that the file will then be automatically linked to the correct project and part. 

Once a file has been selected, you will get some additional options before submitting the form. 

• "Visible on Files tab" means that a user who is assigned a job on this part will be able to download the source media.
  • This is useful when offline work is required, but make sure this is acceptable to the content owner.
• "Convert after upload" will use a preset to prepare the file for online editing work.
  • This typically means scaling down the video to a resolution and compression level suitable for the online editor.
  • It may also involve burning in visible timecode.
  • Presets can be edited under Tools & Data but require some knowledge.
• "Timecode start time" allows you to tell the editors to offset the starting time.
  • For example when the media starts at 10:00:00:00 and this needs to be adhered to throughout the localization process.
• Finally, you can choose to be notified by email when the conversion is done. There are two main steps:
  • Basic conversion into editor-friendly format (using a preset from the dropdown)
    • Optional. If the video already has a proper resolution and format, this step may be skipped, by simply not choosing a conversion preset. 
  • Additional media preparation for the subtitle editor. These steps start automatically, may take a while and include:
    • Finding shot changes in the video and adding markers and thumbnails
    • Creating visible waveform of the audio 
    • If activated for the site, DRM protection

You can follow the progress of these steps:

1. In the project Filezone
2. Under Tools & Data / Renders

Finally, after upload, a "Verify media" job may be waiting for you on the Dashboard. This is to ensure that the media will work with the online editor. Please note that processing the file may take some time. 

Other files

If there are additional files that may be of use to people working on the project, the simplest way is to upload them to the project Filezone and then edit their visibility setting. For example, dialogue lists may be of value to people working on a specific episode whereas a glossary might be useful to everyone.