DaVinci Resolve 20 Creates Non-Standard SRT Files and How to Fix Them

I’ve spent a lot of time working with subtitles recently as we add them to videos in our Video Training Library.

As we were testing this new feature, I grew increasingly puzzled because all the subtitles created by DaVinci Resolve 20 were in a bold font. Because we had just installed a new video playback engine, my first thought was a bad setting on the server.

But, as our programmers looked, they couldn’t find anything.

Here’s an example of the problem. The top subtitle is in bold, the bottom in roman (or “regular”). In and of itself, bold is not “bad” – except the SRT format does not specify which font should be displayed as a subtitle. Instead, the software used to play the video determines the font and many fonts are hard to read in bold.

Roman (regular) is always the safest choice.

THE PROBLEM WAS THE SRT FILE ITSELF

After researching the issue, we realized the problem was not with the video playback engine, but with the SRT file created by Resolve.

Resolve was adding HTML coding to change every subtitle font to bold. This is NOT a good thing. In almost all cases, the SRT file should contain zero formatting because that is up to the viewer, not the creator, to determine.

For example, users may need to control font size, change font color, or change placement based upon their personal accommodation needs. Subtitles should be neutral, allowing the viewer the greatest amount of formatting control.

NOTE: If you NEED to make a subtitle look a certain way, then format it as you want and burn it into the video. Subtitles, by design, should be free of formatting.

HOW TO FIX THIS IN RESOLVE

Resolve uses an incorrect font setting that is easy to change.

• Select any caption in the timeline.
• Go to Video Inspector > Track.

• Resolve defaults to Open Sans, Semibold. Change the Font Face to Regular.

Your SRT files will now output correctly.

HOW TO FIX THIS IN THE SRT FILE

An SRT file is plain text with an .SRT file extension. You can open it in Text Edit, BBEdit, or any other text editor.

NOTE: If the SRT file doesn’t open when you double-click the file in the Finder, open Utilities > Text Edit and open the SRT file from inside the app.

The problem is all those bracketed “b’s” (red circles). They tell the video playback engine to bold the font. Fortunately, these are very easy to remove.

• Type Cmd + F to open the Find dialog at the top.
• Type ”<b>” into the Search box – without the quotes.
• Check the Replace checkbox, but leave the Replace text box empty.
• Click All.

Poof. Gone.

• Now, replace the “<b>” in the Search box with “</b>” (again, without the quotes)  and press All, again.

• Click Done.

Poof. All gooder.

SUMMARY

Subtitles should be left unformatted and unpositioned. The viewer will want and need to control both.

Once you change the font setting in Resolve – which you will need to do for every caption track you create – your SRT files will be fine.