Invoice templates for subtitle translators billing production companies and streaming platforms for localised subtitle files.
A subtitle translator invoice is issued by a professional subtitler or audiovisual (AV) translator to a production company, broadcaster, streaming platform, or localisation agency for the translation and creation of subtitle files for films, TV programmes, documentaries, and video content. Subtitle translation is a specialised field of translation combining linguistic accuracy with the technical constraints of subtitle formatting: reading speed, character limits per line, subtitle duration, and synchronisation with dialogue. Subtitlers must be fluent in the source and target languages and familiar with subtitling software (EZTitles, Subtitle Workshop, Swift, or Ooona). UK subtitlers are commonly members of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI) or the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL). Subtitling work is typically priced per minute of video content or per subtitle file, with rates varying by language pair and the complexity of the content.
| Service | Typical Rate | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Subtitle translation (per minute of content) | 15 | minute |
| Subtitle adaptation (per minute) | 10 | minute |
| SDH subtitles for deaf/hard of hearing (per min) | 18 | minute |
| Timing correction (per minute) | 8 | minute |
| File format conversion (SRT to VTT etc.) | 30 | file |
| Rush delivery (48 hours) | 50 | project |
Invoice on delivery of the completed subtitle file(s). Require a 50% deposit for projects over £500 or for new clients. For regular work from a single agency or broadcaster, set up a monthly billing arrangement. Invoice at month end for all projects completed in the month. Monthly invoicing simplifies reconciliation for both parties. Include the content title, language pair, and runtime on every invoice. Production company accounts teams match invoices to jobs by title, not by your project code. For multi-language projects where you are supplying subtitles in multiple target languages, invoice per language as separate line items with the runtime for each.