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Full example: Eliso

One Georgian film, from the first check to the finished files. Do the same with any film.

ელისო · Eliso (1928)

A silent film by Nikoloz Shengelaia, based on a story by Alexander Kazbegi. In a 2012 poll of Georgian film critics, it came first among the best Georgian films.

Language
silent, with Georgian and Russian intertitles
Watch
GNFC Heritage, free, restored by the Georgian National Film Center and the National Archives
Goal
English subtitles

  1. Check the rights

    List every author and the year they died. The credits are on Wikipedia.

    AuthorRoleDied
    Alexander Kazbegiwrote the original story1893
    Sergei Tretyakovco-wrote the script1937
    Nikoloz Shengelaiadirector, co-wrote the script1943
    Iona Tuskiacomposer1963

    Result: ask for permission first.

    The last author died in 1963, so Eliso stays protected in Georgia until 31 December 2033. This is the most common trap: the director and the writers died long ago, but the composer lived on.

  2. Ask for permission

    Start with the Georgian National Film Center, which restored the film and shows it. If the Center does not hold the rights, ask who does. Fill in the letter from the guide:

    Subject: Permission to publish subtitles for Eliso

    Dear Georgian National Film Center,

    I am a volunteer with Translation Foundation (translation.foundation.ge). I would like to translate the intertitles of Eliso (1928) into English and publish the subtitles on translation.foundation.ge, free under CC BY-SA 4.0, credited to the film and its authors, and linked to gnfcheritage.ge. …

    Keep the written answer: you will send it with your files. Do not start publishing before you have it.

  3. Write down the original intertitles

    Eliso is a silent film, so the words are on intertitles: the cards of text between scenes. Play it on GNFC Heritage, pause at each card, note the time it appears and disappears, and type its text exactly as written. Use only the film's own cards, not titles added later.

    In Subtitle Edit, add one subtitle per card and save as:

    1
00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,000
ელისო

2
00:01:06,500 --> 00:01:12,000
[the next card, word for word]
    eliso.1928.ka.srt

    The times and the second card are placeholders: yours come from the film.

  4. Translate into English

    Save a copy as eliso.1928.en.srt and replace each Georgian card with English, keeping the same numbers and times. The decisions you will meet:

    GeorgianEnglishWhy
    ელისოElisoa name: national romanization
    ვაჟიაVazhiaWikipedia writes Vajia; the national system gives Vazhia. Pick one and keep it.
    ხევსურიKhevsurthe usual English name for the people of Khevsureti
    აულიvillageplain English beats a foreign word on screen
     
    1
00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,000
Eliso
    eliso.1928.en.srt

  5. Check both files

    Open each file in the checker. For an intertitle film, the usual findings are cards shorter than ⅚ of a second (merge or lengthen them) and long cards with more than two lines (split them in two subtitles). Then watch the film once with the English file.

  6. Send them

    Use the upload form twice, once per file:

    • Film: Eliso, from the list
    • Note for the moderator: that the rights holder agreed in writing (forward their answer to translation@foundation.ge)
    • Language: English for one file, Georgian for the transcription

    A moderator watches the film with your files. Once approved, they appear on the film's page with your name.

Your turn

Pick a film that needs a translator, or request one of your own that passes the rights check.

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