MXF subtitle preparation belongs to a production workflow where camera originals, proxies, and final cuts can share names but differ in duration and audio. Track selection and timecode documentation must happen before cue polishing.
Where this workflow fits
- Broadcast subtitle prep
- Editorial review captions
- Camera-original transcription
Preserve the production coordinate system
Record the relationship between elapsed transcript time and the MXF source timecode before editing. This makes later conforms auditable and prevents a correct SRT from being attached to a similarly named but different package.
Hand captions back to editorial safely
Review slates, off-camera direction, and overlapping takes with the approved mix and picture. Deliver the SRT together with source identifiers and conform notes so editorial can place it on the intended timeline.
Before cue editing
- Confirm the exact editorial source, audio channel map, start timecode, reel, and final duration.
- Choose the approved dialogue mix rather than an isolated microphone or camera guide channel.
Limits worth knowing
- SRT does not encode every MXF timecode, reel, channel, and operational-pattern detail.
- Camera, proxy, and delivery packages can contain different dialogue mixes or edit lengths.
Questions from the workflow
Does SRT preserve MXF production timecode?
SRT uses elapsed cue times rather than carrying the full production timecode model. Keep reel and source-timecode references in the job notes so editorial can conform the result safely.
Reviewed sources
- IANA Media Types registry · checked 2026-07-20
- RFC 4539: MXF media type · checked 2026-07-20