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SME Accessibility

Subtitling for the deaf and hard of hearing: speaker identification, sound effects, colors, and validation.

SME subtitling (Sourds et Malentendants — subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing) goes beyond spoken text: it also conveys sound information — who is speaking, what can be heard, and the music — so that a deaf or hard-of-hearing audience can fully follow the program.

Scene Cut includes a complete SME module that is activated in the project's standards profile. When disabled, no SME elements appear in the interface — the standard workflow is unaffected.

What the SME module provides

  • Speakers and colors — identify who is speaking with a name and a dedicated color, following the BBC/Ofcom palette
  • Entry types — classify each subtitle as dialogue, sound effect, music, or narration
  • SME validation — check SME compliance in real time (missing speaker, contrast, markers)
  • Import and export — preserve SME data across all professional formats

Enabling SME mode

SME mode is activated in the project's standards profile:

  1. Open the standards profile (click the badge in the toolbar)
  2. In the SME section, enable the SME subtitling option
  3. Speaker, entry type, and color fields immediately appear in the subtitle list
Enabling SME mode does not alter existing subtitles — it simply makes the SME tools visible. The mode can be toggled on or off at any time without data loss.