Standards Profiles
A standards profile defines the set of rules that subtitles must follow. Scene Cut ships with two ready-to-use profiles (Cinema FR and Netflix), and lets you create your own custom profiles with fully adjustable parameters.
Cinema FR and Netflix
Both profiles cover the same types of rules, but with different thresholds tailored to their context — French-language cinema for Cinema FR, international streaming for Netflix.
| Parameter | Cinema FR | Netflix |
|---|---|---|
| Characters per line (max) | 40 | 42 |
| Reading speed (max) | 15 CPS | 17 CPS |
| Reading speed (min) | 4 CPS | 4 CPS |
| Minimum duration | 16 frames | 20 frames |
| Maximum duration | 5 s | 7 s |
| Minimum gap | 4 frames | 2 frames |
| Scene cut safety | Disabled | Enabled (12 frames, in-point only) |
| Default language | French | English |
Scene Cut Safety
Scene cut safety deserves special attention because it works differently depending on the profile:
With Netflix, a 12-frame safety zone surrounds each scene cut. If the beginning of a subtitle falls within this zone (without being exactly on the cut), a warning is raised. The subtitle's out-point is not checked.
With Cinema FR, scene cut safety is disabled by default. Technically, the safety zone (3 frames) and the tolerance zone (2 frames) leave only a single frame of margin — which effectively means no active checking. If this control is needed, it's better to increase the safety zone in the profile settings.
In both profiles, a tolerance zone of 2 frames allows a subtitle to start exactly on the scene cut — which is actually the recommended position.
Creating a Custom Profile
Beyond the two built-in profiles, Scene Cut lets you create your own standards profiles tailored to a specific client, broadcaster, or workflow.
To create a custom profile: open Preferences > Standards Profiles, click the + button, and give the profile a name. The new profile starts as a copy of the currently active profile — from there, adjust any parameter to match the target specification.
Custom profiles are available across all projects. When creating a new project, the default profile can be set in Preferences > General.
Customizing Profile Parameters
Every parameter can be adjusted individually — whether on a built-in profile or a custom one. This includes character limits, reading speed, duration, gaps, scene cut safety, and language.
The active profile is specific to each project. Modifying a profile's parameters in one project does not affect other projects that use the same base profile.
Showing or Hiding Validation
The Standards button in the timeline toolbar has a dual effect:
- Validation indicators are hidden on the timeline — blocks revert to a neutral color
- Manipulation constraints are lifted — subtitles can be moved, resized, and positioned freely, without automatic blocking in case of overlap or insufficient duration
This is useful for working freely at first, then re-enabling standards to check compliance. The subtitle list continues to display alerts regardless.