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The idea would be to create a subtitle file that looks as close as possible to the original prints, right?
So you might figure that you can do a screen capture of the print, bring it into Photoshop and create subs on a new layer in the same position as the originals, and with approximately the same font. Then save that layer as a BMP and use it for the DVD. You might think this would result in a DVD that has subtitles in the same position as the original, right? Well, that's actually wrong.
First of all, the subtitles will appear in different places of the picture depending on if you're using a Widescreen or 4:3 TV. See, subtitles aren't scaled with the picture to fit the TV. They are applied after the picture is scaled. They appear at the same distance to the bottom of the screen.
However, the picture will appear closer to the bottom of the screen on a Widescreen TV, and further on a 4:3 TV (due to the letterboxing). Got it? So the subtitles will be in different spots relative to the picture.
Fortunately, DVDs can have separate subtitles for Widescreen and LB. The player will only "see" the subtitles for that ratio. So you will still have 1 subtitle track when you look at it on a player, but in reality there are 2 subtitle tracks, one for Wide and one for LB. You will need a DVD authoring program that is capable of making different streams for Wide and LB. May I suggest you learn and acquire DVD Maestro. This is a professional authoring program that can do almost anything that DVDs are capable of. It's not sold anymore so you'll have to find a way to get it. Then you simply scale the LB track so that the subs are smaller and in the right spot. I can go into specifics but it will probably be an information overload at this stage.
OK, that's that problem solved, but now there's another (small) one. This is the problem of non-square pixels. If you take a screenshot of the print to make subs with, you will get a 720x480 bitmap. Fit the subs over it and they will look fine on a Widescreen TV or software player. BUT they will look too "tall" on a 4:3 TV. You will need to resize them in Photoshop so that when they are played back on a 4:3 they appear the right size. I'm currently figuring out the exact sizes you need for this. Anyway I can let you know when you are in the authoring stage.
To make this a bit clearer, I'll tell you why I have had to learn it. I am working on a DVD of an anime movie. There are 2 different versions, the japanese and the english version. Both are the same except for the opening credits. In the english version there are english credits alongside the japanese ones (basically they just float over the top of the japanese credits). I only want one video file on the disc. So I decided to recreate the english version by using a subtitle track that goes over the top of the video. I created subtitle BMPs which match these credits and made them play when the english version is selected. I managed to make subtitles that appear in the same place and with the right size for any TV, thus matching the english version of the movie.
If your goal is the same, that is to have the subtitles appear in the right spot on any TV so as to match the originals, then you will need to learn this stuff. Actually you will have problems even if you just want a Letterboxed DVD. I might write a full guide on this that will help you out. Or, I could make the subtitle files for you and email them over or something. But you probably don't want to worry about it till you are authoring the discs.
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