Automatically mute a short list of curse words (Kid-version)

[stayontarget]

Please describe what you would like to see added to HandBrake:
I have created 'cleaner' versions of a few of our movies for my kids. Largely this involves deleting a couple of scenes and bringing the volume of the worst curse words down to zero just for that word. Then re-render. However, this is tedious.

I wish I could simply match words in the subtitles file, figure out at what times they occur, and mute them (perhaps simply muting 1 second before and 1 second after to keep it simple). It seems silly to have to watch the movie, find the worst offenders and mute them manually when I believe the files have time-indexed subtitles. Obviously deleting a scene due to visual content is something a parent would still have to decide, but a short list of curses would be pretty easy. I'm not a prude, just looking to drop the f*#$ and s*#@ mentions from a movie for the younger ones.

Optimal: Have a short list of curse words that a user could edit (add, delete) before starting a rip. Automatically mute the volume +/- 1 second where the subtitles file says that those words occur when ripping the movie. Or, in the age of audio recognition, monitor the audio file and recognize a short list of words (since a supporting character might say it without it showing in the subtitle). The subtitle angle would be simpler; the audio recognition side would be really cool (but hard, I imagine).

Fallback: from a short list of words, kickout a text file with time markers for subtitles that include those words. That would at least let us jump to those times and do the manual mute thing.

Note: I am making an assumption that it is straightforward to identify the time a specific word is said within a subtitle; it may be that the time indicator is simply when the whole sentence is shown, not specific words.

Why would you like to see this added:
It seems like an obvious desire for parents: "Hmm, kids want to see a popular movie that has a couple of scenes that are a bit beyond them, or language that is a little too harsh." Manually creating it is pretty tedious for audio. Chopping out specific scenes is easier since they are less common and easily identifiable (either too brutal, or too explicit, etc.).

I've been thinking of why this isn't an option in something like Handbrake for years, wondering if the subtitle files are 'simple' to crack. When we got the Deadpool DVD I realized for that movie, there was no way I was going to try the manual route. I'd be working on every 3rd sentence...

[Let's assume here every parent has a choice of what they are willing to let their kids see and not have a debate about whether I'm a bad parent for trying to bring an R-rating down to PG-13/PG for the younger kids - using the U.S. rating system, obviously.]

What version of HandBrake are you currently running:
I am on the latest (auto-update) - currently Version 0.10.5 x86_64 (2016021100) (Mac)

What operating system and version and you currently running (e.g. OSX 10.11, Windows 7, Ubuntu 14):
Mac OSX El Capitan 10.11.5

[mduell]

This is [Censored] and your [Censored]umptions are completely wrong.

[kpflugshaupt]

This is not a simple requirement, for a few reasons:

1. Subtitles don't always reflect exactly what's spoken in the movie. E.g., if many people speak a lot, stuff will be dropped as the subtitles would need to change too quickly. Words within sentences may also be rearranged.
2. Timestamps for subtitles relate to the title as a whole, you cannot break it down to words. Besides, they are often not as exact as would be needed for your idea
3. Subtitles on DVDs and BlueRay discs mostly come as images, not texts (VOBSUB and PGS, respectively). These cannot be filtered directly, but need to be run through an (error-prone) OCR tool first. HandBrake does not do this, as it's outside its scope.

There may be firms supplying censored movie versions for concerned parents. As you say, there may be a market for it. But it's a lot of work that cannot be automated easily.

On a personal note, I try to watch stuff first before handing it to my kids. If I find something unacceptable, I give them something else to watch. (Deadpool? Seriously?)

Cheers
Kaspar

[Deleted User 11865]

I have to agree here… language is not the only issue in Deadpool, it's not suitable for children. It's no Requiem for a Dream, but still…

[stayontarget]

@kpflughaupt - Thank you for that reply. I didn't realize that subtitles usually come as images and the other details and complexities that you outline. I agree this sounds too complex and error prone given the realities of how this works.

(and yeah, I had foolishly hoped I could do a clean edit of Deadpool before seeing it; after watching it..laughable, the clean version would be very close to just the original trailer).

[Deleted User 13735]

Also, personal use is not an entitlement to edit.

[Deleted User 11865]

(and yeah, I had foolishly hoped I could do a clean edit of Deadpool before seeing it; after watching it..laughable, the clean version would be very close to just the original trailer).