Is It Out of Scope? — Web design

Is adding subtitles in another language out of scope for a web design project?

Usually yes. Translated subtitles need accurate translation and re-timing against the video — a distinct deliverable beyond the video project as originally scoped, even where the original video was a bundled design deliverable.

A video bundled into the design project — a homepage hero or explainer — was delivered in one language. A client expanding into a new market later asks for subtitles in another language, which sounds like a small technical add but actually means accurate translation of the script (not just literal, but natural in the target language) and re-timing captions against the video's pacing.

Is it out of scope?

Usually yes. This is translation and captioning work, a distinct deliverable from producing the original video, and it wasn't part of what the video's original price covered.

Clause typically implicated

Clause typically implicated

Deliverables clause→ — Scopes the video deliverable to what was produced and approved — subtitles in another language are a new, separate deliverable requiring translation and timing work.

Example contract wording

Example contract wording (illustrative, not legal advice)

The video was scoped and delivered in [original language]. Adding subtitles in [new language] means translation and re-timing the captions to the video's pacing — I can quote that as an add-on, and would recommend a professional translator for accuracy if we don't already have one lined up.

How MarginFlow flags it

MarginFlow flags subtitle/translation requests outside_scope on design contracts where the video was scoped in one language only, with the explanation noting the translation and timing work involved so the estimate doesn't undersell what's a genuinely separate task from the original video production.

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