The main aim of this article is to critically analyse and systematise the debate concerning non-professional subtitling of TV series and movies in some non-English-speaking countries. Most of the studies on fansubbing deal with a specific problem, and they are based on various theoretical frameworks. This paper attempts to merge them into one coherent framework that can serve as a basis for subsequent research. The article addresses the issue of non-professional translation as a solution to the lack of official translations, but also as an alternative strategy for translating the texts of popular culture. The paper is divided into four parts. The first defines the phenomenon of fansubbing. The second shows how professional and non-professional translations differ. The following two parts, based on different national case studies, answer the questions: who are fansubbers, and what are their motivations?