While workplace studies provide a multifaceted insight into the reality of the subtitling profession, they also present certain challenges. Taking the research project ‘The subtitling ecosystem: A workplace study of roles, interactions, and resources’ as an example, this article reflects on some of the challenges faced at various stages of such a study. The project, which was carried out in collaboration with a bilingual Swiss TV channel, aimed to analyze the subtitling process and suggest possible improvements. During the planning stage, several aspects needed to be clarified, from drawing up a cooperation agreement to obtaining ethical clearance and organizing on-site visits. Further challenges arose when the research team arrived at the workplace for the field research stage. They first needed to familiarize themselves with the team structure, workplace jargon, and how the different segments of the subtitled program fitted together. After completion of the data collection, the analysis and publication stage were marked by further challenges, such as confidentiality issues and how to accurately present the findings. While there are many challenging aspects to take into consideration for workplace studies, this article also aims to highlight their advantages and new avenues for future audiovisual translation research.