Videos are quickly becoming the most popular way for companies to communicate with customers. Every minute, YouTubers upload about 300 hours of new video content, and an astounding 5 billion videos are watched on the website every single day.
And this phenomenon isn’t limited to the English-speaking world.
About 60% of YouTube views come from an international audience. In early 2019, Pew Research found most of YouTube’s popular channels posted at least some videos in languages other than English; 67% posted content exclusively in other world languages!
In this media climate, brands of all sizes are looking for video translation services. However, the process is far more complex than it may appear at first glance.
Let’s consider the basic do’s and don’ts of video translation:
1. Do Decide Early on Subtitling Versus Dubbing
Dubbing is the process of replacing the video’s original speech with a translated and recorded version in the target language. Dubbing is a longer process than subtitling because it requires a translation of the transcription of the original audio, as well as both a professional actor to deliver the new lines and an audio engineer to implement the new audio.
Subtitles are often used to make movies or videos more accessible and enjoyable for the hard of hearing. After translating the video’s script into the target language, that text is embedded as a series of subtitles that are timed perfectly to flow with the video’s audio.
Subtitling a video is faster and may be the preferred choice for companies working at a larger scale. On the other hand, dubbing in a professional voiceover in the target language provides the listener with a more personalized and intimate experience when they are able to hear the audio, with all the emotion it brings, in their native language.
2. Do Put the Right Staff on Your Project
Whether the end result is dubbing or subtitling, it’s crucial that the translator be fluently familiar with both languages. If the original language is English, expect the transcription to be taken by a native English speaker, while the translation is provided by a native speaker of the target language and a fluent speaker of English, to ensure the original meaning is preserved, while also providing the appropriate cultural nuances of the target language, yielding a flawless new script.
If you have decided to produce new audio for the video, insist on a professional voiceover artist, native to your target language, with the relevant acting credentials and affiliations for your market. This will provide a natural-sounding cadence and an accurate pronunciation of the target language.
Whether producing new audio or providing subtitles in the target language, ensure that the right production team is on the job. Quality recording equipment and a professional sound setup give your audio the crispness and clarity desired by your audience. Since an authentic translation may take longer to read or speak than the original text, it’s especially vital to consider how to keep the visuals of your video synchronized with the translation. Timing is everything!
3. Don’t Rely on Word-for-Word Translations
With audio content, it’s easy to be deceived into thinking a word-for-word translation is best. When companies have a large library of short videos, they often turn to machine translation. But, an English idiomatic phrase can’t be translated by taking words of similar meaning in French and stringing them together in the same order – you’ll produce a confusing mess!
Although French is known for many loanwords familiar to the English ear, it’s just as true of Spanish, and even more noticeable outside of the Romance languages, that word-for-word translations will not work.
4. Don’t Overlook Tone in Your Video Translation
Tone goes far beyond “tone of voice.” Think of it as a measure of how you wish for your new audience to perceive your brand. Using appropriate local jargon and slang can add energy to the tone of your translation and show cultural awareness, fostering greater consumer confidence in your product. This is essential in markets where your offerings are unusual or innovative.
To find out more about effective, culturally-savvy video translations, contact us today.
