Voice over translation: overview

Voice over translation is the process of replacing the original source language audio file with a target language version. The target language audio is synced to the visuals, giving the audience a seamless viewing experience, despite the fact that the video was originally produced in another language.

Where voice over translation is used

Voice over translation can be used to enhance the effectiveness of a wide variety of video platforms, including:

• eLearning: eLearning course translation is one of the most popular applications for voice over translation. Video materials almost always include some form of spoken narration, which should be translated into the language of the audience to give everyone the same learning experience.
• Marketing content and commercials: Are you trying to sell your product or service to a global audience? Your customers need to be able to understand your marketing material. 75% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a brand if the product information is available in their native language.
• Entertainment videos: Content creators looking to expand their influence can take advantage of voice over translation to connect with people around the world.

Voice over recording types

Voice recording isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. There are several different methods, to which each are suitable for different scenarios.

Voice replacement

This is what you likely associate voice over with. With voice replacement, the original audio is muted, leaving space for audio in the target language. Most often, the new audio must be recorded in such a way that it matches visual cue points. This syncing process can be tricky and is best handled by experienced professionals.

Off-screen voice over

If narration is heard off-screen, as is often the case with eLearning, off-screen voice over is used. The audience can follow along with the presentation’s visuals while listening to the content in their native language.

Lip-synching/dubbing

This is the most complex type of voice over translation, and one that is most commonly associated with foreign films. Your video will appear as if it were originally filmed in the target language, as the voice talent will match the translation to the lip movement of the actor on-screen. The result is a near seamless viewing experience.

UN-style voice over

With this type of voice over, the original audio can still be heard. Its volume is lowered and plays in the background, letting the audience know that the translated voice over serves as an interpretation of what is being said.

Not sure which voice over method is right for your project? A professional translation agency will have the experience and knowledge to help you select the best voice over type to match your particular situation.

Why videos and eLearning courses need voice over translation

Voice over translation is typically more expensive than alternatives, such as subtitles. It is generally agreed, however, that the additional cost is well worth it. Voice over translation gives audiences a clearer understanding of the content, and allows them to be engaged in ways that other methods simply fail to do.

Boosts understanding of material and retention

On-screen text distracts viewers from what is actually happening in the video. If you only subtitle your video, your audience may miss critical on-screen visuals while they are in the process of reading. Similarly, if more than one person is speaking, subtitles can cause confusion. With voice over translation, the audience can clearly differentiate who is saying what throughout the video.

It is estimated that 30% of people are auditory learners, meaning that nearly one in three of your audience members learns best through hearing. Auditory learners will remember up to 75% of information if it is presented through narration or dialogue. This makes voice over translation especially important in the eLearning sphere, where retention, comprehension, and successful outcomes are essential.

Connects with the audience

Deploying voice over translation demonstrates that you’ve made a serious commitment to making your content accessible for all. This goes a long way in fostering a welcoming and inclusive culture and building confidence for your employees, customers, or organization members who might otherwise struggle to fully comprehend the contents of the video.

How voice over translation works

Regardless of the type of voice over translation, the process has three main components:

• translation
• voice over recording
• post-production

Accurate translation

A really good voice over translation starts with the words on the page. If the script to be translated doesn’t exist, the first step is to transcribe the narrative components of the video. From there, the translator will work to provide an accurate translation of the content. Before actual recording takes place, the translated script will be reviewed for quality assurance purposes. Thoroughly QA’ing the script prevents time-consuming and costly re-recording sessions.

Voice over recording

Voice over is more than just the translation itself. Its effectiveness also depends on the voice talent as well as the recording conditions. Keep in mind that the voice talent’s role is to perform the voice over recording (VOR); they don’t play a role in the actual translation process.

Your video content may call for a specific voice – male or female, young or mature, formal or casual, for example. Voice talent will be matched to the video content so that the audio fits the situation. Regardless of the talent’s vocal qualities, he or she will ideally be a native speaker of the target language. This will ensure natural flow, an appropriate tone, and correct enunciation and interpretation of the material.

It is also important that the translation be recorded in a professional studio setting. With state-of-the-art equipment and an environment optimized for recording, a studio provides clean, top quality audio. DIY attempts at voice over recordings often result in less than optimal audio with distracting background noises.

Localized translation

Another key aspect of effective voice over translation concerns localization. Localization takes translation a step further by accounting for regional differences and cultural nuances. For example, the Spanish spoken in Latin America varies in many ways from the Spanish spoken in Spain. Localized voice over ensures that everything from accents to inflections and tones are appropriate for the target-language geography.

Post-production

Voice over recording can be done in one of two ways: as timed recording or as untimed recording. Untimed recording isn’t in-time with the original source material. This is most common with eLearning courses or presentations, where editors can lengthen visuals to match a professional voice over.

When it comes to video, voice over translation is done as a timed recording. The target language content will match the timing of the original English-language content. It can also be synchronized; meaning cue points in the audio will match visual cue points. In some cases, the process may also involve embedding music and sound effects.

The post-production process is extremely important for both types of recording. Whether you are syncing audio with the source video, or extending visuals to match an untimed recording, work needs to be done after the voice talent leaves the recording booth. For the highest quality product, audio engineers will also clean up audio files by normalizing loudness and compressing dynamic range.

Finding turnkey solutions

Working with a translation agency that provides turnkey solutions, you won’t need to worry about taking care of any of these steps on your own. While some translators may require that you provide them with transcribed scripts, many professional agencies are able to handle the process from start to finish.

Conclusion

When your budget allows, voice over translation is almost always the desired voice over translation method. It allows your audience to connect with the material in the video, whether it is an eLearning course, marketing material, a commercial, or a video for entertainment purposes.

The post Voice Over Translation: The Better Way to Translate Video Content appeared first on Interpro Translation Solutions.

Although it is a visual medium, video almost always has an audio component, whether it’s  dialogue between people on screen, narrative voice-overs, or informative graphics. So if your company isn’t translating their videos, they are missing out on a major opportunity: the ability to effectively reach target audiences on a global scale.

Why should companies translate their video content?

Statistics show that 54% of consumers want to see more video content from businesses and brands that they support. Not only is it what people want to see, but it is effective at converting customers. Nearly 88% of marketers are satisfied with the return on investment of their video marketing efforts, making it one of the most successful forms of marketing.

On the other hand, if the content is presented in a language unfamiliar to the audience, the impact is lessened significantly. For companies looking to cement their global presence and increase brand awareness, accurately translating video content is key.

Common Sense Advisory surveyed web consumers and found that 72.4% of consumers are more likely to buy a product with information in their own language. Similarly, over half of the polled group said that the ability to obtain information in their own language was more important than price. Another survey showed that 42% of consumers say that they will never purchase products or services in a language they do not understand.

When it comes to selling your goods and services, the language in which you communicate with your audience is crucial. Limiting languages limits your earning potential.

Videos for Internal Use

Not only can video be used for outreach and marketing, but it is a beneficial tool for organizations internally. Employee on-boarding, company news and updates, and training can all be done effectively through video presentations.

Since video has been proven to increase retention, learning, and engagement, it is the perfect medium for delivering complex instructions and training. It’s also easily scalable, meaning you can share vital information with one team as easily as you can share it with the entire company.

It’s imperative for international companies and organizations to put effort into making this material accessible to all employees. By providing welcoming and training materials in their native language, you create an inclusive environment where everyone is set up to succeed. Promoting language equity through accurate localization of videos enhances employee morale and knowledge retention in the short and long term.

What is video translation?

You may be wondering what video translation will look like for your content. There are actually several different types of video translation services available to companies who wish to reach a larger audience.

Subtitle Translation

We’ve all watched clips containing translated subtitles at one point or another. This is where the video and audio play as-is in the source language with a translated text overlay.

In some cases, subtitling is a perfectly suitable method of translation. In other instances, subtitles can distract audiences who are trying to pay attention to visual instruction and read concurrently. This often makes other options like voice-over translation a better choice, but a video’s exact needs vary from project to project. There are also numerous avenues to execute subtitle translation. A popular method is to utilize time-coded SRT or VTT files, which enable a user to turn subtitles on or off as needed. This can also be helpful for English captioning, which will assist with ADA compliance.

A more permanent solution is to burn subtitles into the video. This does not allow for on/off capabilities; however it is a video subtitling method that can be beneficial if your organization knows that the localized video will be viewed by a specific demographic. This is oftentimes referred to as ‘Open Captions.’

Voice-over Translation

With this approach, translation companies go above and beyond simply translating the material onscreen. Voice-over translation gives your audience the opportunity to hear videos in their native language. This is regarded by many as the most optimal solution for video translation projects for a variety of reasons, when budgets allow for it.

Unlike subtitled video translation, linguists and directors can ensure that important factors, such as tone and pace, are successfully communicated with voice-over. Deploying professionally-recorded native-speaking talent, the voice-over technique stands out over other methods by creating an authentic final product that feels as if it were created specifically for the target audience.

Localization

Beyond basic video translation services, it is also important to consider localization for your videos. Localization ensures that everything from on-screen text, graphics and logos, to colors and numbers, translate appropriately across borders, and that cultural nuances are taken into consideration.

How does video translation work?

Done correctly, video translation is much more complex than copying lines into an online translator, and pasting the results onto an existing video. Professional translation services go through a multi-step process to ensure accuracy, clarity, and authenticity, so that the target audience feels as if the video was made specifically for them.

To give you an idea of the process, we’ve broken down voice-over translation into 7 steps:

1. Script transcription: The process begins by transcribing the entire video narrative into a written document.
2. Translation, editing, and proofreading: Once a video is transcribed, it is ready to be translated. Subject-matter experts will translate the material, meaning that no matter the topic, you can expect the highest degree of accuracy. After the source material is translated, it will be proofread and edited.
3. Translated script approval: The translated script is sent back to the client for review, notes, and approval. Having a subject matter expert involved is advisable during every phase of a localization process.
4. Script recording: After the translated script has been approved, it is then recorded in a studio setting with professional native-speaking voice talent. A director will help ensure that the speaker accurately conveys tone and other cues to match the source video.
5. Sync audio and text with video: Once the audio has been recorded, it’s time to sync it up to the images within the video. This step is important, as mismatched audio and visuals can create a confusing experience for the viewer. Languages will always change in length after translation from English, and timing is critical to ensure an accurate deliverable.
6. Translated video validation: Other aspects of video, such as on-screen graphics and text will also be translated into the target language. After all translation is complete, it will be reviewed once more for accuracy, clarity, and format alignment. This final validation should be done by a professional linguist.
7. Deliver target language video: The final video is delivered to the client, ready to be viewed by new audiences across the globe.

Professional translation companies have the capability of utilizing a variety of authoring and editing tools to provide consistency and quality across your video library.

Conclusion

It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words; however, a video is worth at least 1.8 million according to one marketing study. With each minute of video being worth so much, you want to be sure that the information is accurately and authentically conveyed to your audience. Video translation is just one of the many ways your business can achieve success in the international marketplace.

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