Translators play a key role in the film industry as they are hired to provide the dubbing and/or subtitles for foreign films. Dubbing involves changing the audio track of the film itself so that the characters appear to be speaking in the target language. Subtitling involves providing written captions that appear on the screen (usually at the bottom), which are synchronized with the dialogue in the film.
The quality of the subtitles can effectively make or break a film. Good subtitles should match the rhythm of the scene and the style of the dialogue. Subtitle translators (“subtitlers”) must recreate the dialogue logically, all while integrating colloquialisms and slang in order to provide an accurate word play in the target language.
Film subtitlers normally receive the script and provide a direct– yet culturally adapted– translation, which is then portioned into the subtitles according to time codes. Subtitlers also assist in quality control as they must ensure that the translations are congruent with the dialogue that is applied to the screen. Today, professional subtitlers usually use specific computer software and hardware to complete their work. Often the video or film is digitally stored on a hard disk, making each individual frame instantly accessible. Using specialized software, subtitlers can also mark the exact positions where each subtitle should appear and disappear. It is important that the subtitle end when a character stops speaking because if it carries over into the next cut, it can be disorienting to the audience.
However, for commercial subtitle projects, the translator often summarizes what is meant, rather than what is said. The dialogue is intentionally condensed in order to achieve an appropriate reading speed. Thus, unlike in film projects, the general message is more important than a verbatim, time-coded translation.
As compared to subtitling, dubbing is a much more time-intensive and difficult process. Translators working on dubbing typically develop the script based on two things: the actual source language script and the movement of the characters’ mouths on the screen. The dubbing process is far more nuanced and artistic than the subtitling, so like any other art form, the final output is often criticized. In dubbed news broadcasts or films, for example, viewers can sometimes feel distracted by the audio if it does not precisely match the actors’ lip movements and speech patterns, or if the dubbing artist’s voice does not seem to match the character’s personality. Despite varied opinions about quality, dubbing remains the norm for younger children’s animations and programs since reading subtitles would not be possible. Preference for subtitles or dubbing also varies according to individual taste and reading ability. Those trying to learn another language may prefer to watch a film dubbed into the foreign language without subtitles, which permits immersion in the verbal dialogue. Since the introduction of DVDs, most high budget films come with many viewing/listening options, such as subtitles with or without dubbing.
The 2011 Cannes Film Festival will be wrapping up soon along the beautiful French Riviera. About 65 films from 34 countries will have been screened, all subtitled in English, French, or both (imagine the logistics behind this translation effort!) Similarly, if a particular foreign film is chosen for distribution to your global market, it will undoubtedly undergo the subtitling and/or dubbing process prior to coming to “a theater near you.”
