Expert Audio, Text and Video Localization
A comprehensive description of our localization services.
Choosing the most suitable localization service.
The growing consumption of video content has increased the demand for voiceover, dubbing , translation and subtitling services for marketing presentations, corporate videos, product presentations, e-learning videos, documentaries and feature films.
But what is the difference between voiceover, voice replacement and dubbing? Which one best serves your purpose, budget and deadline needs? When should you use subtitles?
Go through a detailed description of our audio, text and video localization services below to learn more.
Dialogue replacement is mostly used when a video conveys high-impact information in longer segments and the content must sound native to the audience.
This voice to picture technique is more common in the entertainment industry as well as in certain types of employee training videos and product presentations, where the original language of each person on screen is replaced with the target language.
Dialogue replacement is more complex than UN-style voiceover because the international voice talent must match the tone, pace and emotions of the actor on screen.
It is, however, more cost effective, easier and less time consuming than a full lip-sync dubbing, as the goal is to match full phrases or time segments rather than the lip movements of the original actors.
The best results are reached when you hire one voice talent for each person on-camera.
In lip-sync dubbing, the entire speech and all human sounds of the source are recorded and replaced in the target language.
The wording used in the translation is very important as the script must be synchronized with the lip movement of the actors on-screen. This is particularly challenging in movies or films that feature real people as opposed to animations.
The result is more precise than in UN-style voiceover or dialogue replacement and requires a more meticulous work when translating and adapting the original content, as well as while recording, editing and synchronizing the localized audio to the video.
Although it can be time consuming, lip-sync dubbing tends to be the most precise and viewer-friendly way to dub a video in another language.
In off-screen or off-camera voice narration, the translation is synced with the video images and the original narration but doesn’t have to match a speaker on screen.
This type of voice to picture technique is widely used in the video localization of corporate videos, TV commercials, marketing and product presentations, sport commentaries, e-learning animations and documentaries where the narrator is off-camera.
Off-screen narration typically requires only one voice talent and is a cost effective and straightforward solution to re-voice a video in a foreign language.
Subtitles are the audiovisual translation of the dialog or commentary in a movie, documentary, marketing presentation, employee training video, TV show or video game.
They are typically displayed at the bottom of the screen and should be limited to 35-42 characters per line. They include time-codes and appear and disappear with the spoken dialogue.
Subtitles must not be confused with close captions, which are used in movies, news broadcasts, sporting events and live TV shows. Close captions are in the same language of the video and more commonly employed as aid for deaf and hearing-impaired viewers.
Using subtitles can be a cost-effective alternative to voiceover, voice replacement and lip-sync dubbing but it requires some work from the viewer and can be challenging to read if the video content is particularly complex, content-dense or technical.
UN-style voiceover is a production technique typically used for translated background narration of films, documentaries, reportages, safety training videos and news segments with on camera interviews in a language the target audience doesn’t understand.
The translation doesn’t replace the speaker’s voice but is recorded over it instead, and the viewer hears the original voice of the on-screen character in the background and the voiceover in the foreground.
Technically, one international voice actor could be hired to voice all the speakers of the same gender in the video, making UN-style voiceover a more cost-effective alternative to lip-sync dubbing or dialogue replacement.
An experienced voice director has an important role in assuring that the session runs smoothly and the finished audio sounds professional.
Voice directors know the best ways to get the voice talent to read the script with the right intonation, pace and pronunciation. They specialize in directing voice acting to get the exact emotion and tone.
This is particularly important in the case of native voice directors supervising sessions with international talent in languages neither the client nor the producer speak and understand. Their presence guarantees that the international read matches the client’s brief and expectations.
If you need an audio file translated in one or more foreign languages for the international market, you are in the right place. Our expert team of native translators and voice talent will transcribe, translate and record your content, assuring accuracy and consistency every step of the way.
You’ll receive the recorded audio in the format of your choice. If the localized audio must match the timing of the source language, our team will adapt the script to match length, rhythm and pace of the original recording.