Understanding video translation - is your business up to speed?

Professional video translation has many uses for modern businesses. It is a powerful marketing tool that can be used to raise brand awareness, engage with customers and promote products. It can also be used to train staff, educate customers and for myriad other tasks. However, a surprising number of corporate clients don’t fully understand the range of video translation services that are available. As such, we thought it would be useful to provide a quick guide to ensure that your business is up to speed. 

Video translation comes in several forms. The type of service you need will depend on the use and intended audience of your translated video. Generally speaking, the first stage of the process will be to transcribe your video into its original language. The provides the translator with the copy that they will subsequently translate. The translator will time stamp the copy during the transcription process. This will ensure that the translated version stays in sync with the visual elements of the video. 

Video transcription is a detailed process. It involves writing down everything that is said in the video, as well as noting any other sounds and sound effects that are used. The transcriptionist also needs to note down who it is who is speaking – not just what is said!

Time syncing is undertaken as part of this process. Time stamping has to be incredibly precise. Whether your translated version is going to use subtitles or voiceovers in the target language, the use of the right words at the right moment will all come down to how well the time stamping has been done. 

Next comes the actual translation. This is often done from the transcription, but can also be carried out directly from the video file if required. The translation will be provided as a written version of the video in the desired language. 

Finally, the translated text has to be applied to the video. This can be done using professional voiceover artists or through the use of subtitles. Subtitles are not a direct transcription of what is being said. They need to be abbreviated slightly in order to allow the audience to view the video itself, as well as read what is being said. There is quite an art to doing this without losing any of the meaning conveyed in the original language!

Depending on your company’s requirements, video translations can be provided as subtitle-embedded video files, or as written translations complete with time stamps. 

And there you have it! Video translation is far from being a dark art, but it is a skilled process and one that clients can get most out of when they understand how all the elements interact. 

Do you have a video that needs translating? If so, we’re here to help!