It can be said that dubbing and subtitling services are two forms of translation for movies displayed on the small screen like via Netflix or at cinemas. These forms of translation help viewers understand the content of foreign episodes and give the domestic and international film industry the opportunity to develop more broadly.
Translators are also careful in determining whether dubbing or subtitling services are suitable for each film so that the meaning of the film is fully conveyed to the viewer.
GTE Media will provide you with information about the two forms of translation and recommend the right form for your purposes.
Subtitling and Dubbing
GTE Localize will demonstrate the distinction between two techniques of dubbing and subtitling services before guiding you to the appropriate method for your video projects.
Subtitles are bottom-of-the-screen captions that are translated into the target language. They emerge and disappear on the screen in the same way that dialogue does. Subtitles can include anywhere from 35 to 42 characters per line, depending on human reading speed.
In addition, it covers converting a piece of content’s audio size to text. This text will be placed on the content so that it may be read while watching. When we talk about subtitles, we usually refer to interlanguage subtitles, but it can also be content. When filmmakers want to deliver or release their work to an audience in another country, they need to use subtitling services.
This is because this is the simplest form of film translation, which does not take too much time, effort, and professionalism. Additionally, intralinguistic subtitling is also known as closed captioning, which constructs captions in the same language as the source document.
For instance, if a scene has a cell phone ringing, the subtitles might read “(mobile phone rings)”. Intralinguistic captions ensure that the part of the media is accessible to the hearing impaired.
On the other hand, dubbing is the process of adding new dialogue or other sounds to the audio track of a recorded motion picture. When a film is dubbed in a foreign language, the translation of the original lines is carefully matched to the lip movements of the actors in the film.
This is also the least popular movie translation method because of the complexity of the whole process, which requires a team of actors to speak into the film and express emotions, many times more naturally. The original language of the film will be omitted and translated into the language of the audience.
The difference between these two services may be easily understood after referring to the idea of the two forms of cinema translation discussed above. Subtitling services involve a single editor translating the lines of the characters in the movie in text form.
On the other hand, dubbing involves a large group of performers speaking and representing the character’s feelings honestly and authentically.
The Pros of Dubbing
Dubbing includes an alternate soundtrack that is synchronized with the dialogue’s soundtrack to suit local audiences. Dubbing is done from one language to another so that the audience can see the film. They offer a variety of benefits such as:
- Reducing barriers to entry – Dubbing is suitable for a wide variety of audiences such as those who can’t read or watch subtitles. More interestingly, foreign children’s cartoons are very successful because they use dubbing services to infiltrate other countries.
- Getting more viewers – Dubbing allows for deeper content adjustment across local cultures. For companies like Disney, dubbing presents a great marketing opportunity. Disney movies are often accompanied by localized songs that then become hits in their target markets.
- No trouble reading – Many people have difficulty with subtitles and often miss a highlight scene when reading subtitles. There are several types of dubbing made according to current needs. With dub content, viewers can focus their full attention on the visuals along with the sound and can avoid constantly looking up and down the screen.
- Authenticity – Dubbing gives a sense of authenticity to the viewers going through the range of emotions and hits them in different ways. To create a Bombay accent you will need precision voiceover services in Mumbai to get the right stream.
The Pros of Professional Subtitling
In addition to the mentioned advantages for dubbing, subtitles also bring a lot of benefits to video projects.
- High accessibility – deaf viewers can rely on subtitles for the full viewing experience. In fact, captions that enhance the viewing experience of audiences with disabilities are legally required in some countries. For example, in the United States, the 21st Century Media and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) requires television programs to include accurate, complete, and synchronous closed captioning.
- Watching videos in sound-sensitive environments – Subtitling services allow audiences to watch videos in offices, libraries, or even public transport. Headphones might seem like the solution to this problem, but we all know how annoying loud music can be when going through a stethoscope. So you can mute the sound and read the captions to understand the content.
- Providing clarity – Adding subtitles to your video can make it more clear when it comes to technical language, industry jargon, or company/individual names. Furthermore, it can help viewers retain information more easily by providing not only audio but also visual stimulation.
- Staying Focused For Longer – Another great benefit of adding closed captions to your show is that they’ve been proven to allow viewers to stay focused for longer periods of time, giving them a much better experience.
Deciding Which Method to Use on Video Projects
As we have already discussed the advantages of both methodologies, deciding which is best for your video project should be based on the following criteria:
- Certain celebrities appearing on a video may require a subtitling service to preserve the integrity of their reputation as they want the audience to recognize their voice by their body language or face.
- Your budget will play an important role in deciding as you have to hire different groups of voice actors to dub the audio into the target languages. Subtitling services may require a team if it is a large project to translate the script correctly and create the subtitles later.
- Professional translators will help make your projects more successful. The translated script is important for voice actors. They had to watch the entire movie by both methods, record the audio, and review the output. They need to match the length of the original dialogue.
- The choice is dependent on the intended market. Many independent films use subtitles, while blockbusters from major production companies often choose dubbing services. According to a survey, people who enjoy watching blockbuster films prefer to watch the dubbed version, whereas those who prefer to watch the subtitled version also enjoy watching art and documentaries.
- Age is a factor in deciding between the two methods. Dubbing services are the ideal approach for educational and informational resources for young children. Subtitling services are suitable for people who are hearing impaired, people trying to learn a foreign language, and children.
- An extremely important factor in choosing a method is to consider the preferences of your audience, as well as the culture of the country where your video project would like to target. For example, Russia, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France are used to watching dubbed movies, while the UK, Korea, Malaysia, etc. prefer subtitles.
Choose A Budget-Saving Company for Your Dubbing and Subtitling Services
Video translation is part of the localization process to enhance audience engagement. To deliver video projects to your target audience in their preferred language through subtitles or dubbing, GTE Media provides Dubbing and Subtitling Services for clients with specific commitments like audience-centred approach, the best value, end-to-end services, and punctuality.
Our native-language translators provide high-quality and accurate translations for a wide variety of projects. You can easily contact us and tell us what your video projects are.
For translation & localization services, you may check here.
Tags: Dubbing Services, Subtitling And Dubbing Services, Subtitling Services
