What is Happening in the Audiovisual Translation Industry?

Summary

This video script by Lucía Doval, an audiovisual translator and media accessibility expert, emphasizes the often-overlooked importance of audiovisual translation and accessibility in filmmaking. It highlights how dubbing, subtitling, and audio description greatly influence a film's global reception, yet they are often treated as afterthoughts. Doval advocates for filmmakers to involve translation professionals early in the creative process, allowing them to fully understand the film’s nuances. The script also addresses industry issues like time constraints, lack of direct communication with creative teams, and the increasing use of machine translation, which can compromise artistic quality.

Takeaways

• 🎥 Around half of the revenue for top Oscar-winning films comes from dubbed, subtitled, and audio described versions.
• 🌍 The international audience's perception of the script, cast performance, and the overall film is heavily influenced by the quality of the dubbing and subtitles.
• 🤷‍♂️ Audiovisual translation and accessibility often get little to no attention from filmmakers and creative teams despite their large impact.
• 💡 Filmmakers should involve audiovisual translators and media accessibility experts much earlier, ideally from pre-production, to ensure better quality translations.
• 📝 Translators work mainly with video and the script, but they would benefit greatly from access to additional materials like research, character details, or pre-production notes.
• ⏳ The current practice of handing over a finished film to translators with little time compromises the artistic integrity of the translated content.
• 💬 Direct communication between translators and the creative team (scriptwriters, directors, etc.) would significantly improve the accuracy and artistic quality of translations.
• 📏 Guidelines exist for translators, but creative decisions about how to handle certain elements (like accents or visual cues) should involve the filmmakers to maintain artistic vision.
• 🤖 The rise of machine translation post-editing in audiovisual work is concerning, as it prioritizes speed over artistic quality and risks making the film’s script only 'understandable enough.'
• 🎯 Filmmakers should recognize that decisions about audiovisual translation and accessibility impact the creative control they have over how their film is perceived globally.

Q & A

Why is audiovisual translation important for filmmakers?

Audiovisual translation is crucial because around half of the revenue from top Oscar-winning films comes from dubbed, subtitled, and audio-described versions. It significantly impacts international audiences' perception of the script, performances, and the film overall.

What is the current state of collaboration between filmmakers and audiovisual translators?

Currently, audiovisual translators and accessibility experts have little to no contact with filmmakers. They often begin working on films late in post-production, without time to fully analyze or understand the film.

How can the quality of audiovisual translation be improved?

The quality of audiovisual translation can be improved by involving translators and accessibility experts much earlier in the production process. Ideally, they should be involved from pre-production to immerse themselves in the story and understand the creative vision.

What materials should filmmakers provide to audiovisual translators to improve their work?

Filmmakers should provide detailed materials such as research related to real events, pre-production materials outlining the fictional world, and documents explaining visual elements in each frame. This helps translators fully grasp the nuances of the film.

Why is direct access to the creative team important for audiovisual translators?

Direct access to the creative team allows translators to make informed creative decisions that align with the filmmakers' vision. It helps ensure that translations respect the artistic intent, such as handling specific accents or dark atmospheres in the film.

What is the current budget allocation for audiovisual translation in films?

Only around 0.1% of a film’s budget is typically devoted to audiovisual translation and accessibility, despite the fact that these areas can account for around half of the revenue for top films.

What are the challenges translators face when working with incomplete or unclear materials?

When provided with incomplete or unclear materials, translators must often rely on their own interpretation, which can lead to misrepresentations of the film’s nuances. Clear and detailed scripts, dialogues, and production notes are essential for high-quality translation.

What is machine translation post-editing, and why is it controversial?

Machine translation post-editing involves using a machine to translate content, which is then lightly edited by a human. This process, recently used for subtitles in the Netflix series 'Squid Game,' has been controversial because it prioritizes speed over quality, often producing 'understandable enough' translations instead of high-quality ones.

How does audiovisual translation affect the artistic aspects of a film?

Audiovisual translation is a creative task that requires making artistic decisions, such as how to handle languages, accents, or visual atmospheres. Without proper collaboration with the creative team, key artistic elements may be lost or misinterpreted.

What role do guidelines play in audiovisual translation, and why are they not enough?

Guidelines help ensure consistency in audiovisual translation, but film is a form of art, where breaking guidelines is sometimes necessary. Ideally, translators should work with the creative team to make decisions based on the specific needs of each film, rather than strictly adhering to standard guidelines.