Blog - Subtitling

Many of the international films shown at festivals must be dubbed with voice over or subtitled. Each method of translation has its benefits, as well as potential drawbacks. How does one choose which method to use when translating a foreign film?

This week is Deaf Awareness Week, an annual initiative coordinated by the UK Council on deafness. Today we want to talk about closed captions and why they’re so important – not only to people with hearing problems.

Some viewers in Sweden saw politicians pledging to build “the best sandcastle in the galaxy!” after one Swedish TV station accidentally switched subtitles during a political debate – with those from a kids TV show. So let’s find out what can go wrong in the subtitling world if you are not careful.

At a quick glance, closed captions and subtitles look almost identical, but the differences that set them apart aren’t as subtle as they first appear. Choosing between the two can have a drastic impact on how audiences understand your video projects – and your decision could say a lot more about your brand than you realise.

When it comes to video translation, one of the key questions you need to weigh up is whether to go with subtitles or a voiceover. But the question we want to ask today is whether people are becoming more accustomed to reading subtitles and if this makes them more effective.

There are five common ways to translate video. The method you choose will depend on the size of your budget; the objectives of the video; and the audience’s preferences. We look at the pros and cons of each.

Scandinavian writers have been fuelling an increasing demand for translated works across the UK, as books by authors from outside Britain get snapped up.

With the film industry becoming ever more global, the question of whether to dub or subtitle films for a foreign audience is becoming increasingly common. So which method gives viewers the best possible experience of the film in question?