Delivering High-Quality Multimedia Translation Efficiently

Multimedia translation is a time-consuming and difficult process. Every project can differ depending on the types of deliverables and clients’ demands. Localisation agencies must handle a wide range of requests. However, the process becomes more efficient when clients clearly understand their own requirements. This clarity helps agencies deliver high-quality multimedia translation and ensures smoother multimedia translation workflows that meet diverse needs.

Help your clients to understand their demands

One fundamental insight into is that every project is unique. Each client has unique needs and deliverables. Some clients have been equipped with an in-house script and a native-language voice artist. Therefore, those clients can record and edit the voice-overs by themselves. On the other hand, other clients require the multimedia translation service provider to arrange the recording, editing and syncing the voice-overs for them. On some occasions, clients only require a subtitling service. Consequently, to provide high-quality and time-efficient multimedia translation services, you must ask as many questions as possible at the briefing state for resource arrangement and quotation allocation.

Pre-translation assessment

The first task to provide a high-quality multimedia localisation service is to ensure the multimedia content is localisable. If the video has been intensively targeted to a particular domestic audience, it needs to be remade to match with viewers in another country. For example, in many cultures, it is appropriate for a video to include an image of a man sitting casually with his legs crossed. In contrast, in Arab cultures, it is offensive to display the soles of your shoes.

The most efficient approach is to consult your localisation team before beginning production on a video you intend to adapt for foreign audiences. This consultation enables you to develop a video that can be smoothly localised. By following this process, you ensure high-quality multimedia translation and effective multimedia translation results that resonate with diverse audiences worldwide.

Script translation

Script translation is the backbone of multimedia translation, whether you use subtitles, voiceovers, or dubbing. It will be less challenging if you have a script already. You can translate directly from the script. If you do not have a script, for example, if you are using “talking heads” or interview subjects speaking to the camera, you need to transcribe first. This is when time-stamped transcription becomes handy for the video editor later when adding either the foreign-language voice track or the translated subtitles to the video.

Subtitles or voice-overs?

Subtitles are significantly cheaper than recorded voice-overs. However, the cost is only one of the possible factors for consideration. There are three scenarios in which voice-overs are the optimal choice:

1) You need to build the audience’s emotions, particularly in creative advertising or e-learning,

2) You need the audience’s attention to be on the visual, for example, in video manuals or demonstrations,

3) You want the video to have an original look and feel as if it were made specifically for this audience.

Pricing Strategies

When your client asks for a quote, it will usually include all elements of the process. For subtitles, if a script is not available, transcription is priced per minute of audio from the sourced video. Translation costs are calculated per word. They also vary depending on editing tasks such as shortening or adapting. The creation of subtitle files (.srt) is priced per minute of video. Encoding hard subs adds an additional hourly charge. Voiceovers represent the most expensive part because they require voice talent and studio time. The cost depends on the number of voice talents involved and the level of acting required. All these steps ensure high-quality multimedia translation, and together they form the foundation of professional multimedia translation services that help content reach global audiences effectively.

At elionetwork, we provide full multimedia localisation service including multimedia transcription, video translation, voiceover and subtitling services. With more than 20 years of experience in working with agencies and clients around the globe, we commit to provide services that are tailor-made for specific audiences in different countries and cultures. Contact us today to get your localising jobs done!