University of Roehampton

Professional Development Courses

Dubbing
Juggling take segmentation,
dubbing symbols,
lip-synching
and natural dialogues

Prof. Frederic Chaume

Universitat Jaume I / University College London
TYPES OF AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION

Spoken output (SL) >

Subtitling Written output (TL)

AVT
Spoken output (SL) >
Revoicing Spoken output (TL)
 1. AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION TYPES:
REVOICING AND CAPTIONING

Dubbing (clip) subtitling for the deaf and the har

subtitling + respeaking + surtitling d-of-hearing
SDH
voice-over + wersja lektorska
audio
/szeptanka + Russian
description for the blind and visua
dubbing/partial dubbing (Gavrilov lly-impaired
dubbing) (Goblin Translation) AD
simultaneous interpreting in film audiosubtitling
festivals (clip)
sign language interpreting (news)
fansubs, fandubs (clip)
videogame localization (dubbing
free-commentary (funsubs, + subtitling + localization) (clip)
fundubs, funADs,
literal video versions) clips
Summing up: revoicing or
(and) captioning
 Types of AVT: Revoicing
The original soundtrack is totally replaced by
a new one in the TL and the target viewer can
no longer hear the original exchanges

Revoicing

- Lip synch dubbing

The translation is overlapped and

- Voice-over
the original spoken dialogue is still
- Interpreting
audible in the background
- Free commentary
(en)
Díaz Cintas and Orero (2010: 41)
 2. Dubbing: a definition
Dubbing is a type of Audiovisual Translation [...] consisting of a
replacement of the original track of a film containing the source
language dialogs, for another track on which translated dialogs
in the target language are recorded (Chaume 2006: 6)
Not only films & TV series…
 Cartoons are dubbed all over the world
 Videogames (dubbing + subtitling + localisation)
 Advertising, infomercials (dubbing, 2, subtitling, voice-over,
transcreation)
Corporate videos, instructional videos, webinars (voice-over)
Comic books, scanlations -not audiovisual, but they share constraints
Fiction is not always rendered through dubbing/subtitling
- Russian dubbing (partial dubbing), voice-over
Amateurs also dub their own clips
-Fandubs
 3. The dubbing map

Where is dubbing predominant?

AVT modes on cinema
screens in Europe

http://mediadeskpoland.eu/upload/PP_Comite_media_280708_FINAL.pdf
AVT modes on TV in Europe

http://mediadeskpoland.eu/upload/PP_Comite_media_280708_FINAL.pdf
Jugando a Traducir
 Europe
oChanging landscape
oUK/Ireland: Netflix dubbing films and TV series into
English
oGreece: TV series and soap operas are being dubbed
oPortugal: TV series and teen pics are being dubbed
oNorway and Denmark: some teen pics have been
dubbed
oRussia: incorporating dubbing
oDubbing countries: MTV is introducing voice-over into
fiction programmes
 The Americas
oLatin America
oDubbing on TV (also subtitling on cable TV)
oSubtitling in cinemas
oUSA
oSubtitling
oDubbing to export their films abroad
oDubbing into English for global audiences (Netflix)
oCanada
oSubtitling in English-speaking regions
oDubbing in Quebec
 Asia
oSubtitling & Dubbing countries (mixed modes)
oJapan, China (into Mandarin Chinese), Iran, Vietnam,
Philippines, India, Pakistan, Thailand

oDubbing and subtitling at the same time in different

target languages
oKorea (dubbing on TV)
oIndonesia and Malaysia
 Africa
oEgypt & Lebanon:
Dubbing soap operas and cartoons
Subtitling films
oNollywood films
oMostly subtitled into French and English
o But there have, nevertheless, been some instances of dubbing on the Nollywood
scene. Ugochukwu (2013) refers to a joint project in 2003 between the European
Union, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Francophony Agency to support
the distribution of African films in Africa. This project involved dubbing a number of
Nollywood films mainly into French but also into other languages, including English
and Swahili. Dubbing for those films seems to have taken place not in Nigeria but in
Cameroon, Gabon and Ghana where there are better facilities (Fuentes Luque, 2017).
 4. THE MARKET
Vendors (localization companies) working for:

Streaming Services (VoD)

TV stations (DTV) + Cable channels
DVD, Blu-Ray
Cinema How many products are dubbed?
In house vs. foreign production
Film festivals & clubs
Companies (corporate videos)

Task 1:
- Carry out an Internet search. Find at least 3 dubbing/recording
studios in your country.
-Check whether VoD platforms dub their products into your
language (Netflix, HBO, Amazon…)
Source: Chaume (2013)
 Example: NEGATIVE PICK-UP ON TV
IN SPAIN

• TVE 1 (public national TV station) 4,9% of negative pick-up

• TVE 2 (public national TV station) 30,3%
• ANTENA 3 (private national TV station) 13,5%
• Cuatro (private national TV station) 36,5%
• TELE 5 (private national TV station) 5,4%
• La Sexta (private national TV station) 27%
• TV3 (1st Catalan public TV station) 16,5%
• Canal 33/ K33 (2nd Catalan) 81,3%

• Canales temáticos
 TV Stations: Negative pick-up

Task 2 (To be completed before next session):

Find the percentage of negative pick-up in one TV station in your

country:
1)Choose one TV station (one -you suspect- that broadcasts foreign
programmes);
2)Surf the web and find its listings;
3)Choose one week and
4)Find the percentage of negative pick-up vs. in-house production

Source: Chaume (2013)

 5. OPENINGS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES

civil servants in public TV stations

in-house translators (employees) in dub/sub companies
and freelance translators
access to the market:
find dub/sub companies addresses (VoD, TV, DVD, etc.)
set up a personal interview + submit CV there
(sometimes) make a translation exam/proof
you’re service providers: offer direct and reverse translation,
with or without script
negotiate fees
 Professional issues
Academic and professional associations that run projects/organize activities that are relevant to AVT:

 AIDAC – Associazione Italiana Dialoghisti Adattatori Cinetelevisivi (Italy)

 ATAA – Association des Traducteurs/Adaptateurs de l'Audiovisuel (France)
 ATAA's Facebook Page
 ATRAE – Asociación de Traducción y Adaptación Audiovisual de España
 AVTE – Audiovisual Translators Europe
 BZO –Beroepsvereniging van Zelfstandige Ondertitelaars (Netherlands)
 DHAP – Društvo Hrvatskih Audiovizualnih Prevoditelja (Croatia)
 ESIST – European Association for Studies of Screen Translation
 ESIST's Facebook page
 European Society for Translation Studies
 FIT (Fédération Internationale des Traducteurs – Audiovisual Translation Committee
 FBO – Forum for Billedmedieoversættere (Denmark)
 IATIS – International Association for Translation and Intercultural Studies
 NAViO – Norsk Audiovisuell Oversetterforenings (Norway)
 STAW – Stowarzyszenie Tłumaczy Audiowizualnych (Poland)
 STAW's Facebook Page
 SUBTLE – Subtitlers for Excellence (UK)
DUBBING
 6. The dubbing process
Producer

(International Agents) Distributor

TV Station/ Exhibitor (Cinema House, Streaming Service, Film

Festival, etc.) / DVD Distributor

Vendor Dubbing Studio (Casting and Production)

VoD Platform / TV Channel/ Cinema House

Source: Chaume (2013)

 The dubbing process from the translator’s
point of view
(Vendors) Dubbing Studio (Casting and Production)

Translator (Rough translation)

Dialogue Writer/ Adapter (Synchronised translation)

Dubbing Studio (Post-sync: Dubbing actors, director, etc. )

Adapters are responsible for synchronizing the translation with

the audio and visual cues of the original
Should translators be responsible for dialogue writing?
Source: Chaume (2013)
 The translator’s task

Receives: script + Cloud (2010 FTP) (2000 DVD)

(+metadata )

Uses: Office (Word/Excel); online dictionaries (Reverso),

film resources (imdb, filmaffinity), social networks...

Submits: Word /Excel file with the translation sent by e-

mail. Translation + Dialogue writing

Occasionally: specific software to segment takes or to

count actors’ lines and takes
Source: Chaume (2013)
 METADATA: Excel File containing (sample SDI
Media)

la traducción del título del episodio correspondiente

cinco palabras clave
una sinopsis corta
una sinopsis media
y una sinopsis larga
la traducción del reparto con los nombres de los actores y
el personaje
el nombre del traductor, del director de diálogos y del
director musical, si lo hubiera
y la traducción de los insertos aparecidos en el episodio
 France: Bande rythmo

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcxa6o

The détecteurs (people responsible for synchronising the

dialogues) may also add dubbing symbols to help dubbing actors
 7. FEES IN GERMANY
• Germany: price per word
• Rough translation 200-400€ / 90’ film
• Done in 3-5 days
• Dialogue writing 1000-3000€ / 90’ film
• Done in about 10 days
• Takes and symbols usually by in-house workers (It. Assistente)

• Rough translation 1,5% of the film budget

• Dialogue writing 10% of the film budget
 FEES IN SPAIN

Translation // Dialog Writing

• Films/TV series 30-36,50 € /reel (10’) 35-40,00 € /reel (10’)

• Cartoons 30-34,75 € /reel (10’) 35-37,00 € /reel (10’)

• Documentaries 30-42,00 € /reel (10’) 15,75 € /reel (10’)

• Without Script and ReverseTranslation: + 100%

Rates for cinema:

• Films 45-50 € /reel (10’) 50.00 € /reel (10’)
 FEES IN ITALY
Translation & Dialogue Writing

Italy, fees per reel (10 mins):

Films, TV movies... 245.90€/ reel

TV Series, Sit-coms, documentaries (lip synch) 235.19 €/ reel

Cartoons, Soap Operas 185.51 €/ reel

Documentaries, reality shows, docudrama (simil synch) 95€

Documentaries (oversound) 80 €
January 2018
 FEES IN FRANCE
Dubbing: Translation & Dialogue Writing

For TV 300 €/ reel (10 minutes)

Cinema 395 €/ reel (10 minutes)
SNAC, 2018 [http://www.snac.fr/actus.htm#db]

Voice-over: 39.50€ le feuillet (25 lignes de 60 signes, script conforme fourni)

Quand il s'agit de films qui sortiront direct en DVD, souvent ils sont fait par de
petites boîtes qui paient au forfait. Et là, ça peut aller de 1600 euros…

Subtitling:
• Exploitation télévisuelle  3.10€
• Exploitation cinématographique (salle et e-cinéma) 4.30€
 Find out what professional AVT translators think…

Do dubbing What are the

studios tend to be professional
large companies? prospects in
AVT/dubbing?

Can I work as
an in-house
Jostrans Interviews
Freelance AV translators translator in
Dubbing directors dubbing/AVT?
Lady Dialogue
 Professional prospects?

• Freelance/In-house translator but many other opportunities:

• Example: MTV Language Operations Supervisor
• Localization project manager – JBI – L.A.
• DeLuxe (Spain)
• Altagram (Spain)
• Where can I find information?
• http://www.trama.uji.es
• TRAMA newsletter (write to lmejias@uji.es)
• Check websites of companies dealing with audiovisual content
• http://www.tvs.fr/eng.php
• http://www.redbeemedia.com/careers?location=All
• http://www.itfc.com/
 8. Software - Fandubbers
• Windows Movie Maker
• VideoPad
• Virtual Dub - used often by fandubs:
• Dubbing of audiovisual texts broadcast on the web. Fans watch their favourite cartoons
on the web and then produce a dubbed version at home: they translate, lip-sync and
revoice the dialogues, record them in a new soundtrack and upload them back on the
web (Chaume, 2006: 164).
• Audacity + MKVToolnix
_____________________________________________________
• Adobe Premiere (professional)
• VoiceQ (professional)
_____________________________________________________
• ZooDubs – Dubbing in the Cloud
_____________________________________________________
• Dialog Spotting 2
 Software – Take segmentation and audio editing
• VoiceQ
VoiceQ integrates with ProTools, and features an interesting combination of rythmo and sync-beep/wipe techniques by offering both a scrolling band with
adjustable timing for text, and beeps/wipes to cue the beginning of a line. Originally intended for ADR, it is now increasingly used for dubbing and video games
dialogue recording.

dubStudio
This software has been acquired and is currently being reworked by www.indekso.com. Used throughout most of Québec, emulates a traditional rythmo band, can
store several layers of text (different languages). The package features automatic speech-to-text transcription to facilitate detection (the current speech-to-text has
been reported by software users as inefficient and unreliable - this may change in the upcoming release), as well as a number of supporting features facilitating
efficient workflow. With a proprietary hardware controller, dubStudio can be used to drive a DAW.

Eurotaker
Takes and script management, M&E report, comes with a hardware controller. Based on the sync-beep/wipe method. Timecode-stamped take markers can drive a
DAW running ProTools, Nuendo, or other popular audio software as well as video hardware. Available only in German.

FEG Media
ADR and takes manager. Based on the sync-beep/wipe method, this software automatically generates visual wipes to cue the actors.

Global Media Transfer

Offers an online project management system for translation, ADR, casting and dubbing in a number of languages.

Pyramix/VCube ADR
A versatile ADR cueing tool based on the sync-beep/wipe method. The program offers a lot of flexibility intended to comply with various work-flow models, but this
makes the learning curve of the software somewhat steeper.

Sound In Sync suite

A comprehensive suite to prepare ADR cues, manage department notes, text and takes. Using the the sync-beep/wipe method, the EdiCue and EdiPrompt
components of the suite integrate nicely ProTools, and run directly on the DAW.

Synchronos
More popular in France than in Québec, Synchronos emulates a traditional rythmo band and can store 3 layers of text (3 different languages). Running on its own
workstation, it can integrate with various DAWs. Features straightforward detection/adaptation, take/loop management, and session statistics.

TM Systems dubbing suite

An Emmy award winning software suite from the US, TM Systems is a collection of tools intended to streamline and facilitate a centralized solution to project
management for language translation, dubbing and subtitling.

ZOO
A UK-based company that globally streamlines work-flows for localization projects.
 University of Roehampton
Professional Development Courses

DUBBING
Session 2

Take segmentation, symbols, lip-syncing

Prof. Frederic Chaume
 SCRIPTS AND DIALOGUE LISTS
Documentaries (complete script)
BEYOND 2000 ‑ SERIES 6/90 ‑ PROGRAM 012 ‑ INTERNATIONAL NO. 182 1

SHOT
NO. VISION (LENGTH OF SHOT) SOUND OPENING TIMING
1. BILLBOARD MUSIC (1) BEGINS 1.30.00
NICOTINE PATCH.
(18.20) IAIN FINLAY (V/O) 1.34.00
Is there an easy way to give up
smoking?
AT 1.38.00:
Can the one in ten of us who will
die from smoking related diseases
be saved?
WIPE
2. BILLBOARD 1.48.20
SNAKE TRACKER. IAIN (V/O) 1.49.20
(6.05) What did I do to deserve this
story. Couldn't someone else have
done it?
WIPE 1.55.00
3. BILLBOARD And who will win the race to mass
DIAMOND FILM. produce diamonds? Find out on
(8.20) Beyond 2000.

4. OPENING SEQUENCE. MUSIC CHANGE (2) 2.03.20

(16.07) Theme 2.06.00
5. TITLE ‑ BEYOND 2000 2.20.02
(1.23)
DISSOLVE
6. EL IAIN WALKS ACROSS 2.22.00
STUDIO.
 HOUSE MD
Dialog list
House – "Emancipation" – Eps. #E7708 3
ACT ONE
INT. HOSPITAL - ELEVATOR BANK - DAY
TEXT: ALSO STARRING - PETER JACOBSON
Wilson: Morning.
House: Don't want to hear it.
Wilson: So I take it you did not ask Cuddy out.
House: Yeah.
Wilson: Yeah, I didn't? Or yeah I did?
House: Whichever one means...
TEXT: KAL PENN
House: (cont'd) ...you almost had me convinced it was a good idea.
Wilson: Oh.
TEXT: OLIVIA WILDE
House: Nothing to say?
Wilson: No.
House: No you don't? Or no you don't, don't?
Wilson: Whichever one means no.
House: Is this some kind of reverse...
Wilson: No. House.

INT. HOUSE'S OUTER OFFICE - LATER

TEXT: GREGORY HOUSE, M.D.
 THE REAL GHOSTBUSTERS
THE COPYCAT (Cartoons) (transcription)
Ray: Well, whoever this ghost is, he's sure got rich taste
Peter: Yeah. I bet the mice here only eat French cheese
Winston: I bet there aren't any mice here.
Campbell: It's about time, Ghostbusters. Some cheeky ghost has broken all my best china, rearranged
my furniture and scared little Pifies half to death. Du, du, du, baby, du, du, du, baby.
Peter: Too bad it didn't work on the other half.
Campbell: Please, come in. You see? It's ruined everything and I'm furious.
Egon: No need to worry, ma'am. If there's a spirit here, we'll find it.
Strange. Preliminary scan indicates negative supernatural residue.
Campbell: Excuse me?
Ray: He means there's no sign of any ghost.
Campbell: But that's impossible! We saw it' Didn't we, sweet'ums?
Peter: We'll check‑ the place out from top to bottom, Mrs. Campbell.
Campbell: Yes, please, do You are absolutely sure there is no ghost?
Ray: Yes, ma'am. We checked the entire house. No ghost
Peter: It's clean as a whistle.
Ray: Have you ever wondered how clean whistles really are?
Egon: Well, absolutely.
Peter: Frequently. Why?
Ghost: Who're you gonna call?
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A) SEGMENTING THE TEXT:TAKES OR DUBBING UNITS
A-1) SPAIN

How is the target text segmented?

1. Professional norms
a) A maximum of lines per take: 9 lines (DVD up to 20) (8 Catalonia)
b) A maximum of lines per character: 5 lines (4 Catalonia)
c) A silence or pause in the film >15’’ (5” Catalonia)

2. Economic constraints (norms)

d) Divide the text into the minimum number of takes possible
e) Whenever possible, do not separate one character’s utterances into two or more
takes. Put them together in one take (not in documentaries or long monologues)

3. Audiovisual narrative
f) Audiovisual ‘Punctuation Marks’: Wipes, Iris, Fade-outs...
g) Scene cuts and Sequence cuts: time // space// narration
Spanish Takes: Sample (Seville)
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A) SEGMENTING THE TEXT: BOUCLES
A-2) FRANCE
o Audiovisual narrative criteria:
Action breaks
Scene changes (not shot changes)
Flash-backs
One character leaves, one character joins, for example: in
a scene with
dialogues between two characters, a boucle cut when a third
one comes into scene
o TCR in and out and total duration
o Longer takes
 The target text layout (France)
Street Soccer Episode 19-Trop d’amour tue l’amour / “Hot Stuff” ---- Téleimages Kids
___________________________________________________
Boucle : 1 de 10:00:00:00 à 10:00:58:22 Durée: 00:00:58:22
___________________________________________________
Akim : (reac)
Mr. Salim : Now watch...
: Watch carefully...
Albert the b : Oooooh!
: Never seen anything like it!
Ali : (reac)
Mr. Salim : And that’s nothing! Wait till you see what’s next!
: Watch...
: what he’s going to do!
: And now he’s going to make a super fast pass!
Ali : (reac)
The Scorpion : (“Yeah! Yeah! We’re awesome!”)
Mr. Salim : See, I told you!
Albert the b : hhh!
: I think the blues don’t have a chance...
: against...
Mr. Salim : (mm__
Albert the b : against that!
Mr. Salim : __end)
Albert the b : So they are prepared!
__________________________________________________
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A) SEGMENTING THE TEXT: TAKES
A-3) GERMANY

Maximum 5 lines per take

Short takes
Translation divided each 3’’- 10’’ anyway
Respecting the audiovisual narrative conventions as far as possible
Action breaks
Scene changes (not shot changes)
Flash backs
One character leaves or comes into scene
The target text layout (Germany)
ER --- Emergency Room. Episode 247
________________________________________________________________
023
KOVAC: (OFF/ON) Sam!
SAM: (OFF/ON) Wir fahren noch mal zu Shelley’s, (.) zur Union Station (.), zum Park...
KOVAC: (über.) Sam! (..) Sam, der Wagen steht...
___________________________________________________________________
028
SAM: (Laute)
KOVAC: (OFF/ON) Er weiss mit seiner Krankheit umzugehen und, dass er viel trinken
muss.
___________________________________________________________________
036
MORRIS: (Laut) Die Tagenschicht (..) (Kuss) (Laut) Ist das Leben nicht herrlich?
JANE: (Laute)

___________________________________________________________________
Prof. Frederic Chaume.
Universitat Jaume I – University College London
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A) SEGMENTING THE TEXT: ANELLI
A-4) ITALY

• Anello - Anello è il nome convenzionale dato alla singola

scena, o per meglio dire frammento di scena, da doppiare.
Ogni "turno" comprende un certo numero di anelli
organizzati in "piani di lavorazione", che vanno
possibilmente esauriti all'interno delle tre ore che
compongono il turno. Il termine "anello" non è puramente
convenzionale. Infatti, se oggi il doppiaggio si svolge usando
come supporto video cassette betacam o 3/4, o dischi
magneto-ottici, o addirittura DVD, fino a pochi anni fa si
lavorava in prevalenza con la pellicola (16 o 35 mm). La
pellicola veniva "tagliata" in spezzoni che venivano "chiusi"
con una "giunta", prendendo così la forma di un anello.
 The target text layout (Italy)

Cuore d’Africa 5 – Ep. 4 Prof. Frederic Chaume.

Universitat Jaume I – University College London
____________________________________________________________________________
00:35 106
ALICE FC) Conterò fino a tre. / (IC) Danny! / (DS) Sei pronto?
DANNY (da CL) Scusa… sì, pronto.
ALICE Okay? / (da FC) Uno / due / tre!
CHARLOTTE (da FC) Corri, Ngozi, corri! (FIN. FC)
DANNY (01:09) (FC) Fila dentro. / (IC) (fiato)
____________________________________________________________________________
01:13 107
ALICE (da FC) Allora (fiato)… che ne pensi?
DANNY (da FC) Comincia a funzionare…
CHARLOTTE Possiamo liberarlo adesso?
ALICE No, se non torna il proprietario.
CHARLOTTE E allora che facciamo?
ALICE Aah, potresti andare dai fornitori con Danny, va bene? (FIN. FC)
DANNY No lei non può. / (FC) Ci vado con Dup.
ALICE (su muto) Ma, c’è spazio per tutti e tre no?
DANNY (fiato) Forse un’altra volta. / (FC) Sai una cosa? / (IC) Ti porto
all’asta degli animali la prossima settimana. (FIN. FC)
ALICE (FC) (verso)
CHARLOTTE (verso)
___________________________________________________________________________
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A-5) POLAND

TV
Paul- 47’58’’ Pięknie pachnie ... \ Spójrz ... Widzisz, jakie mięśnie? ...
Podoba ci się? ... Ale jestem zmęczony! ... \\ Juanita, byłem
grzeczny, nie zgwałciłem. Obudź się. Idziemy do kuzynki
Reme. Obiecałaś mi dwa numery. Nie udawaj, że śpisz ...
Zemdlała ...
(time codes only used after pauses or silences)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
* (segmentation)

DVD
(w kuchni)Byłem grzeczny, nie zgwałciłem.Juanita,
obudź się. Idziemy do Remy. Obiecałaś
mi dwa pieprzenia. Nie udawaj, że śpisz. ( - ) Śpi.
(Kika, Pedro Almodóvar, 1993)
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A-6) ARGENTINA
A Word file is delivered. A software (SIMM, in Turner) turns it into this layout:
TC in, TC out, character name in capitals, each speech is a take or loop
DUB [0 N 01:47:25:25>01:47:28:09] NARRADOR
Prof. Frederic Chaume.
El increíble nacimiento de los octillizos. Universitat Jaume I – University College London

DUB [0 N 01:47:28:05>01:47:29:28] EDUARDO

Silencio, por favor.

DUB[ 0 N 01:47:36:27>01:47:38:23] GERARDO

¿Te ves en un futuro como madre de alquiler?

DUB[0 N 01:47:39:03>01:47:43:13] PRESENTADOR

Debido a la atención de los medios, Nadya ha instalado un sistema de seguridad avanzada y un portón metálico.

DUB[0 N 01:47:43:19>01:47:52:02] NADYA

Me pongo muy nerviosa. Se ha vuelto peor últimamente. Tengo que saber, asegurarme de que están cien por
ciento a salvo en la casa por todo lo que ha estado sucediendo.

A .DOC file is saved as a .TXT file to be readable for the software which will be used in the dubbing cabin.
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A-7) United States of America
Loop # TCR Character ENGLISH GERMAN

1 1:00:50 EARL Oh God. God grant me the Gott, gib mir die Gelanssenheit, Dinge
serenity to accept the things I hinzunehmen, die ich nicht ändern
cannot change kann.

2 1:00:55 MARSHALL Why do you fight it so hard, Earl? Warum kämpfst so hart dagegen an,
Earl?

3 1:00:58 EARL Courage to change the things I Den Mut, Dinge zu ändern, di ich
can ändern kann.

4 1:01:01 MARSHALL Come on. You’ve been a good boy Komm schon. Du warst lange Zeit ein
for a long time You know you gutter Junge. Du weisst, dass du das
wanna do this machen willst.
DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A-8) CHINA (The Horse Whisperer)
 Sample of dubbed script in Chinese: The Swamp Man
第三集 头号目标
【动物沼泽乐园三】
调查员：鲍勃 · 康奈利
日期： 2011 年 9 月 8 日
敏感词提示： 43 分 22 秒出现“ Ass” ，已做隐晦来找你。
ACT ONE

旁白 在佛罗里达大沼泽地深处，塞米诺尔部落经营着一家野生动物园。他们的目的是让公众了
01.00.00
解北美这片最原始的土地，并弘扬世代传承的文化，尊重动物。这里的动物充满野性，危
险是如此的真切。

01.00.31 “ 独熊”加斯 · 巴蒂 好了，吸引它的注意，吸引它的注意。

斯塔 ( 以下简称“加
斯” )
01.00.33 “ 猫尾”乔纳森 · 瓦 特洛普，坏脾气的大鳄鱼。
斯科（以下简称“乔
纳森”）

01.00.38 加斯 没抓到吗？好的，好吧。

01.00.40 乔纳森 不管它喜不喜欢，我们是在帮它。

01.00.42 加斯 抓住，抓住！拉过来，拉！

01.00.43 乔纳森 拉过来！趁现在还来得及，我们得把它从这里救出来。好了，出来了，它出来了。

 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
A) SEGMENTING THE TEXT: TAKES
A-9) JAPAN

1. Vertical writing and read from right to left (as many Japanese books
are).
2. It is divided into 3 parts from top to bottom - scene, character, and
sound. The scene section includes the settings as well as some
movements as of cues for the voice actors. The sound section includes
voices, dialogue, ad-libs (ie laugh, cough, etc.), music (M IN/OUT), and
sound effects (SE: footsteps, train, etc.).
3. Takes are segmented according to 'scene change'.
4. There are no take numbers nor TCR.
5. Symbols includes: OFF/OS/OF/ [ =off-screen ], (ON), B [=back], F
[=filtered voice], VO (voice over), etc.
6. Pause/breathing: 1 pause = one blank space, longer pause = start a
new line

Prof. Frederic Chaume.

Universitat Jaume I – University College London
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (I)
GENERAL TRENDS
Respect to the audiovisual narrative conventions as far as posible

• Scene changes (not shot changes)

• Action breaks
• Turning points
• One character leaves or comes into scene
• Audiovisual Punctuation Marks:
• Flash backs, flash forwards
• Iris, wipes, etc.
Layout :Segmenting the text

Audiovisual narrative

a) Audiovisual ‘Punctuation Marks’: Wipes, Iris, Fade-outs, etc.

b) Scene cuts and Sequence cuts: time // space// narration

 Dubbing symbols or indications
Spain
• Dubbing Symbols or Props

• Differ from country to country, from company to company

• Symbols or indications inform of:

• Shots (ON/OFF)
USA: V.O. / O.S. / ON

• Paralinguistic information

• Pauses
 Layout
• Dubbing Symbols or Indications

• Symbols or indications appear:

• As part of your translation

• When there is a pause in between the dialogues delivered

by a character

• When you can hear the character laugh, cry or make any
paralinguistic sign

• Include a space after the previous word and before the

following word
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (Spain)

Depend on conventions in each country and company

• (OFF) Voice Off, Out of Camera

• (ON) On Screen, Field
• (DE) The character shows his/her back to the camera
• (DL) The character is far from the camera
• (SB) The character is on screen, but we can’t see his/her mouth
• (G) Paralinguistic gestures
• (A la vez) Two or more characters speak at a time
• (P) (T) (X) A character interrupts another character
• (AMBIENTE) General shot pans - No dialogues in the script but a
translation is offered
• (R) Laughter
• (LL) (PL) The character cries or weeps
• / Short Pause (2”-5”)
• // Long Pause (6”-14”)
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (France)

ON / OFF Off sentences underlined in the bande rythmo. Dotted

lines to underline characters whose mouths cannot be seen
(réac) (reac) Paralinguistic sounds (especially those made with a
closed mouth)
(rire) Laughter
(sanglot) Sobbing
(ambiance) A long shot (schoolyard, hotel hall, etc.) with no
dialogues in the original script, where original voices have to be
dubbed to create possible coherent dialogues, predictable social
interactions etc.
hum, mm, hhh, ahh… Transcription of sounds, especially those
uttered with an open mouth
mts, tst, pt Transcription of different vocal noises (closed mouths)
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS within la bande rhythmo (France) (Le Nouvel, 2007)
DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (France) (Le Nouvel, 2007)
DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (France) (Le Nouvel, 2007)
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (Italy)

IC - in campo
FC - fuori campo
inIC, finIC - inizia/finisce campo
inFC, finFC - inizia/finisce fuori campo
SOVR - sovrapposto ovv. accavallato
/ - pausa fra due frasi
// - pausa fra due scene
EFF - voce effet - tel. - altop.
SM - sul muto
VOCE - voce pensiero
Ant. - anticipato
DS - di spalle
Orig. - come da originale
VERSO -(coughing, kissing, crying, whistling...)
FIATO -(sighing, huffing, puffing)
RIDE - proper laugh

 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (Poland- new usages)

^ SUSPENSION (HESITATION) Catching a breath, short

pause, plays the role of a coma - “,”
/ PAUSE Longer suspension / hesitation, plays the role of a full stop
– “.”
// LONG PAUSE Longer pause in speech, e.g. change of scene – in
dubbing unlike in voice-over paragraphs are not separated with a horizontal line)
ON Speaker can be seen on screen. Only indicated when the
speaker comes from off screen into field
OFF Speaker can’t be seen. Off screen
[reag.] [reak.] Laughter, shouts… Types of reactions
przyjechał off-screen voices are marked in bold font
(Londyn) Names of places

Prof. Frederic Chaume.

Universitat Jaume I – University College London
 DIALOGUE WRITING: LAYOUT (II)
B) SYMBOLS (Poland)

• \ Pause (TV)
• \\ Long pause (TV)
• V Pause (DVD)
• Proper names between parentheses
• Easy words between parentheses (Nie)
• (off) + italics in DVD ----- (on) only DVD
• Transcription of foreign names (parentheses)
• (...) (-) words that have not been translated
• Bold type: special intonation
• Translator’s notes into brackets [...]
 DIALOGUE WRITING: SYMBOLS (II)
GENERAL TRENDS

(OFF) Italians (FC)

(ON) Italians (IC)

Paralinguistic signs  (VERSO) (LAUTE) (reak.) (reac) (G) ( 笑 ) （叹气）

...or... (transcription of sign)

/ SIMPLE PAUSE (shorter)

// DOUBLE PAUSE (longer)

 DIALOGUE WRITING
C) SYNCHRONIZATION OR LIP-SYNC

Three types of synchronization:

phonetic or lip synchrony: only close-ups, big/extreme

close-ups and detailed shots (lips)
(p,b,m,f,v + open vowels: a, e, o)

kinesic synchrony or body movement synchrony:

translation has to be coherent with movements

isochrony or synchrony between utterances and pauses

(German: texten; French: adapter)
•  clips
 DIALOGUE WRITING
D) ORAL SPEECH: dubbese

• The creation of a convincing script, ideally meeting all the

demands of the different types of synchrony, yet still creating
the illusion of original dialog.
• Unlabored dialogs, avoiding artificiality
• But never real oral speech, it must comply with the standard
norms (phonetics, morphology, syntax):
written spoken
–____________________________X__________+
• Translation routines: Pavesi, Baños, Marzà, Chaume, Prats,
Romero, Bruti, Freddi, Matamala, Izard, Santamaria, Kozloff,
Quaglio, Valentini...
 Hands-on: A translation brief for Netflix
______________________________________

1. Quotation & Title

2. Guidelines. (Only for subtitling)
3. Clip (04:00): Night of the Living Dead
4. Script: Script_Night of the Living Dead.pdf
5. Template
Loop # TCR Character English Italian
Hands-on: A translation brief for a FIGS country
______________________________________

1. Quotation & Title

2. Guidelines (see PPT).
3. Clip (04:00): The Real Ghostbusters
4. Script: See PPT
5. European Template
 Hands-on: A translation brief for ZooDubs
______________________________________

Open only with Google Chrome

1. Quotation & Title: The Hawk / Il Falco
2. Guidelines: Max 20 cps (reading speed) / Labials will only be marked
in the original script (with an arrow) / Loops 30” average/ Glossary
3. Clip: The Hawk
4. Script: Online
5. Template: Online
 University of Roehampton
Professional Development Courses

BONUS TRACKS
1. Translating titles, songs, cultural
references & multilingual movies.
2. Cloud dubbing

Prof. Frederic Chaume

Universitat Jaume I / University College London
TRANSLATING FILM TITLES

Translation Techniques in Dubbing

 TRANSLATING FILM TITLES (I)

Technical options in dubbed films

Recording the target title with a voice off

Subtitling the original title

Editing and inserting a new title

Keeping the original title (No translation )

 TRANSLATING FILM TITLES (II)
How titles are translated?
Option 1: The client decides according to economic reasons (a
catchy title, same title in remakes and retranslations, Netflix)
Option 2: The film has been previously broadcast  same title
(imdb)
Option 3: A premiere: creative strategies, short titles, direct
language, thrilling, epic, romance... connotations  translators
offer 3 alternatives
Translation Techniques:
• direct translation: Home Alone
• partial translation: Lorenzo’s Oil
• catchy new translation: The Frighteners
• no translation: Pulp Fiction
• no translation + catchy explicitation: Snatch
 Exercise

Find the title of the following movies in your language :

Some Like it Hot, Bend of the River, Home Alone, Blacula,
Lorenzo’s Oil, The Frighteners, On Connaît la Chanson,
Gazon Maudit, Gegen die Wand, Pulp Fiction, Snatch,
Sostiene Pereira, La Ciociara (into Spanish), Tacones Lejanos

akas.imdb.com / spanish.imdb.com / german.imdb.com /

italian.imdb.com / french.imdb.com / …
__________________________________
 TRANSLATING
MULTILINGUAL FILMS
Dubbing and Subtitling Techniques
Translating multilingual movies (I)
DUBBING
Strategy Directionality Technique
Subtitling
Self-translation
L3  L2 Liaison
To mark interpreting
dialogues Voice-over *
in L3
No-translation

L3  Ø
Dubbing
Not to mark
dialogues in
 Domestication / Foreignisation Continuum
DUBBING

Domestication Foreignisation
Marked

Self- Liaison Voice-over Subtitling No-translation

translation interpreting
Translating multilingual movies (II)

SUBTITLING

Strategy Directionality Technique

Italics
L3  L2
Colours
To mark Intralinguistic
dialogues L3  L3
subtitling
in L3
L3  Ø No-translation

Not to mark Standard L2

L3  L2
dialogues in L3 Non-Standard L2
 Exercise: Multilingual Movies and Translation
______________________________________

1. Find a clip of a multilingual film

2. Find the dubbing and/or subtitling versions of the clip into Italian
3. Identify the translation modes and the translation strategies and
techniques used
4. According to your findings identify the possible method of translation
Cultural references in dubbing
Translation Techniques
 CULTURAL REFERENCES:
TRANSLATION TECHNIQUES IN DUBBING
 Conservation (no translation), or orthographic adaptation (Halloween)
 Minimum change or literal translation (Thanksgiving)
 Explicative translation: explicitation of semantic or pragmatic meaning
(haggis Scottish black pudding)
 Cultural adaptation :
 Limited universalization, i.e., substitution of cultural ref. for another one
belonging to the same culture, but accessible for the target audience
(music groups Beirut Cold Play)
 Absolute universalization, i.e. substitution of cultural ref. for another
neutral one, not culture-bound, or for its meaning (Madonna, Queen)
 Cultural substitution o naturalization -substitution for a reference
belonging to the target culture (cartoons, teen pics).
 Deletion
 Autonomous or creative translation: adding a reference not present in the
source text (compensation)
 Domestication / Foreignisation Continuum

DUBBING

Domestication Foreignisation

New creation/ Deletion Cultural Adapt. Explicative Literal No

compensation Translation Trans. Trans.
 Exercise: Cultural references and AVT
______________________________________

1. Find several clips containing cultural references or a film/TV series

episode containing various cultural references
2. Find the dubbing and/or subtitling versions of the clips into Italian
3. Identify the translation techniques used
Translating songs
Translation Techniques
 The four rhythms
Songs in films or cartoons usually require
an adaptation in the translation that Exercise: Translate the Ghostbusters’ song
matches the pace of the music in
There’s something strange
accordance with the four poetic rhythms
of classical rhetoric: in the neighborhood

Toy Story / Frozen Who you gonna call?

• rhythm of quantity or number of Ghostbusters!

syllables There’s something weird
• rhythm of intensity or accentual and it don’t look good.
distribution Who you gonna call?
• rhythm of tone Ghostbusters!
• rhythm of timbre or rhyme Ain’t afraid of no ghost.
Ain’t afraid of no ghost.
 Present trends
Some dubbing countries are reluctant to translate songs and generally leave
them in the original version

In some countries the norm has changed. Whereas previously songs tended to
be translated, nowadays they are subtitled in the dubbed version.

Translating songs is also related to the audiovisual genre. Commercials use

songs that are often subtitled in target languages, musicals are also often
subtitled, and songs in the opening sequences of cartoons are translated and
dubbed

And last but not least, the key factor in deciding whether a song should be
translated (dubbed or subtitled) or not is its function in the film. When the lyrics
refer to the plot, the song should be translated to give the target audience the
same access to the meaning of the lyrics as the original audience has. In the case
of plot-related songs, subtitling is now the preferred mode of translation. When
this is not the case, the song remains untranslated
 Exercise: Dubbing songs
______________________________________

1. Find a clip containing a song. You can choose an old film or a cartoon
2. Find the dubbing version of the clip into Italian
3. Identify the four rythms of all verses in both the original and the
dubbed version
4. Mention which rythms have been kept in the translation and which
others haven’t