A lot of decision-making goes into the successful localization of audio content. What type of dubbing should be used? Which vocal ranges, tones, and accents should the talent be able to perform? What audio timing constraints need to be set? When these questions—and others—are answered thoughtfully, the localized content is far likelier to resonate with the target audience.
Are you considering audio localization for your next project? Here are six important tips to keep in mind when you put in your request.
1. Know the Purpose and Intended Use of the Audio
You can start your localization team off on the right foot by clearly defining the purpose of your audio. Are you localizing audio for a video, or for a standalone file? If you require audio for a video, the timing must synchronize with the lip movements of the actors on screen, or otherwise align with visual cues. Your team will know up front, then, that part of their task will be the crucial work of script adaptation, to ensure the audio’s run time is perfect. In contrast, standalone audio, which serves media like product tutorials or slides for an e-learning course, may require different pacing and style, especially if used in a device interface. These considerations about the nature of your project, which you can think about up front, can help your localization team tailor their approach to your specific needs from the very start—ensuring a faster turnaround, and, even more important, ensuring that the content serves its intended purpose.
2. Note the Value of a Detailed Script
A detailed script serves as the basis for the recording, and it is key to ensuring that both the translation and the recording meet any time constraints. For instance, if the video has movement or visual cues, the audio must correspond to them precisely. However, if the video involves static images, the audio timing can be more flexible. Either way, a script, which lays out the words to be recorded, can also signal the nuances that will require a particular treatment or adjustment in the adaptation.
If you don’t have a script that you can share with your localization team, don’t worry. Truth be told, it’s not all that common for clients to come with scripts in hand for the audio or video files they need localized. If that’s the case for you, too, your language partner can step in to transcribe the source content. Just keep in mind that making yourself available to work closely with your localization team on this step can make the overall production process more efficient, and the result more polished.
3. Prepare to Weigh in on the Right Voice Talent and Accent
Choosing the right voice talent for a project is one of the most important elements of audio localization, and you will have the final say in this selection process. As you consider the options that your language team has shared with you, it’s important to keep in mind that factors such as gender, age, regional variant, and accent play a significant role in conveying authenticity and connecting effectively with the audience. This is especially true for marketing or e-learning pieces, in which the voice’s “personality” and ability to be engaging are crucial.
Why do regional variants matter? Consider languages like Portuguese or French, which are spoken differently from region to region. Brazilian Portuguese isn’t identical to European Portuguese, just as Canadian French isn’t the same as European French. Selecting the right variant becomes paramount, since each one features unique vocabulary and nuances that impact audience engagement.
Similarly, accents also influence audience response, as they can signify a character’s regional or social identity or even add humor. However, these subtleties in one culture don’t always translate well to others, and sometimes they can be downright offensive. Accents are challenging to transpose in dubbing and so, depending on the product, a translator might replace the original accent with a local one that holds similar social connotations for the audience. This was done for European French-speaking fans of “’The Simpsons,” in which Groundskeeper Willie’s thick Scottish accent is replaced with a stereotypical regional French accent in the dubbed audio.
And if a highly localized accent still doesn’t seem like the best course of action, another option for the translator is to work with a neutral, standard version of the language to sidestep any potential offense.
4. Match the Tone, Style, and Vocal Qualities that You’re Looking for to the Content Type
As you continue to consider your options for vocal talent, recall that the tone and style of your audio are essential to hooking your listeners. In addition, factors like vocal range, acting skills, and language fluency are critical to resonating with an audience. For instance, marketing content tends to benefit from a lively, persuasive tone to capture attention, while e-learning material does well to feature calm, yet dynamic, narration to maintain engagement. Safety training materials, on the other hand, call for a more serious tone to convey responsibility and caution. To ensure consistency, it’s helpful if you specify your preferred tone and style for your localization team and base it on the target audience and content type. In other words, whether you’ll be replicating the original or adapting it to new cultural expectations.
5. Consider Internal vs. Marketing Purposes for Audio Use
The intended use of an audio project can influence additional fees related to usage rights and licensing. For internal purposes, such as training or corporate presentations, usage fees typically aren’t applied since the content remains within the organization. However, for marketing content, like advertisements, commercials, or trailers, the voice talent or studio may require usage fees that cover the time frame and platforms (e.g., TV, radio, online) where the audio will be broadcast. It’s important to specify the intended purpose and distribution channels early on to account for any licensing fees, avoid unexpected costs, and ensure that all rights are properly secured.
6. Specify the Delivery Format and Review Process
The technical specifications of audio delivery are crucial to achieving the desired quality and format of the final product—and it’s helpful for your localization team to have these in advance, to keep the process streamlined. Key considerations include microphone preference, audio format (such as WAV, MP3, or OGG), and recording levels (LUFS), as these directly influence sound quality and platform compatibility. If these details are unclear, your localization team will typically default to the format of the original file provided. Therefore, consulting with an audio specialist (either in-house or one your localization team provides) beforehand can further ensure that your file meets quality specifications for its intended use.
In Summary
Effective audio localization requires a meticulous planning and pre-production phase before starting the recording process. From clarifying the intended purpose of the project to selecting the right voice talent and technical specifications, these key considerations shape the impact and quality of your final product. When thoughtful decisions are made at each step, your localized audio can deliver a powerful message that resonates with your audience, no matter where they are in the world.
