Subtitles, voice-over or re-voicing
There are three ways to take a film to a new audience.
| Option | What changes | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Subtitles | Text on screen; the original voice stays | Interviews, content with a strong original voice, quick reach |
| Voice-over | A second voice sits over the original, which stays faintly audible | Documentary-style and interview content |
| Re-voicing | The voice is replaced by local talent, timed to the picture | Brand films, ads and explainers where a natural feel matters |
Adapt the script, do not translate it
A literal translation keeps the rhythm of the original language and sounds like a translation. An adaptation rewrites each line to say the same thing the way a local would say it, and to fit the time the picture allows. This is where most of the quality of a localized film comes from.
Choose the accent for the market
A language is not one voice. Spanish for Madrid and for Mexico City, Portuguese for Lisbon and for São Paulo, English for London and for Sydney: listeners hear where a voice comes from, and that decides whether the film feels made for them.
Rebuild the text in the picture
Titles, labels, prices and captions need to be set again for each language. Some languages run longer, some read right to left, and some need special fonts. Dates, units and currencies change with the market. If the text is part of the picture, it is rebuilt, not overlaid.
Retime each version
Languages take different amounts of time to say the same thing. The edit is adjusted so the voice, the cuts and the text still land together, instead of rushing the voice to fit.
A localization checklist
Check each version against this list before it goes live.
- The script reads naturally to a native speaker.
- The accent matches the target market.
- On-screen text, numbers, dates and units are correct for the market.
- Fonts carry every letter of the language.
- Subtitles are timed and fit the screen.
- The voice, picture and music still work together.
