How to translate films: reveal secrets
Translation and localization of films is an extremely interesting activity in which there is a whole bunch of pitfalls. It is up to the translator that the audience’s perception of the film largely depends, therefore this matter is extremely responsible.
We will tell you how the localization of films is actually being worked on and why the result often depends on the erudition of the translator.
We will not delve into the technical jungle of translation - there are enough nuances there too. We will tell you how the work is going as a whole and what problems the translators face in order to make a quality product.
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Let's say right away, only marketers are involved in translating titles. In the last article, we looked at bad translations of titles. In most cases, translators cannot influence them - the material comes with an already approved title.
Translation time varies greatly. It all depends on the scope. In low-budget arthouse films, one week can be allotted for the entire translation process along with edits and voice acting. Sometimes studios generally work in the "yesterday" mode, so shoals happen quite often.
It is a bit more comfortable to work with large world studios. Often they send materials a few months before the premiere. In some cases, even in half a year, because edits and clarifications eat up a huge amount of time.
Separately, it is worth mentioning which materials exactly dump filmmakers to translators. Well-known companies are very afraid of “plums” - video leaks to the Internet before the start of screenings in cinemas, therefore, they scoff at materials for translators rather heavily. Here are some of the ways - very often they are combined or even used together:
All this does not interfere with the translation process, but almost completely eliminates the discharge of the film on the Internet. In this format, it will not look even the most ardent movie lovers.
Also, without fail, the translator is sent interactive lists. In fact, this is a script in the original language with all the replicas that are in the film.
All characters, their remarks and the conditions in which they speak these remarks are described in the dialogue sheets. For each replica timecode set - up to hundredths of a second, put the beginning, end of the replica, as well as all the pauses, sneezes, kashli and other noises that make heroes. This is extremely important for actors who will voice remarks.
In serious projects, very often in comments to the remarks they chew a specific phrase so that translators understand its meaning and come up with an adequate equivalent.
Therefore, most often if the translator could not convey the meaning of the joke or find an adequate analogue, it is the puncture of the translator and editor himself.
After getting acquainted with the topic, the translator starts working. First of all, he checks the timings. If they are and are placed correctly (with all sneezes and ahami), then the specialist immediately proceeds to the next stage.
But experience shows that properly designed interactive lists are a luxury. So the first thing translators are taken to bring them to a digestible form.
If there are no timings at all, the translator, quietly cursing, makes them. Because timings should be necessary - a dubbing actor cannot work without them. This is a pretty tedious job that eats a tremendous amount of time. So for filmmakers who do not affix timings for localizers, a separate boiler in hell is prepared.
This item distinguishes the translation of films for dubbing from the usual translation of the text. After all, replicas in Russian should not only fully convey the meaning of the phrases, but also should fall into the mimicry of the characters.
When someone says a phrase, with his back to the camera, the translator has a little more freedom, so you can tighten or shorten the phrase a little. Within reason, of course.
But when the hero speaks to the camera in close-up, any discrepancies between phrases and facial expressions will be perceived as a quickie. Allowable backlash between the length of phrases - 5%. Not only in the total length of the replica, but each part of the phrase separately.
Sometimes the translator has to rewrite the cue several times to make the phrase “fit in the mouth” to the hero.
Individual whistles start when you need to adapt jokes or various references. This is a serious headache for the translator. Especially for movies and TV shows, which are initially positioned as comedies.
When adapting jokes, you can often keep either the original meaning of the joke or sharp humor. Both are very rare at once.
That is, you can explain the joke almost literally, but then it will be much less funny than in the original, or rewrite the joke again, but make it funny. Different situations may require different tactics, but the choice is always the translator.
Another important part of the activities of the translator, which can not be silent - the translation of curses.
Different studios treat a translation of abusive phrases in different ways. Some try to make the translation as “chaste” as possible, even if it comes at the price of jokes. Some translate mats in full, and in American films swear a lot. Still others are trying to find a middle ground.
Translating abusive phrases is not really difficult. And not because in English there are two and a half abusive words - believe me, there are no less mats than there are in Russian - but because it is quite simple to find an equivalent to the situation.
But sometimes there are masterpieces. Let us recall the one-voiced translation by Andrei Gavrilov with films on VHS cassettes. Probably one of the most legendary scenes in translation is an excerpt from the film “Blood and Concrete” (1991):
Warning! In the video a lot of mat.
Most translators try to translate mats in English into coarse, but not abusive expressions in Russian. For example, “fuck!” Translate as “your mother!” Or “fuck!” This approach is also worthy of attention.
In his work, the translator rarely relies only on his own knowledge. After all, the possession of the context is the basis for the accurate transmission of meanings.
For example, if in a dialogue we are talking about financial transactions, then you can’t rely on a Google translator or a glossary of common terms. You need to look for proven sources of information in English, fill in the gaps in knowledge - and only then translate the phrase.
To translate films with a very highly specialized vocabulary, individual experts are involved who are knowledgeable in this area. Translators rarely risk reputation by trying to translate without context.
But sometimes there are moments that were thought of by the director as a joke, but in localization they look like jambs of a translator. And they can not be avoided.
After the translator completes the work, the draft is necessarily analyzed by the editor. The translator and editor work in symbiosis - two heads are better.
Sometimes the editor offers the translator obvious solutions that for some reason the specialist did not see. This helps to avoid stupid situations when communicating with the customer.
And here, when the draft has gone to the distributor, the era of edits begins. Their number depends on the meticulousness of the recipient. Experience shows that the more global and expensive the film, the longer the discussion and approval of the edits takes place. Direct translation lasts a maximum of 10 days. This is a very thoughtful attitude. All the rest of the time - it edits.
After a month (or several), when the text is approved, the work of the translator is almost finished and the voice actors are taken over. Why is "almost finished"? Because quite often there is a situation when the phrase, which normally looked on paper, sounds idiotically dubbing. Therefore, the distributor sometimes decides to modify certain points and re-record dubbing.
Of course, sometimes it happens when the translator underestimated or overestimated the mental abilities of the audience and the film fails at the box office, but this is a completely different story.
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We will tell you how the localization of films is actually being worked on and why the result often depends on the erudition of the translator.
We will not delve into the technical jungle of translation - there are enough nuances there too. We will tell you how the work is going as a whole and what problems the translators face in order to make a quality product.
')
Translation of the film: preparation for action
Let's say right away, only marketers are involved in translating titles. In the last article, we looked at bad translations of titles. In most cases, translators cannot influence them - the material comes with an already approved title.
Translation time varies greatly. It all depends on the scope. In low-budget arthouse films, one week can be allotted for the entire translation process along with edits and voice acting. Sometimes studios generally work in the "yesterday" mode, so shoals happen quite often.
It is a bit more comfortable to work with large world studios. Often they send materials a few months before the premiere. In some cases, even in half a year, because edits and clarifications eat up a huge amount of time.
For example, for the translation of the film “Deadpool”, the film company Twentieth Centuries Fox sent the materials 5 months before the start of the rental.
Translators of the Cube in the Cube studio, who were engaged in translation, claimed that it was not the translation itself that took up 90% of the time, but communication with the rightholders and various edits.
What do the sources look like for movie translation?
Separately, it is worth mentioning which materials exactly dump filmmakers to translators. Well-known companies are very afraid of “plums” - video leaks to the Internet before the start of screenings in cinemas, therefore, they scoff at materials for translators rather heavily. Here are some of the ways - very often they are combined or even used together:
- Cutting the entire video sequence into segments of 15-20 minutes, which are additionally protected from copying.
- Low resolution video - often the quality of the material is not higher than 240p. Just enough to see everything that happens on the screen, but do not get any pleasure from it.
- Color formatting. Often, source codes are given in black and white or in sepia tones. No color!
- Watermark on top of the video. Most often, these are static translucent or transparent volume inscriptions across the entire screen.
All this does not interfere with the translation process, but almost completely eliminates the discharge of the film on the Internet. In this format, it will not look even the most ardent movie lovers.
Also, without fail, the translator is sent interactive lists. In fact, this is a script in the original language with all the replicas that are in the film.
All characters, their remarks and the conditions in which they speak these remarks are described in the dialogue sheets. For each replica timecode set - up to hundredths of a second, put the beginning, end of the replica, as well as all the pauses, sneezes, kashli and other noises that make heroes. This is extremely important for actors who will voice remarks.
In serious projects, very often in comments to the remarks they chew a specific phrase so that translators understand its meaning and come up with an adequate equivalent.
00: 18: 11,145 - You bastard!In most high-budget films, the text is accompanied by a huge number of additions and clarifications. Jokes and references that may be incomprehensible to foreign viewers are described in detail.
Here: an insult. Means of each other; illegitimate
Therefore, most often if the translator could not convey the meaning of the joke or find an adequate analogue, it is the puncture of the translator and editor himself.
What does the translation process look like?
Timings
After getting acquainted with the topic, the translator starts working. First of all, he checks the timings. If they are and are placed correctly (with all sneezes and ahami), then the specialist immediately proceeds to the next stage.
But experience shows that properly designed interactive lists are a luxury. So the first thing translators are taken to bring them to a digestible form.
If there are no timings at all, the translator, quietly cursing, makes them. Because timings should be necessary - a dubbing actor cannot work without them. This is a pretty tedious job that eats a tremendous amount of time. So for filmmakers who do not affix timings for localizers, a separate boiler in hell is prepared.
Observance of mimicry and accuracy of sounds
This item distinguishes the translation of films for dubbing from the usual translation of the text. After all, replicas in Russian should not only fully convey the meaning of the phrases, but also should fall into the mimicry of the characters.
When someone says a phrase, with his back to the camera, the translator has a little more freedom, so you can tighten or shorten the phrase a little. Within reason, of course.
But when the hero speaks to the camera in close-up, any discrepancies between phrases and facial expressions will be perceived as a quickie. Allowable backlash between the length of phrases - 5%. Not only in the total length of the replica, but each part of the phrase separately.
Sometimes the translator has to rewrite the cue several times to make the phrase “fit in the mouth” to the hero.
By the way, there is one interesting way to determine whether a professional translator of films is in front of you or not. Real pros additionally make notes about intonation, breathing, coughing, hemming and pauses. This greatly simplifies the work of the dubbing actor - and they are really very grateful for that.
Adaptation of jokes, references and mats
Individual whistles start when you need to adapt jokes or various references. This is a serious headache for the translator. Especially for movies and TV shows, which are initially positioned as comedies.
When adapting jokes, you can often keep either the original meaning of the joke or sharp humor. Both are very rare at once.
That is, you can explain the joke almost literally, but then it will be much less funny than in the original, or rewrite the joke again, but make it funny. Different situations may require different tactics, but the choice is always the translator.
Pay attention to the movie "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring."With referrals, too many questions. Sometimes it's even harder with them than with jokes. Indeed, in essence, the translator assumes the level of education and erudition of the audience.
When Bilbo greeted the guests at his birthday party at the beginning of the film, we get a very interesting pun:
'My dear Bagginses and Boffins and my dear Tooks and Brandybucks, and Grubbs, Chubbs, Burrowses, Hornblowers, Bolgers, Bracegirdles, and Proudfoots'.
'ProudFEET!'
The meaning of the joke here is that in English the plural of the word “foot” is formed using an irregular form, and not by the prefix ending “-s”.
“Foot” - “feet”, but not “foots”.
Naturally, to convey the meaning of the joke in full will not work - in the Russian language there is no concept of “irregular plural form”. Therefore, the translators simply replaced the joke:
My dear Baggins and Boffins, Tuki and Brandibaki, Grabba, Chubby, Dragoody, Bolger, Bracegerda ... and Bolsheruki.
Big dogs!
There is a joke, but it is not so thin as in the original. However, it is quite acceptable and a good option.
In one of the amateur translations in place of this joke there was a nice pun intended:
... and hairslides.
Wool coat!
If the official translators would have thought up the pun “paw-burn”, then in our opinion the joke would be juicier. But this is one of those unobvious decisions that come after.
Let's take a simple example. The main character tells his friend:Here the translator steps on thin ice - if you underestimate the audience, you can give a too flat and uninteresting analogy, if you overestimate it - the audience simply won’t understand the reference.
Well, you're cool. Jose Canseco would envy you.
If a person does not know who Jose Canseco is, he will not understand the reference. And in fact there is quite an unequivocal banter, because Canseco is still an odious person.
And if, for example, replace the reference to a more famous character for a specific audience? For example, Alexander Nevsky? Will this replacement reflect the nature of the original reference?
Another important part of the activities of the translator, which can not be silent - the translation of curses.
Different studios treat a translation of abusive phrases in different ways. Some try to make the translation as “chaste” as possible, even if it comes at the price of jokes. Some translate mats in full, and in American films swear a lot. Still others are trying to find a middle ground.
Translating abusive phrases is not really difficult. And not because in English there are two and a half abusive words - believe me, there are no less mats than there are in Russian - but because it is quite simple to find an equivalent to the situation.
But sometimes there are masterpieces. Let us recall the one-voiced translation by Andrei Gavrilov with films on VHS cassettes. Probably one of the most legendary scenes in translation is an excerpt from the film “Blood and Concrete” (1991):
Warning! In the video a lot of mat.
Most translators try to translate mats in English into coarse, but not abusive expressions in Russian. For example, “fuck!” Translate as “your mother!” Or “fuck!” This approach is also worthy of attention.
Work with facts and context
In his work, the translator rarely relies only on his own knowledge. After all, the possession of the context is the basis for the accurate transmission of meanings.
For example, if in a dialogue we are talking about financial transactions, then you can’t rely on a Google translator or a glossary of common terms. You need to look for proven sources of information in English, fill in the gaps in knowledge - and only then translate the phrase.
To translate films with a very highly specialized vocabulary, individual experts are involved who are knowledgeable in this area. Translators rarely risk reputation by trying to translate without context.
But sometimes there are moments that were thought of by the director as a joke, but in localization they look like jambs of a translator. And they can not be avoided.
For example, in the first part of the “Back to the Future” trilogy, Doc Brown is eager to look for “1.21 jigawatts of energy”. But after all, any freshman student will say what is right - gigawatt!
It turns out that Zemeckis specifically put it in the film "jigawatt". And this is his cant. While writing the script, he attended lectures in physics as a free listener, but he did not hear the unknown word. Humanities that take him. And already during the filming, it seemed funny, so they decided to leave the Jigawatt.
But translators are still to blame. The forums have heaps of threads that translators are morons, and you need to write "gigawatts." And the original story is not necessary to know.
How is work with the customer translation?
After the translator completes the work, the draft is necessarily analyzed by the editor. The translator and editor work in symbiosis - two heads are better.
Sometimes the editor offers the translator obvious solutions that for some reason the specialist did not see. This helps to avoid stupid situations when communicating with the customer.
And here, when the draft has gone to the distributor, the era of edits begins. Their number depends on the meticulousness of the recipient. Experience shows that the more global and expensive the film, the longer the discussion and approval of the edits takes place. Direct translation lasts a maximum of 10 days. This is a very thoughtful attitude. All the rest of the time - it edits.
Usually the dialogue is like this:And so on EVERY editing, even the smallest. That is why in large projects the owners are trying to lay on localization at least a month, and better - two.
Prokatchik: Replace the word "1", it is too rough.
Translator: But it emphasizes the emotional state of the hero.
Agent: Maybe there are more options?
Translator: "1", "2", "3".
Agent: The word "3" is appropriate, leave.
After a month (or several), when the text is approved, the work of the translator is almost finished and the voice actors are taken over. Why is "almost finished"? Because quite often there is a situation when the phrase, which normally looked on paper, sounds idiotically dubbing. Therefore, the distributor sometimes decides to modify certain points and re-record dubbing.
Of course, sometimes it happens when the translator underestimated or overestimated the mental abilities of the audience and the film fails at the box office, but this is a completely different story.
EnglishDom.com is an online school that inspires learning English through innovation and human concern.
→ Crank in English on online courses from EnglishDom.com
According to the link - 2 months of premium subscription for all courses as a gift.
→ For live communication - choose individual training via Skype with a teacher.
The first trial lesson is free, register here . The promo code goodhabr2 - 2 lessons as a gift when buying from 10 lessons. The bonus is valid until 05/31/19.
Our products:
ED Courses application in Google Play Store
ED Courses app on the App Store
Our youtube channel
Online simulator
Talking clubs
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/444792/
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