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At Voiceover.Cafe, we're passionate about bringing your stories to life with the power of voice. Whether you're crafting a compelling narrative for your brand's corporate project or launching a dynamic commercial campaign on social media, our team of professional voiceover artists is here to elevate your content. We understand that every project is unique, and with that comes specific needs, especially regarding usage and distribution. That's why we tailor our pricing to match the scope and reach of your project, ensuring you get the best value and impact from our services.

Corporate Use & Organic Social Media Projects

What It Includes: Corporate use typically involves voiceover for internal communications, e-learning, product demos, and content meant for organic reach on social media platforms. These projects are aimed at engaging your existing followers or a naturally growing audience without the push of paid advertisements.

Pricing Factors: For these projects, our rates are designed to reflect the non-commercial nature of the content. We consider factors such as the length of the script, the complexity of the project, and the intended use, ensuring our voiceover services align with your internal communication and organic growth strategies. The pricing is set to accommodate the direct audience engagement without the broader commercial licensing needs.

Commercial Projects & Paid Social Media Ads

What It Includes: Commercial projects are designed to drive a specific action from the audience, such as purchases, sign-ups, or extensive brand engagement through paid social media ads. These ads are meticulously crafted to capture attention quickly and effectively across various platforms, reaching beyond your existing audience to a targeted demographic.

Pricing Factors: The pricing for commercial projects, especially those destined for paid social media campaigns, takes into account several additional factors:

• Usage Rights and Licensing: Considering the commercial intent and broader dissemination, our fees incorporate the cost for extensive usage rights and licensing. This ensures your content can be utilized to its fullest potential across geographic locations and time frames.
• Market Reach: Paid campaigns are designed for a wide reach, targeting specific audiences that extend beyond organic capabilities. Our rates reflect the value and impact that professional voiceover adds to maximizing this reach and engagement.
• Professional Expertise: High-quality, compelling voiceover is crucial for the success of paid ads. Our pricing includes the expertise, studio time, and equipment necessary to deliver content that stands out.
• Customization and Exclusivity: We understand that commercial projects often require a higher degree of customization and exclusivity. Our rates factor in these needs, ensuring your voiceover is unique and tailored to your brand's message.

Why Choose Voiceover.Cafe?

At Voiceover.Cafe, we believe in transparency and collaboration. Our pricing structure is designed to be straightforward and flexible, ensuring you understand the value and craftsmanship behind our voiceover services. Whether you're engaging your employees with a corporate video or aiming for a blockbuster social media campaign, we're here to provide voiceover work that resonates, engages, and achieves your project's goals.

Let's bring your project to life. Contact us today to discuss your needs and how we can tailor our services to your project's scale and vision. Welcome to the blend of exceptional voices and stories at Voiceover.Cafe.

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In the rapidly evolving world of digital media, the debate between using AI-generated voices versus human voiceovers for commercial purposes has gained significant traction. While AI technology offers some intriguing benefits, there's a strong argument to be made for the irreplaceable value of human voiceovers, especially when adopting a customer-centric approach. This article explores the pros and cons of both, with a clear leaning towards the advantages of human talent.

Pros of AI-Generated Voices

Cost-Effectiveness: AI voiceovers can be more affordable than hiring a professional voice actor, especially for projects with tight budgets or those requiring rapid production turnarounds.

Flexibility: AI voices offer the ability to generate voiceovers in multiple languages and dialects from a single text input, making localization efforts more streamlined.

Availability: Unlike humans, AI doesn’t need rest, making it available around the clock for last-minute changes or updates.

Cons of AI-Generated Voices

Lack of Emotional Depth: AI-generated voices, while improving, still struggle to convey the nuanced emotions and subtleties that a human voice can deliver, such as empathy, excitement, or sincerity.

Uniformity: AI voices can sound similar, lacking the unique characteristics that make a voice memorable or capable of truly resonating with a brand’s identity.

Limited Improvisation: AI cannot improvise or offer creative input during recording sessions, which can sometimes lead to breakthrough moments in voiceover work.

The Human Advantage

When it comes to creating a connection with the audience, human voiceovers have a clear edge. Here's why choosing human talent is a more customer-centric approach:

Emotional Connection: Human voices can evoke emotions and create a sense of connection and trust with the listener. This emotional resonance is crucial for brands aiming to build long-term relationships with their customers.

Brand Identity: A distinctive human voice can become synonymous with a brand, providing a personal touch that AI voices simply cannot replicate. This uniqueness is vital for standing out in a crowded market.

Versatility and Creativity: Human voice actors can adapt their tone, pace, and delivery based on the script's context or the director's feedback, bringing creativity and flexibility to the recording session that AI cannot match.

Customer Preference: Data suggests that consumers prefer human voices for their warmth and authenticity. A study by PwC found that 71% of Americans would rather interact with a human than a voice or chatbot AI system, highlighting the importance of human interaction in customer experiences.

Supporting Talent: Choosing human voiceovers supports the creative industry and the professionals within it, contributing to a vibrant and diverse artistic community.

Conclusion: The Case for Human Voiceovers

While AI-generated voices offer certain logistical advantages, the value of human voiceovers in fostering genuine connections with audiences is unmatched. The nuances of human emotion, the ability to infuse personality into a brand, and the overall impact on customer experience strongly favor the use of human talent. As businesses strive to become more customer-centric, recognizing the unique qualities that human voiceovers bring to the table is essential. Ultimately, in a world increasingly dominated by technology, the human touch remains not just relevant but vital in creating meaningful and memorable voiceover content.

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The digital media landscape is evolving rapidly, with new trends emerging that significantly impact how we consume content. From streaming services to gaming and user-generated content, these platforms are not just entertainment sources but also key players in the global media ecosystem. This blog explores how these trends influence the demand for voiceover professionals.

Trend Analysis:

1. Streaming Services Evolution: The shift in how streaming services are consumed and monetized highlights the need for voiceover talent in various languages to cater to global audiences.
2. Gaming's Rise: With video games becoming more story-driven, the demand for voice actors to bring characters to life is higher than ever.
3. User-Generated Content: Platforms like YouTube and TikTok rely on creative content that often includes voiceovers, driving demand for voice talent.
4. Virtual and Augmented Reality: These technologies are becoming more mainstream, requiring voiceovers for immersive experiences.
5. E-Learning and Webinars: As online learning continues to grow, so does the need for voiceovers in educational materials.
6. Podcasts and Audiobooks: With the rising popularity of audio content, voice actors are in high demand to produce engaging listening experiences.
7. Social Media Marketing: Brands are leveraging voiceover in their marketing strategies to connect with audiences on a personal level.
8. Accessibility Features: Voiceovers play a crucial role in making content accessible to individuals with visual impairments.
9. AI and Synthetic Voices: While AI-generated voices are on the rise, there's still a strong preference for the authenticity of human voiceovers.
10. Globalization: As companies aim to reach international markets, the need for multilingual voiceover artists is increasing.

Conclusion: The digital media trends of 2023 are shaping a dynamic environment where the demand for voiceover work is booming. Voiceover artists have numerous opportunities to leverage their skills across various media platforms, indicating a promising future for the industry.

 

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As the world becomes increasingly connected, the voiceover industry is witnessing a transformative shift towards localisation. At Voiceover.Café, we're at the forefront of this exciting journey, enabling brands and content creators to resonate deeply with global audiences. Here's a glimpse into the current trends shaping our approach to localisation:

Trend #1: Rising Demand for Multilingual Content

The appetite for content that speaks directly to local cultures and languages is skyrocketing. This surge is not just about translating words; it's about conveying emotions and cultural nuances that create authentic connections. At Voiceover.Café, we specialize in crafting voiceovers that capture the heart and soul of your message across multiple languages.

Trend #2: Precision in Localisation

Accuracy in localisation goes beyond literal translations. It's about understanding cultural sensibilities, idiomatic expressions, and local humor. Our team of native voice talents ensures your content is not just heard but also felt and appreciated by your target audience, irrespective of geographical boundaries.

Trend #3: Technology Meets Tradition

Innovations in AI and machine learning are revolutionising how voiceovers are produced and localized. However, at Voiceover.Café, we believe the human touch is irreplaceable. We blend cutting-edge technology with the nuanced artistry of our voice actors to deliver unparalleled quality that technology alone cannot achieve.

Trend #4: Expanding Global Reach

The global market is becoming more accessible, yet more competitive. Localisation is key to standing out. We help you leverage this trend by transforming your voiceovers into powerful tools for global engagement, ensuring your brand's voice is not just universal but also uniquely local.

Collaborate with Us

Are you ready to take your content global with seamless localisation? Voiceover.Café is here to guide you through every step. Let's embrace these industry trends together and unlock new opportunities in the global marketplace.

Follow us for more insights and updates on how we're innovating in the world of voiceover localisation. Together, we can create content that crosses borders and builds bridges.

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At Voiceover.Cafe, we firmly believe that the essence of a professional voiceover extends far beyond mere script reading. It's an intricate art form that demands the evocation of specific emotions, resonating deeply with the audience. This unique ability to stir a range of emotions, from joy and serenity to anger and melancholy, is what distinguishes a seasoned voiceover artist from a mere reader.

The Impact of Emotional Nuance

The power of voiceovers lies in their ability to transform the same words into entirely different experiences, based on the emotions they convey. Whether it's the intensity of anger and frustration, the soothing tones of happiness and calm, or the poignant depth of sadness, each emotion paints a distinct picture for the listener.

The Threefold Appeal of Voiceovers

At Voiceover.Cafe, we recognise that voiceovers captivate not just through the emotions they evoke or the sounds they produce, but most importantly, through the vivid imagery they conjure in the listener's mind. Our mission is to connect businesses with voiceover artists who can bring their words to life, crafting a narrative that not only resonates with the ears but also with the heart and imagination.

The Art of Script Interpretation

A critical aspect of our work involves understanding and interpreting the intended emotion of a script. This process is key to delivering a powerful and impactful voiceover. Our team at Voiceover.Cafe collaborates closely with a handpicked pool of talented voice actors, ensuring that every script is not just read, but felt and experienced in alignment with your brand's ethos.

Continual Skill Enhancement

Our voiceover professionals are dedicated to refining their craft, ensuring they can evoke the precise emotions needed to connect with your audience on a deeper level. Every script presents an opportunity to forge a meaningful connection, and mastering the art of emotion in voiceovers is crucial in achieving this goal.

At Voiceover.Cafe, we understand that a voiceover is more than just a script reading; it's the voice of your brand. That's why we offer a professional and personalized project management experience for each project, ensuring your message is not just heard but felt.

To get an immediate quote for any of our multilingual voice-over or localisation services, please contact us by providing as much information about your project requirements on the form below.

Voiceover.Cafe is a trading brand of PVP Multimedia Ltd. Uk Company Number 06809923

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In a world driven by AI innovation, the human touch in voiceovers remains unbeatable. At voiceover.cafe, we've explored why human voices triumph over AI-generated ones.

Emotional Depth and Connection: Human voice actors breathe life into scripts, infusing them with emotions that resonate with audiences. This emotional connection is a game-changer in storytelling and advertising.

Cultural Nuances and Adaptability: Humans excel in capturing cultural subtleties and adapting to diverse languages and dialects. For localisation projects, it's about being relevant and engaging, not just translated.

Flexibility and Brand Identity: Unlike AI, humans can adapt and improvise, giving your brand a unique voice. Trust and loyalty are built on the authenticity only a human voice can offer.

The Future of Voiceovers: While AI brings efficiency, the future blends human talent with technology. For projects demanding creativity and depth, human voiceovers are indispensable.

Join us at voiceover.cafe, where we celebrate the power of the human voice in crafting compelling stories and brand identities. As tech evolves, we continue to champion what makes us human.

To request a quotation with casting options or ask for more information on how we can support your localisation needs, please fill in the contact form below providing details of your project requirement.

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At Voiceover.Cafe we get sent many request to re-version MP4 videos created in Adobe 'After Effects' projects into the majority of global languages.  Requests for adding subtitles,  localised voiceovers and often for both  subs and dubs.  So let's consider the following options:

 

1. Adding just localised voiceovers to English text in an encoded video file.

This approach can be confusing for the audience as many users may not understand the English text, especially if  created for scientific or medical content. This approach should be avoided and only used as a low cost option where at all possible.. In addition, if the client cannot supply the original split assets including the English voiceover, music and effects tracks,  this option can often be unworkable or very expensive due to the language expansion or contraction of the adapted voiceovers after translations.  Cost would be in the region of £150.00 per minute for an average 3 minute video. Excluding translation.

 

2. Burning-in localised subtitles to English text in an encoded video file.

Adding a traditional translated subtitling approach at the bottom of the screen is again confusing for the audience, as the users are visually battling to interprate the correlation between the English on-screen text and the translated subtitles whilst listening to the English voiceover track.  In addition, very often the subtitles can overlap the English on-screen text and create a visual conflict which will break the concentration of the user. This is especially likely if there is a lot of on-screen text created in the lower 3rd of the screen. Cost would be in the region of £50.00 per minute for an average 3 minute video. Excluding translation.

 

3.  Adding both localised voiceovers and burning-in localised subtitles for an encoded video file with English text.

This is of course a better option to the 2 points above, but the user may predominantly be viewing the subtitles if unfamilar with the English on-screen text.  Cost would be in the region of £200.00 per minute for an average 3 minute video. Excluding translation.

 

4. So what is the correct solution for adapting videos created in After Effects?

We believe adapting both the original text and voiceover assets created in an After Effects project file is the correct and most effective solution which creates an adaption that is perfect for the intended audience. It is also not an expensive option with costs working out on average around £175.00 per minute for an average 3 minute video. Excluding translation.

 

5.  What is the correct workflow for adapting Videos encoded from After Effects projects.

Our trained adaption engineers need review the source AE project files and create a workflow based on the project assets to determine how the language and expansion during the translation stage can be addressed during the exporting of the audio visual assets for translation, the editing stages required to re-time the translated text and voiceovers in the AE project timeline and the final  QA stage prior to re-encoding each adaption.

Consideration for what fonts and character sets are to be used for each language also need to addressed, especially for the more complex languages such as the Indic regions, which After Effects cannot process correctly without the correct 3rd party plugins and final tweaking.

This workflow approach will ensure a perfectly adapted product, produced exactly to same production standards of the English master files, making your adaptions completely engaging for all global audiences. The only difference being the final duration of each encoded video which will in most cases expand between 10% - 25% in the timeline.

 

To request more information and costs for our 'After Effects' adaption services, please contact us by providing as much information about your project requirements on the form below. We will also need to review your project source files for final costs.

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This is an age-old media related question and there are many answers.

 

Male or Female: What Does the Research Say?

A 2010 study from Ad Week Media/Harris Poll surveyed 2194 American adults to determine how consumers responded to male versus female voices in advertisements. Here’s what they learned:

In terms of forcefulness, 48% of the respondents said that males sounded more forceful while 49% of those surveyed said that gender made no difference.
In terms of being more soothing, 46% of respondents said that females sounded more soothing while another 46% said that gender made no difference.
In terms of persuasion, however, the results were split. 19% felt a female voice was more persuasive while 18% believed a male voice was more persuasive. Yet, 64% said gender made no difference.
Thus, depending on your goal, choosing the gender can make an enormous difference. For example, if you’re creating a forceful message, 49% don’t care about gender, but 48% do care; thus, you’ll satisfy 98% of consumers by choosing a male voice. If you want a soothing voice over, however, you’ll satisfy 92% of people by going with a female voice.

 

Male or Female Talents: Are Virtual Assistants Gender Biased?

Why does Apple’s iPhone assistant Siri, Amazon’s Alexa and Google’s Home voice assistants all use a female gender in the US?
Brandon Griggs, CNN says:

“The fuss over Siri’s sex also raises a larger question: From voice-mail systems to GPS devices to Siri and beyond, why are so many computerized voices female?”

One answer may lie in biology. Scientific studies have shown that people generally find women’s voices more pleasing than men’s.

“It’s much easier to find a female voice that everyone likes than a male voice that everyone likes,” said Stanford University Professor Clifford Nass, author of “The Man Who Lied to His Laptop: What Machines Teach Us About Human Relationships.” “It’s a well-established phenomenon that the human brain is developed to like female voices.”

An Apple spokeswoman declined to comment on why the company gave Siri a female voice in the U.S. Nor would she say why Siri originally spoke like a man in the UK, where iPhone owners swarmed online forums to request a female voice instead.

This may explain why in almost all GPS navigation systems on the market, the default voice is female. One notable exception has been Germany, where BMW was forced to recall a female-voiced navigation system on its 5 Series cars in the late 1990s after being flooded with calls from German men saying they refused to take directions from a woman.
“Cultural stereotypes run deep,” said Nass, who details the BMW episode in his book.

 

Male or Female Voice Talents? – Our Conclusion:

1. TARGET AUDIENCE
   It really does depend on your target audience and the demographics as far as keeping your product, story or brand on-message. Traditionally, in English speaking countries the rule of thumb is to use male voices for the more forceful and hard selling communication projects for automotive, science and technology sectors and the female gender for the soothing/caring voice for eLearning, health and well-being campaigns. However, if a foreign language adaption VO is required, take into consideration gender choice at the casting stage to ensure cultural idiosyncrasies are considered in a sensitive manner to ensure the delivery is culturally correct for the target audience.

 

2. CASTING
   Our advice to clients is to get the casting selection options right. Where possible record a short demo for your project with your selected talent to share with your production team or client to make sure the voice works for your creative vision before the final recording.  If you are not sure the demo works, re-cast and re-record another scratch demo.  This is often a free service with VO agencies.

 

3. BREAK THE RULES
   We also have clients who break all the gender rules and say that it really doesn’t matter if you use a male or female if the voiceover resonates with your audience and delivers auditory perfection.

 

4. CREATIVE NOTES/GUIDE TRACKS
   We personally believe that writers not only need to write scripts that are on-message, but should also produce detailed directions and creative guidance for our voice talents to help bring their stories to life.  Writers should also craft scripts which are gender specific.
   Voiceover.Cafe regularly cast multilingual talents for a lot of top ad agencies in London and New York and we always request a rough VO guide track in English from the creative directors to help set the style, tone, pace and gravitas required. Guide tracks greatly help our talents and VO directors during the recording process, especially when recording multilingual adaption versions.

 

5. AN EXERCISE FOR YOU TO DO THIS WEEK
   If you listen closely to all TV ads and voiceover recordings you get exposed to during the next couple of days, you will start to get an understanding of what subliminal influences affect your thought processes and how both male and female vocal performance enhances the semiotics of  brand messaging.

 

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With the growth in demand for international brands to reach a growing global audience, Voiceover.Cafe provides a competitive video re-versioning service to add foreign language voiceovers for all creative media campaigns.

For research usage only, our rates range between £479.00 - £850.00 + VAT for re-versioning TVC's and Cinema spots. Rates includes localisation/translation, proof reading, voice casting, voice director, studio and voiceover talent.

This service assists global brand managers and creative media agencies to test the water with their campaigns prior to going live. Usage, which is dependent on duration and territories, is highly competitive and is negotiated on a per project requirement for Online, TV, Cinema and VOD etc.

Our re-versioning and adaption services are available for the following languages:

Hindi - US English – Spanish + Latin American – Greek - Tagalog – Mandarin - Cantonese – Arabic – Italian – German – Dutch – French – Brazilian + Portuguese – Swedish - Finnish - Serbian - Bulgarian - Japanese - Korean.

We normally supply a casting list and quotation for 3-5 male or female talents who are carefully selected to match our client's creative brief  and reference materials within 2 days of the request.

All our professional voice talents work out of in-country dubbing studios and can normally turnaround projects within 2 - 3 days.

If audio or video editing is required, our in-house editors or partner studios use Protools and Avid Symphony workstations and can work with most popular file formats.

 

Our workflows are simple and adaption projects are normally completed in 7 working days:

< You send us your quote request with a creative brief, script and low-res source language reference video file

> We send you a casting list and demos with associated costs

< You send us the selected talent casting choice and  scripts for translation

> We send you the localised script for sign off

< You send us script approval plus all project assets to include the video and split audio files

> We record the VO's and send you 3 x dry VO's per talent and a fully mixed adaption VO if required

< You sign off or request any amends as required by your creative media team / brand manager prior to completion of project

 

Voiceover.Cafe have signed NDA's with all our: linguists,  proof readers,  copywriters,  voice talents, project managers and external studio managers to ensure project confidentiality at all times.

As always, our priority is to ensure our clients’ brands, content and key messages are localised accurately, respecting cultural nuances and ensuring a positive ROI from the target markets.

 

To request a quote or find out more about our re-versioning services, please contact us using the form below.

 

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1. Is My Video Suitable For Localisation?

Some video content produced for the US or UK market will not be suitable for distribution in some EMEA (European, Middle East and Africa) regions, but will be fine in Western Europe and most parts of Asia.

When localising the narrative of a script, it is critical that language nuances are translated in a sensitive manner to ensure the content is culturally correct for the target audience.

Consideration of the visual interpretation is also as important as the narrative and you should always consider cultural, lifestyle differences and traditions in respect of the target language audience.

What’s my advice
If you are unsure about localising your video to certain regions, you should always ask a company who specialises in translation and localisation for advice.

 

2. Who Should I Commission To Translate And Localise The Script?

Localisation of media projects which will be shown in the public domain require qualified AVT (Audio Visual Translators) translators to not only translate and localise the script, but to also check the suitability of the visuals from an in-country perspective.

AVT translators are specialists in translating for the 3 modes of localisation which include dubbing, voiceover and subtitling.

There are plenty of high quality translation agencies available to transcribe and translate the narrative, however, you should always check with your agency to ensure AVT qualified translators are commissioned to undertake both the translation and independent proofreading.

A professional AVT translation service will cost on average around 18-21 pence a word to include project management, translation and proofreading. This rate is higher than a normal text based translation service which would partially use Machine Translation in the workflow.

What’s my advice
If you are happy with your localisation company, stay with them as you will have probably built up a solid working relationship and put in place agreed workflows and quality procedures that work for you.

If not, source a new company by using a competitive tendering process to request detailed workflows, costs and turnaround times to ensure you get the best deal and quality of service.

 

3. What AVT Mode Do I Use For My Target Language - Dubs or Subs?

This option really depends on your content, target country and distribution channels.

For broadcasters using long form programmes there is an established code of practice of where and when to use the 3 AVT Modes: Dubbing, Voice Over and Subtitling.

In general, dubbing countries have larger populations including Spain, Germany, Italy and France. Smaller EMEA and Nordic countries favour subtitling.

Dubbing replaces the source language dialogue and soundtrack with a lip-synced target language soundtrack, voiceover replaces the soundtrack with a single male and/or female narrator voicing the translation as opposed to a whole cast of actors. Subtitling will keep the original soundtrack and superimpose open captions onto the visual image.

For short form localisation, the jury is out on what AVT mode to use. With the prevalence of TV spots and promos now being distributed on-line there is a tendency to use a mix of dubbing, voiceovers and subtitling.

Voiceover.Cafe has also seen a rapid increase in the use of multiple closed caption subtitling files being embedded into short form on-line marketing videos. The translated text included in the closed caption files is used as metadata to drive SEO, monitisation and harvest valuable analytics.

This resource is a marriage made in heaven for for top marketing companies and video streaming providers like YouTube, Netflix, Amaon and Ooyala who specialise in distributing video content.

Typically, a 30 second or 2 minute promo with subtitle files translated into the Top 10 on-line Languages can reach a potential audience in excess of a billion users if tagged correctly.

What’s my advice
Talk to your marketing experts and see what AVT modes have worked best for you in the past and maybe try some split testing. All media projects and content are different and for on-line campaigns, try to think out of the box. We have recently been adapting TVC content into Bulgarian for an International drinks company for split testing and market research as this provides a low cost and high quality solution compared to testing in Germany, Spain and Italy.

 

4. Do I Need A 'Transcreation' Service?

'Transcreation' is a relatively new marketing term which relates to the process of translating and adapting a message from one language to another whilst maintaining it’s style, tone, intent and context.

In this post I use the term ‘Transcreation’ as a creative solution which is used by high end localisation agencies to guarantee that a translation is not just text based, but will look at the design, style and feel of a media product to ensure it has the required impact, calls to action and subliminal messages needed to engage with each in-country target audience.

Major brands who use transcreation agencies will often start with a creative brief as opposed to a text based wish list when creating a new multilingual TVC marketing campaign.

Some companies I have worked with provide a transcreation service to shorten or adapt text based translations where language expansion is a problem for projects with a fixed timeline. As an example, if you translate a 3 minute English video with a fast paced Voiceover, a German translation of the voiceover recorded at the same pace would run between 4-5 minutes. Therefore, if the video has a fixed duration, the script will need shortening or adapting to match the 3 minute timing.

What’s my advice
If you need a transcreation service for a global campaign with a realistic budget, go to a high end creative agency in London and be prepared to pay by the hour for a quality service which will in all probability return excellent ROI.

If you just need a script shortened and adapted, then use a localisation or translation service who provide AVT qualified translators who will charge by the word count.

 

5. What Is The Most Cost Effective Strategy To localise A Video Project For Global Distribution?

I would always advise clients, brand managers and production companies to build in a localisation strategy during the pre-production phases of all new commercial and corporate projects where there is a potential global marketplace for the product or service.

By planning ahead it can be really cost effective to localise short form video content as the only additional costs during post-production are for the script translation/transcreation, QA and generation of multi-lingual subtitles or voiceover recordings.

AVT translators need to work off a timed EMT (English Master Template) documents, so all the subtitles and voiceover sequences for each language will be timed exactly the same in all languages and straight forward for editing.

Online video editors will only need to import each voiceover or subtitles into the project timeline with minimal visual trimming for creating each localised master version.

Editors should always save and back up the English or original source master programme with a clean video file without the dialogue and music and effects (M+E) tracks so that if the client wanted to localise the video into a new language at a later date, the costs would be minimal as the clean video and split audio assets are available for conforming to a new language version.

 

6. How Much Does Localising A Video Cost?

Costs for translating short form video projects should be in the region of around £350.00 per language to include transcription, translation, proofreading, quality voiceover recordings and a final QA.  A transcreation service if required for dealing with target languages where text expansion becomes problematic would be around 25% more expensive. However, should your client require premium actors for the voiceovers then it all comes down to the rate of the talent. Usage is also a requirement and costs for 12 months usage for TV, VOD and Paid Online is on average around £1,500.00 dependent the size of the country.

 

If you found this post interesting, please feel free to share it with your friends and colleagues.

All comments are always appreciated and I am really interested in your personal interpretation of the term ‘Transcreation’

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