Have you ever watched a foreign film and wondered whether the subtitles are conveying anything close to what the characters are actually saying on screen? If the producers of the film were serious about bringing their message to you, they would have hired a reputable subtitler – more likely an experienced team of them – to carry out this deceptively skillful and painstaking work.
When bringing your audio-visual message to a foreign audience, you want the subtitles to keep their fidelity to your script, and allow for easy reading within the time constraints of the dialogue, yet still offer a meaning in the foreign language similar to the original one in your native tongue. If it sounds like we know a little too much about the subtitling business, let us assure you… we do. In fact, at Saigon Translation, we specialize in all forms of audiovisual language solutions.
As stated above, subtitles – like most translation jobs – are deceptively tricky. Time constraints are a big part of it. You need to recognize these time constraints, and get the text completely synched up to the dialogue with a simple-to-read text. This must be done in a way that does not take away from the impact of the visual media.
Relating the meaning of the text is an even more complicated task… how does one convey meanings of idioms, colloquialisms, jokes, etc. That is specific to one culture when translating for another culture? Indeed, it takes quite a bit of intellectual flexibility, skill, and experience. At Saigon Translation, the centerpiece of our translators’ great artistry is this ability to adapt culture-specific references to foreign audiences. We do this seamlessly, with great fidelity to the original intended meaning. And we can do it for you in over 120 different languages.
Saigon Translation’ audiovisual professionals are adept at working with all major video formats. For flexibility’s sake, we can create custom solutions to meet your requirements for commercials, TV programs, Internet broadcasts, DVD, video, and cinema. Our skill and speed help to keep costs competitive. Once you’ve contracted your subtitling needs to us, you will be coming back for more.