A few days ago, we received an inquiry from one of our valued international customers. He stated that although he had spent a decent amount of money on one of his video localization projects, it was not working and the whole project was going down the drain.
So what went wrong?
In our 15 years at ATL, we have worked with numerous international clients. We have seen companies spend significant amounts of money on video localization projects but not get the right results. This was due to some common mistakes made throughout the process.
In this post, you will find some tips that will help you with your video localization project and save your money and sanity on the way.
Multimedia can include any form of audiovisual material, such as streaming ads, promotional videos, video tutorials, corporate videos, and e-learning courses. They are all fruitful if you want to create a sense of immediacy to capture your international audience's attention. However, there are some requirements for a successful multimedia strategy that you need to consider.
Video localization is about making a video relevant to a larger audience. This process is critical for anyone using video to communicate with people and requires careful preparation, as each new adaptation to a different language brings the content to a new market, opening up a new opportunity for growth.
Video localization also means making sure that the videos you promote are relevant to the audience and focused on the culture of the country you want to target. Video localization is an important method that can lead to a significant increase in sales if used correctly. There are many important factors to consider with video localization, but as the first step, we will explore why video localization is important at all.
Video localization may seem like a long and complicated process. Would not it be easier to create a new video from scratch, perfectly tailored to the new target audience? That may be true in some cases, but creating a new video from scratch comes with a few issues. The first is the time it takes to plan and execute the entire shoot, and the second is hiring the team, which takes additional time. If you are looking for immediate results, video localization is the best option.
It's best to consider the budget factor as well. It can cost a lot of money to create a new video from scratch. On the other hand, if you just localize the existing video, you can save the budget and use it for other important aspects like research and marketing.
Video localization is a valuable tool for developing and targeting new markets and new audiences. Compared to text-based localized content, localized videos are more useful and help your business connect with the new audience immediately.
It may seem like a daunting task to target new and existing audiences because the choices are endless, and the Internet continues to grow with new content every day. However, the process of targeting and engaging audiences in a meaningful way is less complicated today. The 80/20 rule states that everyone watches the video. As bandwidth becomes less of a barrier around the world, motion graphics are among the most popular mediums for engaging and engaging potential audiences.
Now that we are more familiar with video localization and recognize the great value it can have for any business, let us take a look at some common mistakes and tips to ensure you get the most out of your video localization project.
So, what happens when you have your video files ready to be translated? First, you need to share them with your localization provider. It can happen through traditional download (FTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, etc.), a vendor portal, or some software integration of your supplier's translation management system and your video content management system. Depending on the scenario, it can all happen through a web browser.
For video subtitles and captions, most probably your translator will ask you for a VTT or SRT file from you, and if you don't have one, they will do transcription from your video and create such a file themselves. Various apps make a transcription of the source language version smooth and quick, including speech-to-text programs. With the finalized transcript you can move forward with the process.
Transcription in the SRT format is easy to process in CAT tools so that all the time codes and fonts are preserved in the target foreign language translation. Usually, transcription services are offered by the same providers that offer translation and localization.
When translated subtitle files are ready, you can easily upload them to your online video on YouTube or any other environment you work in and start the final video editing process. Of course, at this stage, it would be best not to have to change and cut anything because it may affect translated subtitles and add some work to the project but sometimes video editors need to make some changes before they are happy with the final result.
Video editors use various tools to finalize your video content in different languages for Instagram or sign off your Facebook videos. All of them have friendly user interfaces that make the work with the timeline very easy, handle all main formats for video and audio files, enable exporting content with a single click, have all the accessibility features, professionally process green screen shots, allow for easy import of media files for your projects, and more.
Some of the most popular names that can be any online video translator's friends are:
Every country has its own way of doing business, especially as we become more interdependent in global trade. However, research is not that difficult, especially if you take the time to find credible sources of knowledge. Professional localization service providers will always help you tailor your video localization strategy and message to the target region and audience.
In addition to consulting with localization experts, you should also be aware of the legal requirements and consequences of doing business in another country. It's also important to discuss and clarify branding guidelines with your service provider before you begin your company's video localization project.
Localized videos do not necessarily have to come from corporate videos. Professional localization companies can help you overcome budget constraints by creating original videos from existing materials such as knowledge base reports, PowerPoint slides, or even blog posts. A few animations and scripts in the local language can save you a lot of money for your pre-sales team and technical support staff.
Depending on the nature of the content, it may not always be necessary to localize the audio track. Keeping the audio track in the source language - especially if it's English - and adding subtitles may be the best solution to connect with your audience. For example, not all viewers believe that knowledge base videos are available in their native language. They feel more comfortable if the subtitles are in their local language.
Some localization companies may try to convince you to start video localization when the script is not ready - especially for projects with tight deadlines. You will incur additional costs due to the extra voice actors, studio team, editing, subtitling, and time needed to revise parts or the whole video.
Professional translation services never let you make hasty decisions or compromise on the quality of the localized video, and only start the recording or working on subtitles when you provide the finished material.
If the translated voice-over exceeds the timing of the original audio, your localization team will need to edit the video to speed up the narrative pace. To avoid additional edits and costs, review the translated script to avoid unnecessary text expansion.
Discuss in advance with your language service provider what is best to do in such a situation. A translation for voice-over that perfectly matches the time frame of the original language is a unique skill. It's not about the number of words, but the time it takes to speak the words.
Establishing file naming criteria, directory structures, volume/normalization levels, and filters are essential elements of a video localization project. It's best to discuss your service provider's specifications and requirements upfront to save time during post-production. Another important factor is the source file.
In most cases, the final compressed version of the video is not of much use to the production team. They usually need all the source files to do their job efficiently. If you do not provide them with the material they need, they will probably spend extra time recovering the missing parts of the video, which costs more money and more time.
Before jumping into a big video localization project, it is highly advisable to ask different service providers for small 1- to 2-minute video samples. Evaluate the quality of their work before making a final decision. This also gives you a great opportunity to observe different video localization services and see how and what works best for you, so you can set your expectations once the project begins. The testing phase may take some time, but it will help you avoid problems later on, such as the possibility of using low-quality subtitles or having to create the entire video from scratch.
If you are not ready to tell your service provider all the details of your video localization needs, you can always start by placing a minimum order first and then evaluate the quality and level of service. Testing a service works both ways and can serve the purpose of finding out if a localization service is a right choice for you.
Quality assurance tools are extremely useful throughout the localization process. These tools use sophisticated algorithms and are a powerful solution for checking grammar, spelling, accuracy, layout integrity, and much more. All productivity tools have built-in quality assurance features, but professional service providers can also use dedicated quality assurance tools.
Related content: Video Translation Errors: from Subtitling to Voiceover
When we talk about technological advances and their benefits, we mean the use of technology for practical purposes. In particular, this includes the discovery and use of translation technologies that have brought the video localization industry into the 21st century
Below are some of the useful ways you can use translation technologies to your advantage.
In machine translation (MT), also called automatic translation or instant translation, a machine or computer translates the text without human intervention. Machines perform translation tasks based on either mathematical models (using accumulated translation material) or neural models (using artificial intelligence). If all you need from the translated text is the general essence of the original text, machine translation is a suitable option for you. When the machine does it right, it delivers excellent translations.
However, a machine translation can never surpass a professional human translation. Therefore, it is important to know what a machine can and cannot do and when human input is needed. If you prefer, you can ask your language service provider to have a human linguist post-edit the computer-translated output for your video localization project.
If you don't have a budget you can always auto-translate your subtitles and captions using Google Translate or enable YouTube automatic subtitles generated by the same machine translation engine. It's not ideal, but certainly, it's a nice gesture toward your global audience.
Translations created using translation technologies, on the other hand, are performed by humans. Professional language service providers have teams of content creators, editors, subject matter experts, and many other stakeholders. They all work together to provide a perfect combination of human knowledge and technology. They review and revise translation templates for each video localization project and develop precise terminologies after understanding your target audience and brand guidelines.
Hiring a professional video localization company that uses the right translation technologies such as Translation Management Systems TMS) or automated Quality Assurance tools will save you time and money without compromising on quality.
Professional human video translators use specialized computer-assisted translation (CAT) or productivity software tools to improve the video localization process and increase productivity. CAT Tools are key elements of today's language industry and provide an excellent combination of technological advantages and human capabilities.
CAT Tools are specialized text editors that split the source material into parts and divide the screen into source and target areas, making them easier for the video translator to use. However, they also have several innovative features that can streamline the translation or localization process, increase the quality of the output, and save money and time. Because of these advantages, they are also called productivity tools.
Translation memories are special databases that contain previously translated elements in a given language pair that can be reused and recycled in other projects. Productivity software measures the percentage of similarity between the new and previously translated, edited, and proofread localization material. Your LSP can then access and use this information as needed. The percentage of similarity directly affects the cost of your video localization project and the time required to complete the project. The higher the percentage of similarity, the lower the translation cost and time required.
Translation memories are typically created in the initial stages of the translation/localization project and added to over time, gradually reducing the cost of video localization and shortening the time required for completion. However, translation memories need to be routinely maintained, i.e., they need to be cleaned for this purpose. The original material may change, and new terms may be adopted.
If it is an authorized translation of a document created without productivity tools, translation memories can be created through the alignment process. Source and target documents are split into segments and then aligned to create a TM file that is used for a project.
Related content: Translation Memory Used in Practice
Nowadays it's not the question of whether to translate a video but what budget to spend on this to please your customers. After all, we buy with our eyes. With these tips, you'll be able to do your video marketing properly and won't lose your mind on the way (and money, of course!). Go and grow!
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