The technology of voice over has been flourishing for the last few years or maybe a decade. Even though it has been around since 1928, starting with Disney’s “Steamboat Willie,” voiced by Walt Disney himself as Mickey, many do consider the technology of voice over as a pretty new phenomenon. And the reason is that only recently have people started to be educated about voice over services and their inadvertent benefits in the marketing and entertainment industry.
Still, many remain unaware of what voice over truly is and how it is not as linear as we think it is. One can imagine a voice over as a tree with several branches rising from it. These branches can be termed as radio voice over, explainer videos voice over, voice over for video games, etc.
But in today’s article, we will be discussing something else. Today we will explore what we know as the art of voice over translation and how it is beneficial to us.
What is voice over translation?
While many use it synonymously with voice over, and some consider it as some form of dubbing, voice over translation is much more than that.
As explained in Devnagri.com, “When a voiceover in one language is replaced for another one, this is referred to as voiceover translation.”
Basically, this is an audiovisual form of translation where voices by actors are recorded over the original audio. Most of the time, the recorded voice over is in a different language than the original track and is done to increase the target market and cut off the language barrier.
At this point, one may argue or wonder whether voice over translation is then a form of dubbing. The answer is no. There are some apparent differences between voice over translation and dubbing.
What is the difference between voice translation and dubbing?
The differences between these two are very basic. In comparison, voice over translation is a process in which target audio is recorded over the original audio. In the case of dubbing, however, the original audio is recorded entirely brand new in the target language instead of overlapping anything.
Another noteworthy difference is that while a voice over translation can be easily accomplished with the help of one voice over artist, in the case of dubbing, the number of artists depends on the number of characters involved.
Since voice over translation is the process of overlapping audio, it leaves traces of the original audio, which can be heard in the background. That undeniably affects the quality of audio in comparison to dubbing.
Types of voice over translation:
There are different types of voice over translation that you can use, the context of which depends entirely on your requirement. But roughly, it can be divided into the following types:
Audio replacement:
As the name suggests, this type of voice over translation works by replacing the original audio with the one in the target language.
UN-Style:
This style is commonly used for interviews, documentaries, and news videos. UN-Style of voice translation actually retains the original audio, unlike audio replacement. The original audio is first played, after which the volume is lowered for a few seconds before the recorded audio is played or overlayed over the original track, which is then replaced completely.
Dubbing:
The last type of voice over translation is dubbing. Even if many consider both to be completely different and separate forms of technology, dubbing can sometimes be considered a part of the voice over translation. As explained above, dubbing replaces the original audio with a new one in the target language, but unlike audio replacement, dubbing includes lip-syncing and matches the tone and pacing of the original audio to the T.
Instructional Style:
This involves the voice over artist explaining everything happening on the screen without consulting a pre-determined script but rather like giving instructions. This allows the narrator the flexibility to choose their own way of narration that could easily fit with the target audience.
Why is voice over translation necessary for business?
There must be a reason why most businesses are seeking voice over translation services as a part of their marketing strategy, isn’t it? What are the benefits of using voice over translation?
Well, there are plenty. The very first importance of using it is the engagement it brings. We must uphold the importance of customer engagement for a successful marketing campaign. And one of the most popular means of creating engagement is through videos, whether that involves paying a famous face to feature in it or using interactive animation to make it fun. And adding voice over to such videos significantly raises the engagement quotient.
Secondly, voice over translation also helps to increase your brand’s reach by eliminating the language barrier. Even though English is a universally spoken language, there do exist countries where it isn’t preferred, and a majority need help understanding or speaking English. In such cases, voice over translation can easily save the day as you can simply translate the content into that particular language.
And this brings us to the next significant benefit, which is an increased rate of return. As you start to localize your content reach, it increases your traffic and helps you to churn out an increased rate of return.
Last but not the least, it also promotes better communication with your audience, again owing to the reduced language barrier as well as interactive content that is easy to understand and relate with.
Today we live in a world where hard work is not enough. You need smart work to progress and grow. The technology of voice over translation can be easily deemed as a door where hard work meets smart work, creating new opportunities and building a pathway for progress and growth.
