Foreign Languages and Corporate Video

The important thing about producing a foreign language video, whether it’s in one foreign language or in many languages, is to know that you want to do this before you commence production of the English version.

It can make a big difference to the way you produce your English video. It can affect the overall creative approach and the style. 
          
Once you’ve made your English version, your video can be produced in any language on earth.

Today, companies are looking at Mandarin, East European languages, Farsi or Arabic – or other non-European alphabets, as these countries rapidly emerge as vibrant contributors to the world economy.

Any good professional corporate video studio can comfortably produce all this for you, and arrange the subsequent duplication for you whether in:

• PAL, the UK and European standard
• NTSC the American and Japanese standard
• SECAM, which the French, Russians and in some parts of South America still use as their standard.

A good studio will guide you through the maze of television standards.

Footnote: Don’t use caption subtitles for your foreignspeak version. Always use voiceover. Here’s why:

• People hate to read when they can listen instead. It’s very taxing to read.
• Subtitles get lost as subtitles
• Whole tracts of meaning often have to be compressed down a few words, otherwise there’ll be too much text onscreen to read.
• The audience isn’t looking at your pictures if they’re reading.

Foreign language subtitles in corporate video, though cheaper, are a false economy.

Here’s a link to an 8 Point Primer in foreign language video production

> Shoot Location & Cost