FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Foreign Languages and Corporate Video

The important thing to know about producing a foreign language video, whether it’s in one foreign language or in many languages, is to decide 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.

And it can make a difference to your cost.

Once you’ve made your English version, your video can be produced in any language on earth.

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

Any good professional corporate video studio can comfortably produce all this for you.

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.

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