This is an ADLAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO is a project funded by the European Union.
This video is made available to you on a Creative Commons licence.
Hello. I’m Anna Matamala, from UAB, and in this ADLAB PRO video
I will explain what dubbing is. This is Unit 3 "Dubbing"
in Module 5 "Additional services".
Dubbing, together with subtitling and voice-over,
is one of the main transfer modes when translating audiovisuals.
In a dubbed product, the original voices disappear
and are replaced by target language voices that talk, laugh,
cry or shout as the original actors.
Synchronisation in dubbing is critical.
It includes lip synchronisation, isochrony, and kinetic synchrony.
Language is very important in dubbing.
Although the language of dubbing or “dubbese” is planned,
the actors will be reading what is written, it must sound spontaneous,
credible, natural. The audience needs to believe
these American actors are speaking, say, Catalan.
To that end, professionals use what is called a “prefabricated orality”.
Dubbing is the general practice in many countries.
The European map that now appears on screen shows countries
that only dub for children, Scandinavian countries or Portugal,
and countries where dubbing is the main transfer mode,
Spain, Italy, Germany or France.
Dubbing involves different tasks: translating the audiovisual content,
synchronising it, spotting the script,
that is, segmenting the text into takes, and revising it.
The output at this point is a written script.
It often happens that each task is done by a different professional,
but sometimes one can also be in charge of two or more tasks.
Once this written script is available,
the recording with professional voice talents begins,
supervised by a dubbing director.
This takes place in a dubbing studio as the one on screen.
There are other commercial, technical and artistic steps
in the process that I will not explain.
In order to guarantee that the recording runs smoothly,
the one in charge of synchronisation the dialogue writer, uses symbols.
Due to synchronisation constraints,
it may well be that dialogues are slightly changed.
This is standard practice and should not be viewed
as an instance of censorship, although it is true that dubbing
has been used as a tool to censor dialogues by some regimes.
Go check what happened with the translation
of "Mogambo" in Spain, you will be surprised.
If you are a describer, you should always watch the content
in the language the audience will receive it.
Also, if you are translating an AD script rather than creating it,
you should be aware that the dialogues in the dubbed version
may differ from the original ones.
If you want to know more about dubbing, you can read the book
“Audiovisual translation: dubbing”, by Frederic Chaume.
The preparation of this presentation
was supported by ADLAB PRO. Audio Description:
A Laboratory for the Development of a New Professional Profile
financed by the European Union under the Erasmus+ Programme,
Key Action 2, Strategic Partnerships.
Project number:
2016-1-IT02-KA203-024311.
The information and views set out in this presentation
are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the official opinion of the European Union.
Neither the European Union institutions and bodies
nor any person acting on their behalf
may be held responsible for the use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
This was an ADLAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO partners are: University of Trieste,
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
University of Antwerp, Adam Mickiewicz University,
RTV Slovenia, Utopian Voices,
Soundfocus and Royal National Institute of Blind People.
ADLAB PRO was funded by the European Union.
This video was made available to you on a Creative Commons licence.