6 Key Criteria for Effective Native Voiceover Translation

Last Updated May 12, 2021

man recording voice

Native voiceover translation talent leads to greater success.

Business and education translation services should always strive to knock out exceptional voiceover translation, regardless of the languages in question.

This holds true when working on a variety of uses cases. Complex regional Spanish assignments, the nitty-gritty of Mandarin materials, or Arabic audio content for a new mobile app, for example.

Here are 6 things you need to keep in mind as you approach a voiceover translation project.

1. Hire Native Voiceover Translation Talent

A nuanced approach is crucial when hiring native-speaking voice talent. Subtle differences in dialect and pronunciation can mess up the best-laid audio plans.

Native speakers able to demonstrate command over the subject matter (and appropriate dialect) are a must. This is especially true for marketing that relies on audio content to get a message across.

For example, if you use a Mandarin voiceover artist from Taiwan for a project in Northern China, the Taiwanese accent might put people off. Same goes for a native speaker of Argentine Spanish contracted for Spanish voiceover work in Spain.

Different accents and pronunciations might work for some projects, but for others, you could be courting disaster.

Best to check in with your voiceover translation service’s in-country specialists for guidance here.

They can help you sort through these important, yet sometimes subtle (to the untrained ear) linguistic distinctions.

2. Budget Time for Casting

Finding the perfect match when it comes to vocal actors can take time.

Casting for voice talent is a little akin to casting for Hollywood movies. There’s a submission process, and then potential candidates need to be screened, and perhaps called back for more audio tests.

Quality voice actors might also have busy schedules, especially for languages that are in demand or have smaller native-speaking populations.

A competent localization service provider does not wait for the translation to be finished before starting the native voice talent search.

Budgeting enough time for casting can help ensure you land the vocal talent that best suits your multimedia translation project.

If you rush this process too much, you might not be happy with the end results. Worst case: you may have to redo the work at a significant additional expense.

3. Create Source Content Read at a Manageable Pace

According to Steven Gurevitz, studio manager and multimedia voiceover specialist, clients developing multilingual productions might want to plan ahead when creating their original source content.

“Have the source speaker go at a pace that isn’t too fast,” Steve recommends. “Almost all languages will expand (even with the same word count) when going from English to another tongue.”

If the original presenter is speaking at a rapid pace, problems can arise.

A word for word translation might not work for the voiceovers. Or, as Steve points out, “ we may have to stretch or slow down the video” to accommodate the translated content. That’s true even when read by the most skilled vocal talent.

The easiest solution here is to create audio source material that’s read at a manageable pace.

4. Pay Attention to Tone of Voice

Tone of voice, and the enthusiasm of the speaker, conveys different meanings depending on the global region you’re trying to reach.

A wild and wacky approach adopted by your voiceover translation service’s in-country experts might work wonders for business translations or a multimedia marketing campaign in Japan.

But in a country where a more somber approach is required — like Austria or Finland perhaps — that kind of over-the-top delivery might be a big flop.

The choice between a male or female vocal actor might convey a different tone to your intended audiences as well. It depends on how a given society divvies up gender roles.

It’s easy to misstep here, even if that wasn’t your intention.

Again, we advise that you and your voiceover translation service consult with in-country specialists to get the local scoop on the right tonal approach when it comes to voiceovers.

5. Memorize the Complete Script

You can boost the quality and overall appeal of your voiceover project by having your native voice talent memorize the entire script ahead of time — or at least big chunks of it.

Memorize the script and make sure you’re not just reading it.

This simple step will make it seem like your voice actors are actually part of the client’s company, and are actually “selling the product.”

The human ear is a sophisticated instrument. If it sounds like the voiceover actors are merely reading from a script, and aren’t invested in the content they’re talking about, the targeted audience just might tune them out.

6. Work with Experienced Post-Production Audio Professionals

Work with post-production audio professionals and voiceover translation services with long track records of success.

You’ll come across a ton of scenarios where the translation and recording process can go off the rails if not handled properly. There’s several benefits to working in a studio with pros.

  • Quality mics and recording software
  • Warmup time for vocal actors
  • Get comfortable with a translated script
  • Testing different readings to establish the best tone for a project)

By working with veteran audio engineers and translation specialists who understand every step of the process, a voiceover translation service like Summa Linguae Technologies can pull the many technical and translation aspects of a voiceover project together into a cohesive whole.

As a result, this creates a seamless multimedia experience that will get your company’s eLearning, marketing materials and brand out into the wider world.

Contact us today to book a consultation for native voiceover translation talent.

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