Multimedia Localization
What is Multimedia Localization?
Multimedia localization is the process of adapting multimedia content to meet the linguistic, cultural, and technical requirements of a specific target market. Multimedia localization refers to translating and adapting a variety of media, such as videos, audio, graphics, animations, and other interactive elements.
PGLS has the tools and linguistic expertise to localize your multimedia accurately, and quickly. Our professional translators can produce culturally sensitive and high-quality translation in over 200 languages and regional varieties, expertly managed by a team of project managers to ensure efficiency, accuracy, and speed. Get in touch with our team to get a quote for your multimedia localization project.
Types of Multimedia Localization
Subtitling and Captioning
Subtitling and captioning both provide text-based translation of audio in videos, but they serve different purposes and have distinct characteristics. Subtitling refers to translating spoken dialogue into another language for viewers that don’t understand the source language. Captioning, on the other hand, is designed for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing, offering not just translation of spoken dialogue, but also a description of sound effects, music cues, and speaker identification.
Voiceover and Dubbing
Voiceover and dubbing play a key role in making multimedia content accessible and engaging for a multilingual audience. Unlike voiceovers, dubbing requires the translated audio to be a performance of the original, mirroring tone, emotion, and timing. Voiceover is typically more neutral in tone and is not part of the original narrative.
Recent advancements in AI now enable us to leverage machine learning algorithms, natural language processing (NLP), and synthetic voice technologies to translate, generate, and synchronize audio with the original video, along with lip movements and emotions of the speaker.
Graphics and Text Adaptation
Multimedia localization also involves modifying on-screen text, images, or graphics to reflect the language and cultural preferences of the target audience. Often, text labels need to be changed, color schemes adjusted, or visuals redesigned altogether. Recent advancements in AI enable us to make a lot of these changes without needing access to the source files. Generative AI tools can analyze the context of an image and seamlessly replace text, subjects, colors, or animations.