As society changes, the skills needed for translating television shows and films are evolving. Subtitling translates a script into other languages, and the translation appears as written text at the bottom of the screen. Dubbing, on the other hand, is when the translation is used to create a new soundtrack, making it appear as if the people on screen are speaking the audience’s language. High-quality dubbing requires the translation to be faithful to the original’s creative intent and the emotions being conveyed on screen.
With technological advances in the media localisation sector and wider societal changes relating to the use of sensitive language, people working in this field need the relevant knowledge and skills to deliver top-quality outputs. Netflix wants to drive higher alignment with professional translators and adapters in the dubbing companies it works with, plus provide opportunities for individuals from diverse backgrounds to gain skills in this field.
Given his expertise in media localisation, Netflix approached Professor Jorge Díaz-Cintas from UCL’s Centre for Translation Studies (CenTraS) to design, develop and launch a training programme in the creation of adapted scripts for dubbing.
With support from UCL Consultants, this training has been delivered in numerous countries across the world.