LOOK, LISTEN, LEARN:

IDEAL COURSES IN
AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION
TRAINING

Dr Fotios Karamitroglou, AUEB / Softitler Inc.

The Modes of AV Transfer

Subtitling vs. Revoicing:
Worlds Apart

The Mode of Subtitling

a) Interlingual subtitling
b) Intralingual/monolingual subtitling

Additional Subtitling Tasks

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)

Proofreading
Correlation
Rematch
Typing from a dubbed video
Script typing
Image QC
Translation of a DVD menu

Proofreading
Key qualities:
thorough knowledge of subtitling
constraints
top-class SL competence
fluency in mother tongue
acute perception
tolerance towards translators choices
ability to make new suggestions

Correlation
Key qualities:
all previous proofreading qualities
knowledge of AV distribution market
familiarisation with subtitling equipment
text editing (including semantics,
stylistics and pragmatics)

Rematch
Key qualities:
all previous correlation qualities
text distribution
line division
duration

Typing from Dubbed Video &

Typing from Script
Key qualities:
text editing
awareness of spatiotemporal constraints

Image QC
Key qualities:
idiosyncratic use of punctuation and
paralinguistic features

Translation of DVD Menus

Key qualities:
tips on translation of publicity texts
technical translation guidelines
knowledge of DVD as a medium

Interlingual Subtitling Course

Key modules:
1) Introduction to cinematography and analysis of filmmaking procedures
2) Introduction to the sociology and market of the AV media
3) Introduction to cinematic language
4) Advanced semantics or semiotics
5) Advanced stylistics and pragmatics
6) Selective analysis of SL literary texts
7) Selective analysis of TL literary texts
8) Introduction to subtitling history
9) Extensive analysis of spatial subtitling constraints
10) Extensive analysis of temporal subtitling constraints
11) Extensive analysis of the idiosyncratic use of punctuation
and paralinguistic features in subtitling
12) Line division guidelines
13) Editing techniques
14) Familiarisation with subtitling software/hardware
15) 3-6 months placement with a subtitling company

Interlingual Subtitling Course

Entry requirements*:
a) a good language degree in the
designated SL; and/or
b) a good translation degree in the
designated SL-TL combination

* Knowledge of Translation Theory and General

Translation Methods is presupposed

Interlingual Subtitling Course

Assessment:
written exams for modules 1-15
subtitling project (800-1000 subs)
certificate of attendance for the
placement period

Intralingual/monolingual
subtitling
Key qualities:
understand the needs of the deaf and
HoH community
thorough knowledge of subtitling
standards
good cinematic knowledge
excellent command of the mother
tongue
mastery of subtitling equipment

Intralingual Subtitling Course

Key modules:
1) Introduction to cinematography and analysis of filmmaking procedures
2) Introduction to the sociology and market of the AV media
3) Introduction to cinematic language
4) Advanced semantics or semiotics
5) Advanced stylistics and pragmatics
6) Psychology and Sociology of Deaf and HoH people
7) Selective analysis of TL literary texts
8) Introduction to subtitling history
9) Extensive analysis of spatial subtitling constraints
10) Extensive analysis of temporal subtitling constraints
11) Extensive analysis of the idiosyncratic use of punctuation
and paralinguistic features in subtitling
12) Line division guidelines
13) Editing techniques
14) Familiarisation with subtitling software/hardware
15) 3-6 months placement with a subtitling company

Intralingual Subtitling Course

Entry requirements:
a) a good language degree in the TL;
and/or
b) a good degree in the psychology of the
deaf
Assessment:
Tripartite Scheme applied on Interlingual
Subtitling Course

The Mode of Revoicing

a) Lip-sync dubbing
b) Narration/voice-over
c) Free commentary

Dubbing
Key qualities:
thorough knowledge of phonetics
awareness of temporal constraints
casting abilities
loop scheduling
performance staging
sound engineering
voice acting

Dubbing Course
Key modules:
1) Introduction to cinematography and analysis of filmmaking procedures
2) Introduction to the sociology and market of the AV media
3) Introduction to cinematic language
4) Advanced semantics or semiotics
5) Advanced stylistics and pragmatics
6) Selective analysis of SL literary texts
7) Selective analysis of TL literary texts
8) Advanced phonetics and phonology
9) Introduction to dubbing history
10) Extensive analysis of temporal dubbing constraints
11) Extensive analysis of visual constraints
12) Basic acting parameters
13) Familiarisation with sound studio facilities and recording
equipment
14) 3-6 months placement with a dubbing company

Dubbing Course
Entry requirements*:
a) a good language degree in the
designated SL; and/or
b) a good translation degree in the
designated SL-TL combination

* Knowledge of Translation Theory and General

Translation Methods is presupposed

Dubbing Course
Entry requirements (continued):
c) a good degree in cinematography*
*provided they first attend a crash course that
comprises:
- General Linguistics
- Syntax/Grammar
- Contrastive Analysis (SL-TL)
- Translation Theory
- General Translation Methods

Dubbing Course
Assessment:
written exams for modules 1-14
dubbing project (about 15 min, at least
5 different personas)
certificate of attendance for the
placement period

Voice-over
Key qualities:
knowledge of cinematic issues
mild and pleasant voice

Voice-over Course
Key modules:
1) Introduction to cinematography and analysis of filmmaking procedures
2) Introduction to the sociology and market of the AV media
3) Introduction to cinematic language
4) Advanced semantics or semiotics
5) Advanced stylistics and pragmatics
6) Selective analysis of SL literary texts
7) Selective analysis of TL literary texts
8) Extensive analysis of temporal voice-over constraints
9) Extensive analysis of visual constraints
10) Familiarisation with sound studio facilities and recording
equipment
11) 2-4 months placement with a voice-over company

Voice-over Course
Entry requirements*:
a) a good language degree in the
designated SL; and/or
b) a good translation degree in the
designated SL-TL combination

* Knowledge of Translation Theory and General

Translation Methods is presupposed

Voice-over Course
Assessment:
written exams for modules 1-11
voice-over project (about 30 min, 5000
words of text)
certificate of attendance for the
placement period

Free commentary
Outside the scope of AV Translation proper
Key qualities:
good SL-TL knowledge
basic familiarisation with General
Translation Methods

Audio Description
Key qualities:
psychology of the blind and visually
impaired
Knowledge of revoicing standards
good cinematic knowledge
excellent command of the mother
tongue
thorough knowledge of recording
equipment

Audio Description Course

Key modules:
1) Introduction to cinematography and analysis of filmmaking procedures
2) Introduction to the sociology and market of the AV media
3) Introduction to cinematic language
4) Advanced semantics or semiotics
5) Advanced stylistics and pragmatics
6) Psychology of the blind and visually impaired
7) Selective analysis of TL literary texts
8) Extensive analysis of temporal voice-over constraints
9) Extensive analysis of visual constraints
10) Familiarisation with sound studio facilities and recording
equipment
11) 2-4 months placement with an audio description or
voice-over company

Audio Description Course

Entry requirements:
a) a good language degree in the TL;
and/or
b) a good degree in the psychology of the
blind
Assessment:
Tripartite Scheme applied on Interlingual
Subtitling Course

Flexibility of Courses
To be tailored as per the needs and aims
of every institution:
Course duration
Course level
Credit system

A Call for Proper AV Training

Mutant reading habits:
(90 min) x (1000 subs) x (6 words) x (4
movies per week) = 1 book per month!

AV Translation Training
in the Academia and the Market

MA in Audiovisual Translation, University of Surrey (UK)

http://www.surrey.ac.uk/lcts/cts/pgprog/mainavtranslation.htm
MA/PGDip in Audiovisual Translation, Roehampton University (UK) http://
www.roehampton.ac.uk/pg/avt/index.html
MA in Screen Translation, University of Sheffield (UK) http://www.shef.ac.uk/mltc/courses/pg/subtitling
MA in Monolingual Subtitling and Audio Description, University of Surrey (UK)
http://www.surrey.ac.uk/lcts/cts/pgprog/mainmonsubauddescription.htm
MA in Screen Translation Studies (interlingual and intralingual subtitling, and multimedia translation),
University of Leeds (UK) http://www.smlc.leeds.ac.uk/cts/cts_content/ma_programmes/masts.asp
MA in Translation Studies (with general Audiovisual Translation option), University of Manchester (UK)
http://www.llc.manchester.ac.uk/Research/Centres/CentreforTranslationandInterculturalStudies/MAPro
gramme/
Screen Translation course at BA/MA level, Centre for Translation & Lexicography, University of
Copenhagen (Denmark) http://www.hum.ku.dk/translationstudies/
Audiovisual Translation: Theory and Practice module at the School of English of the Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki (Greece) http://www.enl.auth.gr/under/findex.htm
Crash course in Subtitling, Glossologia Institute, Athens (Greece)
http://www.glossologia.gr/html/en/sub/studies/sub/translation/subtitling.html
Seminar course in Subtitling, Titelbild Subtitling Agency, Berlin (Germany)
http://www.titelbild.de/english/courses.htm
Intensive Courses in Translation for the Media (Italian & Spanish) including subtitling, voice-over and
dubbing, Centre for Language Studies, City University, London (UK)
http://www.city.ac.uk/languages/translation_for_media.html
1 year course in Dubbing, Scuola di Cinema Immagina, Florence (Italy)
http://www.cinemaimmagina.it/eng/doppiaggio.htm
Part-time course in Dubbing, The Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, (Hong Kong)
http://www.hkapa.edu/asp/general/general_part_time_course_detail.asp?
performanceid=2224&lang=eng&mode=gui
Dubbing workshop in the Summer School of the Universidad Francisco de Vitoria, Madrid (Spain)
http://www.spanishacademics.com/course/SUMMER_SCHOOLUNIVERSIDAD_FRANCISCO_DE_VITORIA_(UFV)-MADRID-SPAIN-1385-11.html
Voicetrax Studio Voice-over course (USA) http://www.voiceover-training.com/
Dan Balestreros online Voice-over course (USA)
http://www.actortips.com/products/voice_over_work.htm