Movie & Video
high-quality dubbing and subtitling services
We provide subtitling services in Italian and translation services for voice dubbing in Italian, for your Hindi or English films and TV series
We provide accurate and consistently high-quality dubbing and subtitling services in Italian. We guarantee reliability and linguistic accuracy, while always maintaining a cultural
We’re humans, not machines. And that’s a good thing!
Unlike the modern trend of using software for the translation of dialogues in cinema or television, we believe in preserving the artistic integrity of the original work by having the subtle but enormously important job of translating dialogue done by real people. Not only does this ensure the accuracy of the translation we produce, but also involves the engaging of human passion, emotion and intelligence in the work that we do. The ability of a human translator to take into account the bigger picture of the narrative and the uniquely human context of every line uttered, is something that even the most sophisticated translation software lacks. Language is replete with words, expressions and verses that are challenging to translate into a different language even for the best of linguists.
To weave between these possibilities and apparent impossibilities of translation, to know what words and phrases sound natural and what is never used in a given language, and to allow your audience to connect on a real, emotional level with your art, a human mind is indispensable. Especially since cinema often deals with a plethora of intricate themes on the nature of humanity itself.
The current state of technology can only offer us very basic and often only barely comprehensible translations of what is essentially the poetic backbone of cinema: it’s words. In an age of mass production and scarce time, where most turn to technology to achieve volume, we are here to offer you unmatched quality.
Dubbing vs. Subtitling
While we offer both dubbing and subtitling services, it is important to make a distinction between the two, as they impact the viewership very differently.
Dubbing
- To change the original spoken language of a film or television programme into another language.
- Dubbing a foreign language film lets the viewer engage visually with the film, while they listen to the dialogue in their own language. This allows ease of consumption and a more natural engagement for the viewer. Dubbing is a very popular option for commercial cinema, and is a standard in many European countries.
Subtitling
- Adding printed words over a film in a foreign language to translate what is being said by the actors.
Subtitling a foreign language film retains the voices of the original actors, and as a result their vocal
qualities, tones, and the rhythms of the original language. This preserves the authenticity of the film,
and permits artistic aspects of the original actor to come through. Subtitling is favored by art house
cinema fans, lovers of a certain language, film students etc.
To decide which one is right for your project, there are three aspects that you have to take into consideration: your target audience, your technical possibilities, and your budget.
Our dubbing service is your ticket to the Italian audience.
Cinema in Italy has a rich history full of many notable filmmakers and distinguished works. Home to many film festivals including the oldest film festival in the world, the Venice Film Festival, Italy has carved itself a prestigious niche in the world of global cinema.
The Italian approach to foreign cinema, like it’s approach to filmmaking in general, is a unique one. While many countries are content to accept foreign films that have been subtitled in their language, the Italian audiences are distinct, in that they desire to watch movies that are entirely in Italian. This creates the necessity for all foreign language films to be dubbed into Italian to appeal to the wider audience. This also means that fewer foreign language films are successfully introduced in Italy as a result. For any foreign language film to be introduced in Italy, whether in cinemas for the general public, to major film distributors, or to film festivals, artfully and accurately constructed dubbing in Italian is a prerequisite.
The Italian dubbing industry is said to be the best in the world, and a lot of care is taken when dubbing a film to meet the high standards and expectations of the Italian audience. As native Italians who have worked with RAI (Radiotelevisione italiana) in the past, we are experienced in the process of dubbing foreign cinema, and have worked on dubbing numerous works of Hindi cinema in Italian.
We are here to offer our invaluable experience in this field to your next project.
The importance of good translation
In today’s world of global interaction and sharing of art across wider audiences than ever before, dubbing and subtitling are an effective way to make your video accessible to a foreign audience and is essential for movie studios that aspire to release their films in foreign markets. Translating a film script is a delicate task whose significance is obvious to both filmmakers, as well as the audience. The translation services in cinema today have a pressing need to be culturally sensitive and accurate, without distorting the original message of the video. Words, whether spoken or written, are crucial to video and film. The dangers of getting them wrong can be disastrous. Not only can they make the film incomprehensible, but can also convey the wrong ideas, unwanted meanings, or even provoke mockery of an otherwise serious subject. While bad translations can ruin the artistic and cultural value of the film, great translations, accurately and artfully rendered, can enhance the value and experience of your film for your audiences.
We deliver quality because we understand that..
Pani Puris are not pancakes!
It is essential to maintain an accurate image – word association in all instances. Subtitles in cinema must always guarantee a coherent interrelation between the image seen on the screen and the translated text that appears in relation to it. For example, an Indian character, eating Indian food, should not call the food by an Italian name. This creates a disconnect for the audience between the visual story they are perceiving, and the verbal story they are being told.
Ghalib is not Shakespeare!
Names, places, things etc. that are specific to the geographical, historical and cultural context of the original work can not simply be swapped out and replaced by ones that are more familiar to the target audience. This replacement of cultural markers is a transgression that still happens today, but we recognize that the modern audiences are not naive, and wish to be communicated to, truthfully, about the cultural nuances of a different place and time. Failing which, this also creates a disconnect for the audience between the visual story they are perceiving, and the verbal story they are being told.
When lips move, words must be said!
Sound gaps may at times exist on film for various reasons, and are especially common in Indian films. Inaudibly spoken words by an extra, words removed due to inappropriateness or age restrictions, or a particular voice simply not being dubbed in a scene due to it being ‘unimportant’. For the Italian audience, it is important for every person who is seen to speak on film, to have a clear and understandable voice. We ensure that such sound gaps do not exist in film.
Art imitates life!
A good film’s dialogue is above all realistic, and flows as naturally as it does in real life. When film dialogue is translated for dubbing and subtitling, it must at all times follow the same rule, or risk sabotaging the immersiveness of the experience for the audience. Badly written dialogue always pulls us out of the movie and makes us aware that we are, in fact, only watching a movie and nothing more. Bad subtitles undoubtedly do the same.
It’s not only about what is said, but what isn’t!
The translation of a spoken sentence does not exist in a vacuum. Our work is defined by our ability to understand the overarching intent of the dialogue and the essence of the scene, while retaining the uniqueness of the characters, the mood, style etc.
Translations can not always be literal!
Our real world experience of having lived in India grants us familiarity with metaphors, phrases, similes, idioms, figures of speech, humor etc. in the Hindi language, and the proficiency to localize and adapt them into Italian while paying attention to the cultural context in which they appear. The nuances of a spoken and written language must also be translated into the viewer’s language.
Speech must flow with their source!
In the case of dubbing, the spoken length of the translated sentence must be the same as the one in the original language, to prevent the translated dialogue from ending before or after the movement of the actors’ lips has stopped. Moreover, the syllables of the translated sentence are to be carefully synchronized with the movement of the lips, in order to enhance the perception that the spoken words are truly the actors’ own.
Engage, don’t overwhelm!
In the case of subtitles, each line of the film must generally fit the same time–space as the line in the original language, in order to maintain a comfortable reading rate for the viewer. This requires attention to the screen time given to every spoken sentence, available screen space, number of characters allotted for each line that takes into account the average reading speed, etc.
Why choose us?
- We are Natives of Italy, and Italian is our first language. We leave no room for any linguistic errors, grammatical or otherwise, and our mastery of the language outdoes that of someone who has trained in Italian as their second or third language. This is an important aspect that enhances our ability to work with material that is meant to be conversationally and culturally authentic, such as film dialogue.
- We are linguists, who have spent time living and working in India, learning the language, and have considerable real world experience communicating with the natives of India on an everyday basis. Our familiarity with the language, the culture, and the lived experience of life in India places us in a unique position to be mediators of this art form. We understand the linguistic and cultural nuances of Indian cinema, and translate them appropriately back to Italian audiences in a context understandable and relatable to them.
We have worked with Radiotelevisione italiana or RAI (The National Public broadcasting Company of Italy) in Italy to dub numerous Hindi films broadcasted for the Italian audience. Watch samples of our work (ADD LINK).
Passion for cinema – Our team is passionate about world Cinema, and Indian cinema in particular. We have journeyed through Bollywood cinema at every step of the way, following every major movement since its inception. A couple of our major pleasures include:
Multilingualism that gives a voice to differe nt social classes and ethnic groups. Songs that give voice to the unspeakable
We look forward to working with
