Multilingual Voice Over Services: An Overview

In today’s digital age, video content for games, business purpose, TV and radio commercials, and animated movies is one of the most effective ways companies connect to their audience. Multilingual voice over enables the same video to be understood in multiple languages, reducing costs and cutting production timescales.

With regard to the above subject, do you know who the people behind the voices of video content are? They are voice over actors. Now, the questions are, what is a multilingual voice over service, why do we need this service, and how to find a multilingual voice over service.

What is a multilingual voice over service?

Multilingual voice over is a voice recording in several languages used to overlay animations, presentations, safety videos, and user guide videos.

Voice over services covers a complete range of specialty products that voice over talents offer to clients. It is important to remember that voice over services depends on the quality and style of your voice. This means that the service you offer enhances the natural style and voiceover skills you offer.

For video content, as you can see and enjoy, are the product of voice over services.

What is the Process for Recording a Multilingual Voice Over?

1. Prepare the Script with the Time Marked

Mark the script with a time for each sentence (two ways to time the script); this represents the specific order in which the final footage will appear in the video and for how long. This first step is critical to a successful delivery because the voice over studio can properly edit the recording to make it work properly and match the video. Therefore, the sound studio can record properly so that it works well and matches the video.

Time stamps are important because some languages require more words to express an idea. Text can expand by up to 50%, depending on the source and target languages. The time stamps help the translators spot areas where the words may not fit in the time allotted. They can find ways to condense the language without changing the message.

For example, a Russian speaker speaks approximately 120 words per minute (2 words per second), and an English speaker speaks an average of 150 words per minute (2.5 words per second).

2. Translate the Script by Professional Translators

Once the source script is ready, professional translators will translate the text into their native language. Depending on the target audience, specialist translators, i.e., legal translators, medical translators, technical translators, will be involved in this process. A second and equally experienced translator then proofreads the draft translation to ensure that the translated and corrected text is ready for recording.

3. Voice Recording in a Professional Studio

The recording is done in a professional studio using state-of-the-art recording equipment. Multilingual voice over is difficult to record because studio technicians usually don’t understand foreign languages. For this reason, foreign voice over artists work closely with the studio team to achieve the desired audio file. In this case, the client can visit the studio in person.

4. Editing and Re-Recording

Select the voice artists for each multilingual voice over project to meet client needs. These artists not only record the necessary scripts in their native language, but they also review the recorded files once the recording is complete, assist and re-record any parts that may need to be changed.

5. Delivery to the Client in the Required Format

For the delivery project, use the agreed format, e.g., .wav, MP3, or other required formats.

Why Do We Need a Multilingual Voice Over Service?

We need a multilingual voice over service because they provide various benefits, especially for those who work in the below sectors:

1. In Business Sector

A voice over service is important for small-scale and large-scale business domains, as it gives a professional touch to the corporate process. Finance, insurance, products-development, services-focused disciplines, and more rely on voice over to get their business message and processes to reach a global consumer base. The main goal of any voice over service is to enhance the way one connects with the target audience.

People are looking for multilingual voice over services such as Arabic voice over, Mandarin voice over, English voice over mostly for their business purpose.

Multilingual voice over services can connect with multilingual customers because voice over is available in several languages. For example, businesses that produce health and safety videos for their staff can use foreign language voice recordings for the same videos and distribute them to their overseas subsidiaries or use them in China for staff whose mother tongue is not Chinese.

2. Media and Broadcasting Companies

Television channels, documentary platforms, and films use voice over to gain extra audiences as each individual will understand the playlist content effectively. View ratings will be higher if video content is available in their native language.

In this case, many people prefer to receive voice over services because they can follow information better when they hear it, and they won’t miss a sentence or two by looking away for a moment. When there is more than one speaker or character, the different voices allow viewers to distinguish between speakers and understand dialogue more easily.

So, in other words, voice over services are useful in media and broadcasting companies. They really make a big impact on getting listeners’ attention.

Where to Find a Multilingual Voice Over Service?

If you are in need of multilingual voice over services for your video content or business purpose, here is some information for your consideration.

1. General Freelancer Site

Most of these general freelancer sites have a voice over category, but many of the voices offered on this site are unprofessional. Most likely, they have not attended formal training, have limited experience, and have substandard equipment.

Using this freelancer site is not recommended because the sound and audio quality are not good and make viewers unable to watch it.

But if you only need to translate the video into a couple of languages and have the time to spend reviewing and qualifying subcontractors, it will certainly be more cost-effective to hire freelancers directly on one of the general freelancer sites.

2.  Voice Over Marketplace

It can be a pretty smart effort to find a real voice for your explainer, and if you prefer to work directly with talented voice overs, it will save you money than contacting an agency directly.

However, the job you offer will not attract talented voice overs if the rate you offer them is too low unless your budget is at industry standard rates. Usually, the lower the rate, the less experience the voice artist has. It’s also possible that you’ll be auditioning for a voice over of the artist you’re looking for, and this will take some time to listen and decide who you’re going to hire.

3. Non-Exclusive Voice Over Agency

This voice over agency will provide the best and most talented voices. They can usually help you with other services, such as transcription and translation, subtitles, casting, recording, and post-production. This is more expensive than contacting an individual translator or voice talent directly. But, it will save you a lot of time and improve the overall quality and consistency of the project. This option is advisable for multi-voice or multi-language annotation projects.

4. Exclusive Voice Over Agency

Many professional talents join this exclusive voice over agency, such as celebrities, comedians, and actors. These talented professionals can help explain explanations to new audiences.

To Conclude

If you want to hire a voice over service, please pay attention to the sound of voice over narration. It must be attractive to attract subscribers or viewers to your video content.

In addition to having a good voice, voice over narration requires the right tone and style to meet the requirements. Make sure your content gets the sound right and that you can deliver it at the highest quality.

Only a reputable multilingual voice over service can provide you with a professional voice over service that knows the correct language tone and style, your business, and your script. Likewise, they can give you the most desired results you would expect from an ad.