VO-BB - 20 YEARS OLD!

Mike Harrison

Anyone ever accept a job from a foreign studio/client that required you to make changes to the text to more "Americanize" the translation that had already been done?

I quoted a VO rate on a job, and the studio has sent a couple of sentences for audition purposes, telling me to make any changes I feel necessary. But the full script will be approx 3 minutes.

Either I record the audition script as-is, or I can "Americanize" it and offer to do so with the full script (should I get the job), which will obviously take some additional time.

Suggestions? Thanks!
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Lizden · Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 4:12 pm Post subject:

I believe Bish & Tom Test worked on a project like this recently.
_________________
Liz de Nesnera O.A.V. ~ Livin' The VO Dream!
English/French Bilingual VO w/ ISDN
HireLiz.com / liz@hireliz.com

ConnieTerwilliger · Posted: Mon Jan 13, 2014 9:40 pm Post subject:

For the audition, I would make some quick changes to make it "right" for an American audience. In your remarks, state that you made a few quick changes to "Americanize" the script. To do the same with the entire 3 page script is an extra charge of X.
_________________
Playing for a living...
www.voiceover-talent.com
YouTube Channel: http://youtube.com/connieterwilliger

Foog · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 4:28 am Post subject:

Most of my clients are in a non-English speaking market. I've found that they are usually happy to have a native speaker's input. If the script is short I read a take of the original as well as a take or two of a lightly copy edited version as well. Not necessarily applicable to your audition, Mike, but something you may want to consider if you end up doing the full gig. (and adjust your price quote accordingly, as needed)

...on an unrelated note, I notice a distinctively feline visual theme creeping into this thread!

cheers,
Andrew Fogarasi

Lance Blair · M&M Joined: 03 Jun 2007 Posts: 2281 Location: Atlanta

For my clients, it's usually a case of just instinctively throwing in the correct article or idiom on the fly.

...and that's for my American clients! *rimshot*
_________________
Skype: globalvoiceover
and now, http://lanceblairvo.com the blog is there now too!

Mike Harrison · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:10 am Post subject:

Thanks much for the feedback, thus far, folks!

I already quoted for the VO before the issue of localization came up. What would you consider a fair fee for Americanizing the 3-minute script?
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

FinMac · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:16 am Post subject: Americanization

Recently did a job, in Helsinki, where the text needed some "correction".

We spoke to the client on the phone and they agreed to the changes and a fee. The studio charged the client and payed me an extra 75 euros for the work (if I remember correctly).

YMMV

Hope that helps.

Mac
_________________
www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

Mike Harrison · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:29 am Post subject:

Thanks, Mac. That is a big help. Do you remember the length of the script? I don't want to ask too much (or too little).
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.

Bruce · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:30 am Post subject:

I think it all depends on how bad, or off the beam, it is. If it's light correction I just throw it in for free. If it's going to take a thoughtful re-write then anything up to the cost of the narration is fair game.

B
_________________
VO-BB Member #31 Enlisted June, 2005

I'm not a Zoo, but over the years I've played one on radio/TV. .

FinMac · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:23 am Post subject: correction

Think it was roughly 2 minutes. Sorry to say I do not remember exactly. If I go digging around my scripts I might be able to find out.

Part of that fee might have been the fact that we also recorded it both ways, the original and the corrected.

I would guess, depending on how much you need to correct, that somewhere between 50 and 75 Euros would be appropriate.

Hope that helps.

Mac
_________________
www.scottsvoiceover.com - An American voice in Finland

"If you want to get to the top, you have to get off your bottom". (Unknown)

jsgilbert · Posted: Tue Jan 14, 2014 6:39 pm Post subject:

I had an Indonesian client (sadly the owners died in the big Tsunami in 2010). They would give me scraps of English copy, which was supposed to run about 30 - 60 seconds long for quicktime videos for different watch designs.

They were one of the largest novelty watch manufacturers in the world and produced thousands of designs (not all had their own videos though). Watches shaped like different states of the US and varied sporting events and look a likes of some expensive brands, etc.

In the beginning it was a bit rough, but after a while it was quite enjoyable and pretty easy. Then again, I was a copywriter prior to being a voice talent, so there is that.

I did wok in localization for several years, going into English and from English. One aspect to a good localization is paying attention to globalization (meaning that you plan ahead with regards to content and design to make it as easy as possible to move your project into whatever other languages are necessary.

These days though, I see even huge Fortune 100 companies skimping on Globalization and localization, so it's no wonder that foreign conpanies are producing with a firm grip on their Yens or Rubles or Euros.

One of my favorite stories was how an American pharmaceutical company produced a piece originally done in English in Thai and the phrase "under the weather" became loosely translated in Thai to "beneath changing atmospherical conditions".

Yep, sometimes the clients demands can be pretty out there and challenging and then there are other times when you are just expected to be the talent. I was reminded that last year when I was at a studio and the agency folks were spending about 45 minutes trying to cut 2 seconds of copy. I banged on the glass and the engineer said "Yes" and turned my mic on and I said "I have a thought for a little copy snip". The main producer hit the talk back microphone and said "Thank you talent, but we're the ones being paid to have the thoughts today".

And somebody told you this was easy.
_________________
j.s. gilbert

js@jsgilbert.com
www.jsgilbert.com

"today is the first day of the rest of the week"

heyguido · Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:03 am Post subject:

I lol'd so hard I woke the dog.
_________________
Don Brookshire
"Wait.... They wanna PAY me for this?"

Mike Harrison · Posted: Wed Jan 15, 2014 9:30 am Post subject:

Thank you, all, for your invaluable input. As it turned out, once I received the full script, it didn't need too much "Americanizing" beyond applying some of the earlier changes in terminology to the remainder of the text.

So I didn't tack on any additional fee, recorded the script, sent the file last night, and the studio sent full payment (via PayPal) this morning.

We love happy clients!
_________________
Mike
Male Voice Over Talent
I have taken leave of my sensors.