3 Things to Consider Before Language Versioning Your Videos
March 24, 2022

In today’s globalized world, versioning your videos in different languages will open up new markets and new opportunities.  But reaching out to markets you’re unfamiliar with can be challenging, especially when that new market requires you to share your message in a language you’re unfamiliar with.

How can I make sure my video is successful when it gets translated? Let’s take a look at 3 options you should consider before you start working on a foreign-language version of your video:

Translating vs. Localizing

When you translate a video, subtitles are created for an already existing audio track. These subtitles target the same cultural context as the audio track it is synced with. In other words, subtitles only have the same meaning and content as the video’s original subtitles.

Localizing a video means that information or features of a video will be adapted to a specific culture. For example, when you localize a video you could change subtitles to another language but also add extra features such as dubbing in order to improve cultural relevance for local consumers.

Translation vs. Adaptation

Translation and adaptation both involve subtitles being added to videos by third parties but there are differences between these two processes which need to be considered.

Translation is to transfer meaning from one language into another, subtitles for subtitle’s sake. The purpose of subtitles is to help users understand the content by providing a translation that makes sense to them. If you are working on subtitles only it means your original subtitles are the key element in your video’s success because they already exist and have been created to be consumed globally. It would make no sense (and should not be done) to create subtitles first without having an audio track as a reference.

Adaptation is about adapting subtitles to better fit the cultural norms of target audiences, also known as ‘localization’. For example, regional jokes or references will need adaptation; the same goes for idioms, slang terms or wording in source culture could need local adjustments in subtitles in the target culture.

Text-based videos vs. Audio-visual videos

The same kind of subtitles are used for both text-based and audio-visual videos but there are differences between the two in terms of presentation, presentation speed, subtitles length, etc. When translating subtitles for an audiovisual video you need subtitles to be synced with the original track because fast subtitles will make it impossible for people to watch your content.

You must also take into consideration that when working on subtitles for this type of video you’re not just dealing with one language but three : source language, subtitle language, and target language.  That’s triple the amount of work creating subtitles for an audio-visual video compared to simple subtitles.

What are the differences between subtitles and audio dubs?

Subtitles are a direct translation of the video’s dialogue, almost always placed at the bottom of the screen. They convey dialogue in one language only. People who watch it can understand what’s being said even if they don’t speak the language spoken in the video.

Audio dubbing means completely reproducing all dialogue in a language other than the original one. This approach eliminates the need for subtitles.  This is usually done when the market you’re trying to reach is significant and you want to make it as easy as possible for the viewer to take in your message.

In summary, before you version your video[s] in another language, first decide if you want to do a straight translation or an adaptation – that is, making changes to the video content to better suit the new audience. Second, think about whether text-based videos or audio-visual ones will work better in the market you’re targeting. Third, decide between sub-titles and dubbing.  Which one will make it easiest for viewers to understand your message? Which one will increase the likelihood of engaging them?  Once you’ve made these decisions, call us and we can help you get started on creating translations that will reach more customers and boost your bottom line.

If you’d like a professional team to handle your video content, don’t hesitate to send us an email [info@arcandcrown.com] or click  here if you’d like to book a free 30-min video consultation with one of our producers.  The team at Arc and Crown Media would be more than happy to help.

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"Volunteer advocates are at the heart of Diabetes Canada’s efforts to bring about positive change. They represent the voice of the 11.7 million Canadians living with diabetes or pre-diabetes and speak for those who cannot speak up for themselves. Advocates help raise awareness of diabetes and the daily burden of living with the disease. They participate in Diabetes Canada advocacy campaigns and events across the country, and they help influence public policy by building relationships with elected officials in their ridings and promoting Diabetes Canada’s policy recommendations through their personal and professional networks. To support and grow this vital community, Diabetes Canada launched a new advocacy training series designed to make it easier than ever for people to get involved: Speak up & speak out Getting involved is easy Introducing Diabetes Advocacy 👉 Watch the videos and learn more here: DIABETES CANADA Bringing Advocacy to Life With Video Arc + Crown Media partnered with Diabetes Canada to help bring this important advocacy training to life through strategically designed animated videos, we helped make the training: 🎥 Clear and accessible Animation helped break down complex concepts into simple, visually engaging sequences, so viewers instantly grasp key ideas — like what advocacy is, how it works, and how they can participate. 📈 Action-oriented and motivating The pacing and progression were intentionally structured so someone watching could move from curiosity to confidence — ready to take action. Our approach ensured the advocacy training wasn’t just informative — it felt welcoming, inclusive, and empowering to volunteers from all walks of life. Why Animated Training Content Works Training and onboarding content — especially for volunteer programs and advocacy initiatives — needs to be engaging, easy to understand, and repeatable. Animation is uniquely suited to this because it lets you: Illustrate abstract ideas visually (e.g., advocacy processes, decision pathways) Keep attention with motion and visual cues Streamline complex information into digestible chapters Adapt content for web, social channels, and virtual learning platforms By combining animation with thoughtful narrative structure and live footage, Arc & Crown Media helped create a training resource that volunteers can come back to again and again — whenever they need a refresher or want to share training with others. How Arc + Crown Media Can Help Your Organization At Arc + Crown Media, we specialize in strategic video production that helps organizations educate, train, and inspire their audiences. Whether you’re working with: Volunteers Clients or customers Employees and stakeholders Advocates or community members …we can help you build animated and live-action video series that turn complex ideas into clear, compelling content. We specialize in corporate and nonprofit video production that supports long-term communication strategies, not just one-off campaigns. Organizations work with us to create: Animated explainer videos Training and onboarding video libraries Internal communications from leadership teams Culture and employer branding videos Educational and advocacy content This is especially valuable for companies and nonprofits that need to communicate consistently across departments, locations, or audiences. For many of our clients, video becomes a recurring communication asset — helping them save time, improve message clarity, and increase engagement. Here’s what we bring to every project: ✨ Message strategy & script development 🎬 High-quality animated and live action production 📊 Content designed for multi-platform use 🤝 Collaborative creative process tailored to your mission Video isn’t just storytelling — it’s a strategic communication tool that scales your training, expands engagement, and aligns audiences around your mission. Ready to Make Video Work for You? If your organization needs: Training and onboarding content Advocacy or awareness campaigns Educational or mission-driven storytelling Animated explanation videos …video can be one of the most effective ways to communicate. Looking for Animated or Training Video Production in Canada? If your organization is planning: Volunteer or employee training programs Advocacy or awareness initiatives Internal communications strategies Educational content for clients or stakeholders Professional video production can dramatically improve how your message is understood and remembered. Arc + Crown Media is a Canadian video production company specializing in animated and live-action video content for training, internal communications, and advocacy. We help organizations communicate complex ideas clearly and connect with their audiences authentically. 👉 Contact Arc & Crown Media to learn how video can support your communication goals. Arc + Crown Media creates video content that helps organizations communicate clearly, connect authentically, and scale their impact. Let’s talk about your next video project and how we can help you achieve your goals.
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