Audio-Description Process

         The process of producing effective Audio-Description includes many steps starting from the selection of audio and studio gear to the processing, mixing and mastering of voices and sounds.

          A lot of considerations must be taken into account in the production process. In-depth insights could be learnt about the definition of Audio-Description and the process of script writing, if you take a look at the following Playlists:

What is Audio-Description?

What is Audio-Description?

What is Script Writing?

What is Script Writing?

What is Creative Writing?

What is Documentary Research?

This post highlights one of the main skills required in the industry of translation and interpreting. Indeed, Documentary Research is now a crucial component of any educational or training curriculum in translation and interpreting.

Both professional and would-be translators and interpeters need to attain high-level Documentary Research skills in order to ascertain their final products are accurate, efficient and consistent. They will have to dig out all the available databases and resources by using advanced techniques of research.

Here is a list of videos which deals with the topic of Documentary Research, its benefits and its techniques. This list will of course be updated, you could save it by adding it to your favourite links in order to access it later easily: Documentary Research

Free CAT Tools Tutorials

In addition to the mastery of languages, the practice of translation requires the mastery of at least one CAT Tool. In order to get started, there are a lot of free tutorials which would help you master the basics of CAT Tools. Follow the links below to benefit for free from our selection of tutorials of the main tools in the Translation Industry:

SDL Trados Tutorials

MemoQ Tutorials

MateCat Tutorials

Wordfast Tutorials

OmegaT Tutorials

Across Tutorials

STAR Transit Tutorials

Selections of introductory videos to this topic are curated here:

CAT Tools [English] 

CAT Tools [Arabic]

Check the label CAT Tools out for updates on relative topics.

Audiovisual Translation (Studies & Industry)

                       
               The world of Audiovisual Translation is vast.


                           

          If you are keen to learn more, check our previous posts via the label: Audiovisual Translation or watch the playlists curated for you. The first is entitled Audiovisual Translation Worlds. You will find a set of videos which have been selected and organized to introduce you to the wide range of areas in this field. The second playlist is focused on Audiovisual Translation Challenges.

          If you have any questions or you need more explanation, do not hesitate to get in touch or leave your comments below

Free Video-Editing Software

With a bit of creativity, anyone can make stunning creations. Many free video-editing (desktop, online and mobile software) were developed for beginners. These software have pro-like features, because they enable you to edit, cut, crop and trim your video clips in no time. Thus, they are used for subtitling as well eventhough they are not designed primarily for this purpose. Besides, in addition to their user-friendly interface, they provide themes, fonts and transitions that are similar to the ones offered by professional editions of paid software the mastery of which requires time and long years of practice. Moreover, you could edit your videos by adding your voice recordings to produce your audio-description and voice-over creations. Furthermore, you could insert multiple video and audio tracks. The only disadvantage is that some of them have big watermarks or logos that are sometimes annoying.

Direct links to the websites of some these software are listed below. The first two can be used online. There is no rationale behind the classificlation of the other software, so maybe in the future in-depth reviews will be added.

Link: WEVIDEO
Link: PANZOID
Link: SHOTCUT
Link: LIGHTWORKS (Award Winner)
Link: DAVINCIRESOLVE
Link: KDENLIVE
Link: AVIDEMUX
Link: VSDC
Link: FILMORA
Link: OPENSHOT
Link: Cyberlink POWERDIRECTOR
Link: WINDOWS MOVIE MAKER
Link: CINELERRA
Link: VIDEOPAD
Link: iMOVIE
Link: AVS VIDEO EDITOR
Link: AVISYNTH


This list is not exhausted and it will be updated soon.


Sample projects edited by Master Students can be watched here: Audiodescription Projects ; Subtitling Projects

If you have acquired advanced knowledge about the above-mentioned software and would like to share your experience, your feedback is greatly appreciated. If you are a newbie, keep asking questions! Check this post out later for more info or subscribe to get the newsletter of this blog directly in your inbox.

Subtitling Software: Wincaps Q4

Wincaps Q4 is a subtitling software used by many universities to train would-be subtitlers. It is also used by companies which prefer to use the technique of "re-speaking" to increase productivity.

A playlist of Videos is available to guide you step-by-step in using it.

However, this software is not free. You could download this software for a 7-day trial period. Follow the link for more details: Wincaps Q4 (Official Software Website).

If you would like to have an idea about free subtitling software, take a look at our previous post: Free Subtitle-Editing Tools

Check this post out later for more explanations or you may want to subscribe to get more info in your inbox.

Networking for Professional Interpreters

There are many platforms and resources for interpreters looking for opportunities to enhance their skills or acuique new ones. Some of them are listed below:

Workshops for Interpreter Skills Exchange (WISE)

WISE An initiative which had the Community Award. Many speeches for practice are availabe on Youtube.

InterpretimeBank

You could check some insightful youtube videos related to this topic here:

Translation & Interpreting Technology

Free Subtitle-Editing Tools

Below is a non-exhaustive list of the best free subtitle editing software:

• Aegisub
• SubtitleEdit
• Subtitle Workshop
• Open Subtitle Editor
• Gnome Subtitles
• Pitivi
• SubtitleCreator
• Submagic
• SubViewer4
• Gaupol
• VisualSubSync
• WinSubMux

Online/Web application do not require any downloading, if you do not want to install more software:

• http://www.sync-subtitles.com/
• http://www.subsedit.com/
• https://amara.org/en/
• http://subtitle-horse.com/
• https://www.captionsmaker.com/
• FiveLoadSub/

This list will be updated. Descriptions of these software will be added later.
See more here: Wikipedia
If you want to learn more, check out the label: Subtitling

Translation Project Management Software for Newbies

Below are listed some Translation Project Management Software:

1. Free Software:

• http://www.clockingit.com/
• 
  

2. Paid Software:

• http://www.projetex.com/
• https://www.xtrf.eu/
• http://www.quahill.com/en/index.html
• http://www.smartsheet.com/task-management?u=QJ6862404&bdg=3
• http://www.translationprojex.com/translation-project-management-software/
• https://tranwise.com/
• https://webtranslateit.com/en
• http://www.gespoint.com/index_EN.aspx
• https://www.pairaphrase.com/
• http://www.wordbee.com/

3. Comparison:

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_project_management_software
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ERP_software_packages
• http://www.capterra.com/translation-management-software/

You may find more articles on Translation Software here: CAT Tools, Localization, 

What are the advantages of CAT tools?

       The term Computer-assisted Translation (CAT) does not refer to Machine translation (MT) of texts which is provided for free by many engines and websites such as Google translate, Reverso and Bing. CAT refers rather to the human translation which is facilitated by desktop computers and the software installed on them. These software are called CAT tools. They have many features which cannot be ensured by a human being, so the translator uses them as tools to improve his performance and to increase his daily output. Indeed, CAT tools have many advantages when working on big projects, especially technical ones, because they will not help much in literary or creative translation.

 

               

         So, one may cite that:

1. CAT tools help the translator keep track of his previous work by creating Translation Memories "TMs" which enable him to save time when translating recurrent expressions or similar ones.

2. CAT tools enable him to keep Term Bases "TBs" which enable him to be consistent in all the translated documents, i.e. using the same terminology along the project.

3. The translator can even use the client's TMs and TBs when required, consequently this will save him a great deal of research.

4. CAT tools enable the translator to have a machine translation from his workbench. All he has to do is to set his preferences when creating the translation project.
5. The translator can align his previously translated documents

6. They enable the translator to work on all types of formats and to save the translated documents in multiple formats.

7. Some CAT tools have servers which allow the translators to work on projects in teams.

8. Wordfast anywhere, for example, allows the translators to access the user-friendly environment wherever they might be and to share their TMs free of charge.

N.B: You can download free trial versions of these software and some of them are open-source.

More posts on CAT can be found here.

Visual Localization tools for newbies

   

 

The most common localization tools are:

• Alchemy Catalyst

http://www.alchemysoftware.com/

• SDL Passolo:

http://www.sdl.com/products/sdl-passolo/

• Lingobit Localizer Standard: 

http://www.lingobit.com/products/compare.html

• Sisulizer Translator:

http://www.sisulizer.com/localization/steps/localization-step-2-translate-text.shtml

• Multilizer Pro for Translators: 

http://www2.multilizer.com/

Localization tools for newbies

         As far as language industry is concerned, there are different types of localization. Simple definitions of these types are as follows:

• Language localization, the process of translating a product into different languages or adapting a product for a specific country or region.
• Internationalization and localization, the adaptation of computer software for non-native environments, especially other nations and cultures (Webtranslateit)
• Game localization, refers to the preparation of video games for other locales.

• Dub localization, the adaptation of a movie or television series for another audience.

                                                                       (Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Localization)

        We may also talk about Website localization or internationalization which refer to the translation of the website content either into a local language or into an international one. The main tools which may help achieve this purpose online are (GlobalizeIt, Bablic).

       The videos that I have chosen for you are a comparison between two Localization tools, Catalyst and SDL Passolo. See how each tool localizes the application "notepad.exe" and a ".resx" file.

Link: Catalyst, SDL Passolo, 

          You may also want to check: Translation Exchange, Pairaphrase, GlobalizeIt, POEditor.com/

Free CAT tools videos for newbies

Learning through videos could be a step before deciding on the CAT Tool you would like to use. We have curated for you many videos which will introduce you to the main features of the CAT Tools available in the market. Click on the external links below to watch some videos for free:

SDL Trados Tutorials

MemoQ Tutorials

MateCat Tutorials

OmegaT Tutorials


Across Tutorials

Here is a link to a website which I recommend for any newbie.

The website offers 21 videos absolutely free. Unfortunately, you cannot download them, you have to watch them online. So, just take notes!

The videos will help you to compare the available CAT tools with a very easy-to-follow narrated video presentations. Watch how each tool performs the same task: translating a simple Word document. 

Follow the link below, select the CAT tools, then click on the tool icon to see more information.

Link: http://www.translatorstraining.com/sito/index.php

There is also a premium content that you can watch and download if you register.