Defining Visualmedia Translation

The term “visualmedia translation” has seen a tremendous change in the last few years. The world has become much more accessible because of the internet, cable TV, DVDs and satellite broadcasting. As a result, visualmedia translation has gained ground as a new skill for those who want to make the effort to learn a language, and at the same time enjoy visualmedia content from around the world. Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy takes pride in the role it has played in the development of the industry.

Aspiring visualmedia translators should start with the first step of understanding exactly what visualmedia translation is, and then being clear about whether or not it is a skill that they should actually aim for. As with most professions, success as a professional visualmedia translator requires both passion and a full understanding of the industry.

JVTA defines visualmedia translation as follows: the skillful application of well-developed techniques for localizing diversified foreign-language visualmedia material for presentation to an unlimited audience.

The target of the visualmedia translation is given as “diversified foreign-language visualmedia material.” In short, this means that all foreign-language visualmedia content is material for the work of visualmedia translators, including films and dramas, news, information and documentary programs, corporate and product promotional videos, and video games.

Not confining oneself to a particular genre at the learning stage and instead intentionally gaining exposure to a wide variety of material is an effective way of increasing one’s chances of becoming a professional in a short period of time.

The well-known methods for visualmedia translation can be broadly divided into subtitles and voiceovers, but even within the category of subtitles, there exist different ways of thinking about word or character limits with respect to line-driven films or dramas, and informational or interview programs that contain a lot of ad-lib speaking. Even within a single genre, the localization and subtitling tend to vary according to demographics and other factors.

Voiceovers can also be broadly divided into two categories: lip-syncing, used for film and dramas, in which voice actors tailors their performances, to the point of matching the movements of the characters mouths to make it seem as if they were actually speaking in Japanese; and the standard voice-over approach used in news and information programs, in which the original speech faintly remains in the background, with the Japanese added over the top, and the emphasis placed on the amount of information in Japanese, rather than on performance.

Being able to deliver using either technique, and flexibly adapting to requests as the occasion may demand is the mark of a true visualmedia translator. It is usually best to start specializing, in terms of genre and technique, after building up a solid body of work over four or five years. The great many success stories that Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy has produced affirm the validity of this approach.

When it comes to translation, there is no such thing as “100% correct.” This is especially true when it comes to visualmedia translation, where there are elements at play that are difficult to specify as absolute indicators. A translator’s interpretation and creativity can often make or break the project. That is why we have established our “Four Qualities,” which serve both as study objectives for our students and impartial evaluation guidelines for our instructors:

• 1: Basic language ability in English and Japanese
• 2: Native-level fluency in Japanese or English
• 3: Document translation ability
• 4: Research and investigation skills

Of course, each of these qualities involves its own detailed definitions and evaluation points and standards. We offer a more detailed explanation of these at one of the free school information sessions or subtitling seminars held regularly at Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy.

Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy’s orientation seminars outline what visualmedia translation is all about. The sessions are run by one of our resident staff members, and the goal is for participants to gain an accurate perception of visualmedia translation before they decide whether to study with us or not.

Since the establishment of Japan Visualmedia Translation Academy, over 5,000 people in the U.S. and Japan combined have attended one of our orientation seminars. We look forward to seeing you at one soon.