You must have heard how art transcends borders and nations, connecting everyone across the globe. There are various types of art forms but films are the most popular form of art. This current era of globalization has led to immense growth for the film industry all over the world. Younger generations are much more open to experiencing cinema from different parts of the world.
One example of this trend is the much-hyped ‘Squid Games’. For the unversed, Squid Games is a Korean season that saw a huge fan following, thanks to its unconventional plot. Another Korean hit that was also an Oscar winner is ‘Parasite’. These cinematic pieces from Korea have helped people from all over the world connect with Korean culture. One of the reasons for that connection was the top-notch quality of the subtitles. They are well-formed and convey the meaning beautifully.
These are just a few examples of how important subtitling services are in the distribution strategy. Similarly, subtitles enable stories to fill in the cultural gaps and promote cross-cultural harmony.
Encourages Tourism and Cultural Curiosity
It is no secret that movies heavily influence our lifestyles, ways of thinking, and desires. Movies have the power to shape the mindset of people. Similarly, in foreign films, we get an opportunity to witness the intricacies of various cultures along with mesmerizing locations. As a result, we get curious about the culture, exotic foods, and locations of that country.
For instance, we have all grown up watching fascinating movies that portrayed Paris as the ultimate country for people in love. This tactic managed to take Paris to everyone’s top visit list. The movies managed to influence the perception of people. When in reality, Paris is a country with extreme climates and rude French people. This was possible thanks to the famous French movies that managed to cross language borders with the power of subtitling services. It enabled people to see the best parts of France and connect with their quirky habits and lifestyle.
Engages the Audience in an Efficient Manner
Subtitles are of great help in sustaining the viewer’s interest. Oftentimes, even native people prefer to watch movies with subtitles on as it makes it easier for them to follow the dialogues. It has further been revealed that videos with subtitles have a 91% completion rate compared the the 66% rate of videos without subtitles.
Why Subtitles Take Precedence Over Dubbing?
Subtitles and dubbing go hand in hand. Nevertheless, sometimes directors and producers assume that only dubbing is enough to promote the movies overseas and overlook the importance of subtitles.
However, there are a number of reasons why subtitles are equally, if not more, important than dubbing in multiple languages.
- Lost in Translation: Dubbing often requires the altering of the dialogue to match the movement of the actor’s mouth. As a result, some of the details such as cultural context and meanings can be lost. On the contrary, subtitling provides more creative room to preserve the originality of the content.
- Supports Hearing Impaired Viewers: According to research by WHO (World Health Organisation), more than 5% of the world population suffers from hearing loss. This means a significant chunk of the world requires subtitles to consume visual content. Thus, subtitles are a much-needed necessity for these people.
- People Watch Videos on Mute: It may come as a surprise to you but many viewers prefer to watch videos on mute mode. Hence, if your movies lack subtitles then you will end up losing viewers.
Subtitles: An Essential Part of Multimedia Localization
Multimedia localization usually refers to the modification of multimedia content into the target language. This is an integral part of making your content suitable for international audiences.
Along with the translations, it consists of several steps. Such as adapting the images and dialogues to make it culturally appropriate. There are instances where one thing is considered a norm in a certain country but is looked down upon in another part of the world. For example, in the USA it is common to refer to people by their first names but in China, it is considered rude to address people by their first name or even last name
When making the decision to take your movies overseas, these minute details can make a big difference in the acceptance of your content. Likewise, subtitles give you space to play around with the meanings and make them more culturally relevant. In fact, subtitling your movies is one of the first steps that occur in the localization process.
Final Verdict
Subtitles are a vital part of the distribution strategy of promoting films overseas. Similarly, subtitles make your movies and content accessible to everyone and provide an international platform. Every artist wants to be recognized for their talent and utilizing subtitles provides the perfect opportunity for global fame.
Similarly, making movies accessible to everyone leads to bridging the language gaps. Furthermore, viewers get a chance to learn about various cultures and lifestyles of people living in different parts of the world.
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