What is New in Voiceover Localization?
The voiceover localization industry is constantly evolving, as new technologies and trends emerge. See the discussion of What is Voiceover Localization for definitions and background. Now here are some of the latest developments in Voiceover Localization:
- Increased use of AI to automate and streamline various aspects of the voiceover localization process, such as translation, transcription, and audio editing. This reduces costs and turnaround times, while also improving the quality of localized voiceovers.
- Growth of text-to-speech (TTS) technology in the production of high-quality voiceovers in a wide range of languages. This is making it a more viable option for businesses of all sizes, as it can be more cost-effective than hiring professional voice actors. However, costs for hiring voice actors for non-broadcast work can be more affordable. This will depend on the volume and scope of recordings needed.
- Rise of remote recording: With the increasing availability of high-quality recording equipment, more voice actors record remotely from professional-quality home studios. This makes it easier and more efficient to find and hire voice talent from all over the world, regardless of location.
- Increased focus on cultural localization: Businesses are increasingly recognizing the importance of cultural localization when producing voice overs for international markets. This means adapting the tone, style, and content of the voice over to match the cultural expectations of the target audience.
Specific Technological Advances
In addition to these general developments, there are also a number of specific technologies and trends emerging as developments in voiceover localization. For example:
- Neural machine translation, or NMT, is a type of machine translation that uses AI for more accurate and natural-sounding translations. Often it does this by predicting the likelihood of a sequence of words. Then it puts whole sentences into a cohesive integrated model. NMT is a great option for translating voiceover scripts, especially those that contain complex and/or idiomatic language.
- Neural text-to-speech, or Neural TTS, is a newer type of TTS technology that produces more natural-sounding voices than traditional TTS. Neural TTS voices are also more expressive and can be used to convey a wider range of emotions. It perhaps the biggest development in voiceover localization. Examples of Neural TTS are Microsoft Azure AI, Read-Aloud web browser features, and Amazon Polly. A full list of the best TTS Software with pricing and comparisons is found here.
- Interactive voiceovers that are triggered by user interaction, such as clicking on a button or speaking a command. This type of voiceover is becoming increasingly popular for use in e-learning courses with gamification, and other interactive media. On a much more complex level, Video game developers are using remote voice recording for their games in multiple languages. This reduces costs and turnaround times, and it also gives developers more flexibility in terms of casting voiceover talent.
- Voiceover personalization: Voiceover personalization is the process of tailoring the voiceover to the individual user’s name, location, or other personal information. Voiceover personalization can help to create a more engaging and immersive experience for the user.
Connecting Vendors in Localization Platforms
These are all just a few of the new developments in voiceover localization. As the industry continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more innovative and effective ways to localize voiceovers for a audiences around the globe.
For example, Google and others are using cloud-based voiceover localization platforms to help business localize their content into multiple languages. Google’s cloud-based voiceover localization platform makes it easy for business to find qualified voice actors and translators. In addition, it helps businesses manage their entire voiceover localization process. This is an important tool for accessing the globalization of video content. People all over the world now watch similar video content, and this drives demand for voiceover localization.