From French to English: Recreating 1600.agency’s Brand Voice
This summer I worked on a French to English voice over localization recording that engaged my translation and voice over acting skills. I was approached by the 1600.agency, a dynamic international motion design agency specializing in creating presentation videos in many languages for localization. They hired me to provide the English version of their French presentation video. Not only did I offer to provide the translation, but I performed the voice over in English while maintaining every nuance and timing of their original brand voice and creative energy.
As you can hear from the original, the French voice and energy is a great one! The voice acting is by legendary French Voice Over Actor Pierre-Alain de Garrigues (PADG). He has credits in more than forty-five thousand voice over recordings in a thirty-seven-year career and is one of the greatest French voices used in advertising and dubbing, whether for cartoons, television shows, documentaries, institutional films or video games. To act alongside his talents would be a challenge I was ready and excited for!
The Challenge of Keeping the Original in Localization
Translating a video script isn’t just about converting words from one language to another. It’s about preserving:
- The original timing and pacing
- The speaker’s tone and energy
- The emotional beats and emphasis
- The visual sync with on-screen elements
Working with 1600.agency’s presentation meant dealing with creative industry terminology, brand positioning language, and the specific energy that motion design agencies need to convey. The French original had that perfect balance of professionalism and energetic creative flair that makes their work stand out in a competitive field. Here you can watch the French and English videos side-by-side:
The Translation Process in Voice Over: Timing and Idioms.
I started by transcribing the original French audio, then worked through multiple draft translations. The key was finding English phrases that matched not just the meaning, but the syllable count and natural speech patterns. Some sections required limited creative restructuring to maintain the flow while staying true to the original message. A few idiomatic phrases like “Tout ça c’est jojo” and “aux petits oignons” needed idiomatic equivalents in English and not literal translations.
The recording phase for French to English Voice Over Localization was like voice acting with a metronome. It reminded me of my experiences recording to click tracks or backing tracks in the various bands I have played with (I play bass, keys, and guitar). I had to match the:
- Exact timing: Every pause, breath, and emphasis had to align with the original cuts, and sound natural in English.
- Vocal character: Capturing the energy and personality of the original speaker, and voice actor PDAG has a lot of dynamic character.
- Technical precision: Ensuring clean audio that would blend seamlessly with the existing video
I ended up doing multiple takes of each section, focusing on nailing both the technical timing and the authentic delivery. In the end, I built the final edit from takes of start-to-finish reads following along with the video. The goal was for viewers to feel like they were watching a video originally created in English, not a translated version. The keeper takes were synced and edited in REAPER.
The Result for French to English Voice Over Localization
What started as 1600.agency’s French presentation is now also available as a seamless English version that maintains all the creative energy and professional polish of the original. Every transition, every visual sync point, every moment showcases their motion design expertise. It all flows naturally in English while preserving the agency’s distinctive brand voice.
This project reminded me why good French to English Voice Over Localization is both an art and a science. It’s not enough to be bilingual. You need to be a bit bicultural as possible, understanding how to make content feel native to its new audience while honoring the creator’s original vision.
Interested in video localization or translation services? Let’s connect and discuss your next project.