Animation and dubbing are the backbones of the new-age nursery rhymes and cartoons. The world of cartoons and nursery rhymes caters to a relatively younger age group. Hence the idea of using subtitles is futile. The animated cartoons have made the world a global village and the world of ‘Shin Chan’, ‘Doraemon’ and the rhymes like “Pitter-patter raindrops’ have become a worldwide phenomenon.
It is noteworthy that the attention span of the age group is the most frivolous. So only the rhyme or the cartoon character, which best matches the native dialect and tone, would be the most appropriate to keep the younger audience glued.
What are the Problems in Animation and Nursery Rhyme Localizations?
Depiction of the local culture and cultural settings in the right spirit is the first challenge faced while looking for the most appropriate translator. The translation of humour in the local language and tone seems complicated. The names of the characters, the length of the lines and the number of syllables are daunting challenges in dubbing for rhymes and cartoons.
The original piece has to be recreated for kindergarteners and young kids while retaining the original message. This dubbing is a highly creative process involved skill of high degree. The stages of dubbing- translation, adaptation, casting, directing, recording and mixing are skills of a tall order and must be done meticulously.
What are the Best Ways for Effective Animation and Nursery Rhyme Localization?
The quest for new rhymes and the growing population of kids are sufficient reasons for the need for competent dubbing, animation, and nursery rhyme localization. Here are five tips which can help the video localization professionals for effective animation in kids’ series:
1. Keep it Simple and Short
Children have a short attention span, and the same content has to cater to a varied age group from toddlers to kindergarteners and young children. The dialogues have to be short and straightforward.
Voice over in cartoons and nursery rhymes is relatively more straightforward since the lip-sync isn’t done with real lips. However, there are other challenges in recording for kids’ shows as there would be fewer shots to record the whole show and editing in more extended dialogues gets tougher.
The dubbing specialists have to be careful about video localization and script translation timelines.
2. Adhere to the Line Length Specifications
Each country has different requirements of timings, length of the line and the number of syllables in each. Some countries like Spain are very particular about the length of the lines. For effective animation and localization in kids’ shows, the range of the lines must be short and concise.
3. Hunt for the Best Voice Talent
The accent and tone of the foreign language voice-over should be in sync with local dialect as well as the overall mood for the kids’ show. The sound may vary from grumpy to cartoonish as well as humorous.
The best-fit voice over for kids’ shows would be the talent who can sing as well as include the tricky vital changes in the notes suitable for kids’ rhymes.
4. Be Ready to Cast Kid Talents
Casting a kid talent for voice over is quintessential for some shows and rhymes. This can be quite challenging sometimes. The limitations of less knowledge in dubbing, lesser readability, and strict schooling schedules can make the process of dubbing more robust. Keeping the energies and moods of the child artist pepped-up is also a daunting task. The dubbing studio must be well-equipped to deal with the limitations of casting a child prodigy.
5. Channelize the Full Dubbing Localization Strategy
With the child artist on board and unexpected changes in budget and timelines, the dubbing studio must be revved up with last moment contingencies like looking for replacements half-way or changing the strategy midway through the process.
Final Words
For the most effective dubbing in the child category, adequate research in the local culture, prohibitions of the place and the cultural limitations must be done. Understanding the main character and choosing the right actors with perfect voice-overs is important.
We are DUBnSUB – a leading post-production company based in Gurgaon, India with branch offices in Germany, France, the USA, and Myanmar offering services such as voice-over, subtitling, dubbing, etc.
Drop-in your requirements related to rhymes, cartoons, animated content at [email protected] or call us at +91 124 498 2484.