Arab films and TV programs are now more available than ever. Non-native speakers of Arabic or foreign film enthusiasts have unlimited access to a massive trove of Arabic media via the Internet, such as Egyptian comedies, Syrian soaps, or Gulf news broadcasts.
As Arab media spreads around the world, professional Arabic subtitling services have likewise become in demand. If your organization needs a fast, high-quality translation of a video clip, news broadcast, latest blockbuster, or most recent TV episode, look no further than our Arabic subtitling services. This article outlines our Arabic subtitling experience, as well as how our services differ from the rest of the translation industry.
The Arab Film Industry: Historical Overview
Motion picture technology was imported to the MENA regions through the colonial powers that had occupied the area during the 19th and 20th centuries. The first Arab films were produced during the 1920s in Egypt and Syria. In the case of the former, Egypt established itself as the Arab media powerhouse during its post-colonial era, creating over 2,500 films to date. As television became more popular, Arab nations adapted to this new technology by founding their own stations and news networks. Some of these stations, such as Egypt’s MBC and Qatar’s Al-Jazeera, are broadcast internationally and in a variety of languages.
Today many MENA countries have flourishing film and TV industries and are home to some world-renowned actors and directors, such as Nadine Labaki, Omar Sharif, and Adel Emam. As far as Arab content is concerned, many streaming platforms, such as Youtube and Netflix, have hundreds of hours of classic and original Arab series and films available for immediate consumption. Additionally, Internet TV services, such as Sling TV, offer packages for watching the latest episodes of current hit series from the MENA region, especially during Ramadan. Thanks to the Internet, it is now easier than ever to experience Arab culture through its most popular medium!
Our Arabic Subtitling Methodology
As with the rest of our services, we adhere to a tried-and-true process when handling any Arabic subtitling project. From start to finish, our team ensures the highest level of quality and attention to your video project. Here’s an overview of our approach to Arabic subtitling projects:
Adapted Style: Each translation is as unique as the source it will reflect. The content of each video will determine how we approach our translation. A news broadcast may require a more literal translation method to accurately convey the facts on the ground. On the other hand, works of art, such as song lyrics or comedy videos, may necessitate more finesse to fully convey the passion of the source song, or to make the target English viewer laugh as hard as the original video’s audience. In all cases, our translators and project managers work to provide the most suitable translation method depending on the type of media presented online.
Handling Different Dialects: Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) is the official language spoken in 23 nations across the MENA region. This language is most often used on the Internet, in broadcast media, and in international business. However, there are as many regional Arabic dialects as there are countries in which it is spoken, if not more. As such, the majority of pop cultural content, such as talk shows, amateur Youtube videos, and soap operas, will be spoken in a vernacular dialect, known collectively as 3amiyya Arabic (العربية العامية). On top of that, some dialects are mutually incomprehensible between citizens of two different countries.
With this in mind, you might be asking yourself which Arabic is spoken in your video, or what is the most appropriate way for translating this register. This is where Industry Arabic’s diverse team of vetted translators comes in. We boast a large network of highly skilled and specialized translators who are familiar with all of the most common and unique Arabic dialects. In this way, you can be sure that the person handling your video translation project fully grasps the nuances and peculiarities of the Arabic language in all of its forms.
Text Formatting: The challenge with any subtitling project is fitting the translated content into one or two lines so as not to eclipse the video above. With this limitation in mind, our team provides the most concise translation to fit the screen and correspond with the source video. Though the sentences may be short, we don’t cut any corners in providing the most accurate and appropriate translations on the market. In the end, you will have a video that is easy to read and true to the original script!
Successful Subtitling Projects
A few of the previous Arabic subtitling projects we have completed for happy customers in the past:
- Libyan Peace Process: One client, an UN-backed humanitarian organization had us transcribe, translate, and subtitle a series of videos in Libyan and Modern Standard Arabic concerning the ongoing peace and reconciliation talks taking place in Libya on their Youtube channel. As a result, the world was able to follow the latest developments in the international reconstruction effort in both Arabic and English.
- Gulf Arabic Translation & Subtitling: We created English subtitles for dozens of hours of interviews on the life of a high-ranking GCC official. The source material was a mix of Gulf dialect and MSA.
- Jordanian Documentary: We translated and provided the subtitles for a documentary on a popular children’s TV show for Syrian refugee children living in Jordan.
Ask us today about our Arabic Subtitling Services!
No matter the content of your video, Industry Arabic guarantees each’s customer’s satisfaction with our timely customer support and distinguished translation/subtitling products. See for yourself the Industry Arabic difference today by submitting your Arabic video for translation through the orange button above. Within 30 minutes, our team will contact you with a free and accurate quote to begin the translation process immediately!
