A translated script sounds like a translated script. The audience spots it within a sentence, and the ad loses exactly what it came for.
What gives a translation away
Four signals, in the order they are noticed.
The rhythm: a translated English sentence keeps its original length and stress, which gives a slightly offset delivery.
The turns of phrase: English advertising emphasis has no direct equivalent, and its literal translation sounds pompous.
The references: the shops, the holidays, the distances, the temperatures, the units, the first names.
And everyday vocabulary: many daily objects do not go here by the name used in the other French-speaking markets.
What must actually change
Five elements, decided before the shoot rather than in post-production.
The script, rewritten from the intention and not from the English sentence.
The person speaking, chosen here and not dubbed from elsewhere.
The concrete references mentioned aloud.
The on-screen texts, written directly in the language of broadcast.
And the set, when it is recognisable: a kitchen, a street, a season.
The trap of the two French-speaking markets
It is the apparent saving that costs the most.
Reusing a video shot for France seems logical: same language, same length, same edit. In practice, vocabulary, accent, references and tone differ enough for the video to be identified as foreign.
That does not make it unusable, but it changes its effect: it no longer produces identification, only comprehension.
The practical rule: reuse the images, redo the voice. It is the best ratio of cost to result.
The real cost
It is lower than people think, provided it is planned early.
Planned from the brief, adding an adapted version means one extra shot on the same day, with the same person or a second one, and a parallel edit.
Decided afterwards, it means a complete new shoot, because the rushes do not contain the necessary shots, particularly the text and packaging inserts.
The gap between the two situations is generally a factor of three.
What is redone, and what is kept
| Element | Translation is enough | A new shoot is needed |
|---|---|---|
| On-screen text | Yes | No |
| The voice | No | Yes |
| Prices and notices | Yes, with verification | No |
| A recognisable place | No | Yes |
What betrays an adaptation done too fast
An expression translated word for word, a measurement left in the original unit, an accent that does not match the audience, and a date written in the wrong order.
What is proofread by someone from the country
The full script, before the shoot. A twenty-minute read-through saves an entire campaign that would sound foreign and need redoing.
When to plan the adaptation
At casting time, never after the English edit is approved.
Two questions to ask the brand before starting: will the campaign run in both languages, and on which media.
The answer determines the number of people to cast, the way the inserts are filmed, and the budget. It costs nothing if asked at that moment, and a lot if asked three weeks later.
