A client asking for "French" is actually asking for one of two very different things. Delivering the wrong one cannot be repaired in the edit: it has to be redone.
The two requests behind the same word
They have neither the same audience nor the same price.
The first is a version for one specific French-speaking market: it assumes that market's cultural references, consumption habits and expressions. A video that ignores them is spotted immediately and loses its credibility.
The second is a version that has to work in several countries at once: it avoids strongly marked expressions, local references and turns of phrase that do not travel.
They are not two levels of quality, they are two different products.
Neutralising is not erasing your accent
That is the confusion that does the most damage, for the client as for the creator.
An accent is not a defect to correct, and somebody trying to change theirs sounds false within three seconds, which destroys exactly what the format was bringing.
What gets neutralised is the words and the turns of phrase: expressions that exist only in one market, references to local brands or institutions, units and habits that do not apply elsewhere.
The practical rule: keep your voice, change your vocabulary.
It gets invoiced
A second version is a second piece of work, not a variant.
It requires a rewrite of the text, a read-through by somebody from the target market, a separate take and a clean edit. So it is priced as a distinct line in the quote, never as a token supplement.
And if the client really wants two markets with two different people, say so: it is often the right choice, and it positions you as somebody thinking about the campaign rather than about their own invoice.
How to check before shooting
Two actions, ten minutes, and no reshoot.
Have your script read by somebody from the target market, not by a generally bilingual person. They will spot in one reading the five words that give away the wrong version.
And read the text aloud while recording yourself, then listen back without the picture. Turns of phrase that are not yours can be heard immediately, whereas they read perfectly well.
What gets rewritten per market
| Element | Local version | International version |
|---|---|---|
| Hook | A local expression | Neutral wording |
| Units and prices | Local currency and measures | Converted |
| References | Known holidays and places | Removed |
What is never translated word for word
Wordplay, a cultural comparison, a politeness formula and a slogan.
What is checked before release
A read-aloud by a native speaker, the mandatory notices and the consistency of the subtitles.
The advantage of being able to do both
It is greater than it looks.
A creator able to deliver both versions, honestly described and priced separately, solves a problem the buyer cannot name. They become the contact who simplifies the campaign, and those are the creators who get called back.
Say so clearly on your profile, with an example of each, and let the client hear the difference rather than explaining it to them.
