Programme Outline - (PDF file)

            Wednesday, 07 Nov 2007

            Thursday, 08 Nov 2007 

            Friday, 09 Nov 2007

Workshop A - 9:30 - 12:00

Subtitling, Training for Trainers

Convenors: Jorge Díaz-Cintas and Aline Remael

Subtitling is one of the best-known forms of audiovisual translation (AVT) worldwide. It has basically been around since movies started talking and it appears to have a bright future. Not only is it well-established in a number of European “subtitling countries” as they are traditionally called, it is also making inroads in other, traditional “dubbing countries”, and worldwide in countries where new forms of AVT are being developed and explored. Besides television and cinema, DVD and Internet are also providing new outlets. Subtitling is attractive because it is relatively inexpensive, it allows the viewers access to the original film, and can be used to promote language learning and multilingualism.

An increasing number of universities and colleges for higher education are now offering translation programmes with subtitling as an “option” or fully-fledged MA programmes in AVT, including subtitling. The drawback of teaching AVT is that (expensive) specialized software is required. However, many commercial producers of subtitling software offer special packages for education and some simple but quite good programmes can be downloaded from the internet.

This workshop will take the form of a seminar and will consist of three parts.

1. Curriculum Development (J. Días-Cintas) First we will look at the requirements for curricula in AVT, especially programmes that include subtitling. What kind of courses need to be taught? How many hours? To what size groups?

2. Teaching Subtitling: Theory & Practice (J. Días-Cintas & A. Remael) In this subsection we will look at the different stages in subtitler training and how they can be tackled in a teaching environment. The material used will be drawn from Audiovisual Translation. Subtitling. 

3. Evaluating Subtitling (A. Remael) Evaluation is seen a part of teaching. The evaluation of subtitles and subtitlers involves parameters that are somewhat different from those commonly applied to more “traditional” forms of translation. We will discuss subtitling evaluation as part of the learning process or “formative” evaluation and evaluation as assessment of the final product or “summative” evaluation.

Workshop B - 9:30 - 12:00

Audio-description - the art of translating the image

Convenor: Bernd Benecke

This workshop gives some basic knowledge in creating Audio Description

Content:

Brief introduction into the topic with examples from different countries

(What is Audio-Description? Where does it come from?)

Discussion what kind of guidelines may be necessary to transform information from the image to a text.

 Training your own abilities in Audio Description. Small groups of 3 people will do the description for the beginning of a short movie (in English).

The results are presented and discussed with the whole auditorium in relation to the guidelines discussed. The description done by professional describers is watched and discussed.

Workshop C - 9:30 - 12:00

Empirical Research Techniques

Convenor: Giuseppe Nocella & Delia Chiaro

Many students are unaware of what research actually involves and are occupied in activities that are often a step away from real research. This workshop aims at introducing them to true research through a taste for discovery and investigation by taking them through a series of basic steps starting from the choice of topic through aims and objectives; the creation of hypotheses; critical reading and methods.

Above all, the workshop will tackle two basic methods, namely content analysis and basic interviewing techniques, so as to give participants a taste of both qualitative and quantitative approaches.

Workshop D - 14:00 - 16:30

Setting up AVT Projects: How to Survive in the new Academic Race

Convenor: Pilar Orero,  Sara Rovira & Helena Casas

 The workshop is aimed at young audiovisual researchers who are beginning their career. New and increasingly demanding academic standards are being implemented in most universities across the world. How to develop a successful and fulfilling academic life is a priority for all those who are starting and want to progress within the new governing rules: conferences, publications, exchanges, workshops are all a must on a yearly basis, and with quality and excellence.

The three presenters of this workshop believe that not enough attention is being paid by our peers so we have designed a strategy at our institution (UAB) which we would like to share with all those who feel they are in a similar situation.

•        Identification of colleagues in different stages towards a stable post within the institution

•        Set up of working group

•        Draft of guidelines which would guide the group dynamic

•        Identification of tasks, requirements, grants, etc.

These are some of the many initiatives we have developed and have proved so far to be useful. With this in mind we would welcome feedback of similar experiences of other young researchers in the discipline and possible to create an international young audiovisual researchers network.

Workshop E - 14:00 - 16:30

The Translation of Vídeo Games: What’s new about it?

Convenor: Miguel Bernal

 This workshop aims to introduce attendants to the translation of video games (also known as 'game localisation'). Attendants will learn about the process that games undergo in order to be linguistically and culturally adapted for other locales.

The workshop will start with a brief overview on video games history, and the degree of penetration in today's culture. In the second part of the workshop, attendants will have a chance to work with authentic game localisation kits, and they will experience the challenges of this new field. Finally, we will talk about the possibilities of integrating the translation of video games in TS programmes.

 Workshop F - 14:00 - 16:30

An introduction to dubbing: professional conventions of translation for dubbing

Convenor: Federic Chaume

 Dubbing is the most common form of audiovisual translation found in Germany, France, Italy and Spain as well as in other countries including Brazil and Japan. Dubbing is also the audiovisual translation type used to transfer cartoons all over the world. This workshop will offer an introduction to translation for dubbing, paying special attention to the translator’s task. It will provide an overview of the market and examine professional issues, norms and conventions, and common pitfalls.

1. Introduction to dubbing (definition, audiovisual translation types, fees, market profiles, etc.)

2. Professional issues (dubbing for the cinema, dubbing for TV and DVD/VHS, reading the script and watching the images, submitting the translation: dubbing units or takes, use of symbols)

3. Synchronization (definition and classification: lip synchrony, kinesic synchrony, isochrony)

4. Linguistic issues (in search of oral discourse, rewriting dialogues, translation techniques: from reduction and omission to addition and periphrasis, translating titles, translating multilingual movies)

5. The acoustic dimension (translating paralinguistic features, translating songs, translating special effects)

6. The visual dimension (the language of images: icons, indexes and symbols, photography and colour, mobility: proxemics, kinesics and mouth articulation, translating captions, translating the montage)

7. General translation problems in audiovisual corpora (the translation of cultural referents, translating humour, translating accents and dialects, translating audiovisual genres: a didactic approach)

 Workshop G - 9:30 - 12:00

Live  on air: respeaking subtiles

Convenor: Bart van der Veer

This 2-part workshop will take the audience through the process of live subtitling from the beginning to the end.

The first segment of this presentation will reveal the ins and outs of live subtitling and respeaking: history, technical aspects, challenges.

In the second segment the theory will be put to the test. The participants can gain hands-on experience with the respeaking technique in practical exercises using speech recognition software.

Cancelled

Workshop H - 14:00 - 16:30

Project Management

Convenor: Claude Le Guyader

In this workshop participants will go over some of the major steps and issues of managing Audiovisual Translation Projects: 

·          Client liaison (specification and quote, assets management, deadline agreement, customer satisfaction)

·          Resources (staff and equipment)

·          Scheduling

·          “Real life” (assets delayed, project prioritisation, illness, equipment faults, new request from client (modification or additional work))

Cancelled

AVT Research Forum - 16:30 - 18:30

This forum is conceived as an open space for young scholars who are interested in academic research in Audiovisual and Multidimensional Translation or have recently embarked on such research. It offers participants the opportunity to discuss such issues as finding a research topic and hypothesis, writing a state-of-the art analysis, structuring a research project from problem statement to designing a solution for the problem identified, finding funding, writing a PhD dissertation, pursuing postdoctoral studies, publishing academic papers, running for prizes and obtaining scholarships.

It is specifically directed to the needs of those attending, thus participants are invited to send their questions (which will be kept anonymous if desired) to Prof. Heidrum Gerzymisch-Arbogast beforehand so that the session may be conducted accordingly. Participants will also be invited to share their research problems with the group if they feel they may benefit from an open discussion.

Individual tutoring will also be made available throughout the conference, should a participant  in the Young Researcher Forum need individual guidance. Such tutorials need also to be foreseen in advance.

This session is FREE but the number of participants is limited. Make sure you register conveniently if you wish to attend.

Please send your questions to conference@transmediaresearchgroup.com.