How do film companies ensure that localized content retains the same technical accuracy as the source content?

November 10, 2023
|By Bryan Tipper

Ensuring that localized film content retains the same technical accuracy as the source content is crucial for delivering a high-quality viewing experience. Film companies use various strategies and tools, often leveraging DITA for structured content management, to achieve this level of accuracy:

Consistent Terminology

One key practice is maintaining consistent terminology across all versions of the film, including localized versions. DITA’s structured authoring allows for the creation of a centralized terminology database. This ensures that technical terms and jargon are consistently used throughout the source and localized content. For example, a DITA glossary might include definitions and translations of technical terms to maintain accuracy.

Translation Memory

Translation memory tools are integrated with DITA to ensure the reuse of previously translated content. When a film is localized, segments of text that were previously translated accurately are automatically suggested to translators. This ensures that technical terms and phrases are consistently used, enhancing accuracy and reducing translation errors.

Technical Review

Before finalizing localized content, film companies often conduct technical reviews. Subject matter experts in the specific field of the film’s content review the localized version for accuracy. DITA allows for the inclusion of review comments and annotations within the content, facilitating communication between reviewers and translators. This iterative process ensures that the technical accuracy of the content is maintained.

Example:

Here’s an example of how DITA facilitates a technical review process:


<topic id="localized_scene">
  <title>Localized Scene</title>
  <body>
    <p>The technical accuracy of this scene has been reviewed by <reviewer>Dr. Technical Expert</reviewer>.</p>
    <p>Review Comment: <comment>This scientific explanation needs clarification.</comment></p>
  </body>
</topic>

In this example, a DITA topic includes information about the technical review and specific comments for improvement, ensuring that the localized content maintains technical accuracy.