Voice-over localization and video

dubbing are essential in client and

employee communications, whether to
disseminate important workplace
information, or to sell your
products worldwide.

As markets become more globalized,

it’s imperative to be prepared to
localize your multimedia content.

This glossary of common studio and

post-production terminology will help
you tackle any multimedia localization
challenges that come your way.
ADR
See Automated Dialogue Replacement.

AIFF (file format)

High-quality audio file format created by Apple. Used in
studio recording, as well as for full-quality deliveries.

Audition
A short audio recording created specifically as a casting
submission for a project. See also Casting.

Automated Dialogue Replacement (ADR)

The process of re-recording dialogue in a movie, TV show
or other video content, in the same language, and usually
with the original actor.

Booking
Scheduling and committing a voice-over talent for a
session. Once a talent is booked, cancellation fees apply
if the session is postponed or cancelled.

Booth
The sound-proof room in a recording studio which
contains the microphone, script stand and reference
monitor, and in which the talent does a voice-over
performance.

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Casting
The process of reviewing voice talent samples or
auditions to make a project selection. Can also refer to
the process of gathering samples or auditions from
prospective talents. More information here.

Cleaning
Taking out breaths, throat clearings, swallowing noises,
movements, jarring cuts and any other extraneous audio
out of a raw voice track, to produce a professional voice-
over file. More information here.

Dialogue Replacement
Type of video dubbing in which the translated voice-over
starts & ends at the same time as the original audio, but
there is no synchronization to lip movements. A cost-
effective solution for e-Learning scenarios, corporate
presentations & informational videos. More information
here.

Director
Voice-over professional who guides the talent during the
session for performance, adherence to script, native
accent, and overall read. Native speaker of the language
recorded and fluent in English.

Dubbing
See Video Dubbing.

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Engineer
See Studio Engineer.

Lip-Sync Dubbing
Type of video dubbing in which the lip movements of any
character or on-screen speaker are matched exactly, to
create the illusion that the foreign-language audio is
their actual voice. More information here.

Looping
Cutting a full voice-over recording into shorter, individual
audio files that can be used in various digital applications.
More information here.

M&E Tracks
See Music & Effects Tracks.

Mix
Blending the voice-over, music, sound effects,
background, and any other audio into a single file.
Includes adjusting the different volumes so all tracks
work together, and converting into a standard audio
format that can be played commercially. More
information here.

MP3 (file format)

Compressed audio delivery format compatible with large
number of audio players and media applications.

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Music & Effects Tracks
Audio files containing just the non-voice elements
needed for a final mix – usually the music, sound effects,
and background/ambient noises. See also Mix.

Off-Screen Voice-Over (Narration)

Type of video dubbing in which all voices are off-camera,
but translated voice-over must still time to animations,
titles or specific activity. Commonly-used for corporate
multimedia, tutorials & marketing videos. More
information here.

Pick-Up
Any recording session done to correct an error, re-do a
line for performance, or to record script content missed
during an initial session. Always done with the
previously-used talent. More information here.

Playback
When the studio engineer plays the voice-over audio
that’s just been recorded for review.

Post-Production
Any part of the production workflow done after the initial
voice-over recording. Includes cleaning, looping, mixing
and any other audio processing.

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Pre-Booking
Scheduling and committing a talent for a session before
the script, pronunciation guideline or source content is
finalized. Can incur cancellation fees. See also Booking.

Pro Tools
Top-of-the-line professional audio recording software
used by music production houses, post-production
companies and dubbing studios – including JBI Studios.

Quality Assurance (QA)

Step during which recorded audio is checked for accuracy,
adherence to script, and overall quality. Also known as
Quality Control (QC).

Session
Block of studio time scheduled to record a specific project.

Sound Effects (SFX)

Audio files containing recordings of different noises – like
thunder, natural sounds, honks, or machine sounds. Used
in combination with music and voice-over to create a mix.
See also Mix.

Studio Engineer
Audio recording specialist with expert-level training in
studio operation, microphone placement and sound
quality monitoring. Oversees all technical aspects of a
recording session and final audio output.

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Synchronized Audio
Timed audio that also lines up to the specific cue points in
a piece of source content, whether a video or an English-
language audio file. See also Timed Audio.

Talent
See Voice Talent.

Text-to-Speech (TTS)
Mechanized speech synthesis that converts a text string
into voice audio. No human voice talents are involved in
the production – rather, the audio is created by digitally
stitching pre-recorded phonemes into complete words,
phrases and sentences. More information here.

Time-Codes
Numbers generated by audio and video files, usually at
standard intervals and corresponding to minutes and
seconds. Used to pin-point exact time-based locations in
audio and video. More information here.

Timed Audio
Voice audio that has been recorded so that it runs an exact
number of minutes and seconds. For example, most TV
commercial spot voice-overs are timed so that they last
no more than 60, 30 or 15 seconds. No internal
synchronization to visuals or source audio. See also
Synchronized Audio.

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Tone
The voice-over talent’s attitude to the text, which is
usually the emotion he or she brings to a performance. It
can be authentic or earnest, sarcastic, authoritative, timid,
formal, informal, stressed, laid-back or relaxed, playful,
strict, upbeat, depressed, warm, cold, distant, laudatory,
accusatory – and so on.

Track
A single audio stream. Studio audio projects may contain
multiple audio tracks – sometimes hundreds of them.

TTS
See Text-to-Speech.

Unmixed audio
Audio that has been edited and cleaned, but not mixed
with music, effects, or any other non-voice audio. See
also Mix.

UN-Style Voice-Over
Type of video dubbing in which the translated audio
starts 1-2 seconds after the source audio, which is
lowered to 20% of the original volume. Commonly-used
for corporate interviews, client testimonials, CEO
communiqués & e-Learning videos. More information
here.

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Untimed Audio
Voice audio that is recorded with no time limitations or
synchronization. Also known as wild audio.

Usage
Where a finalized piece of audio or dubbed video content
will play, and for how long. Used to determine voice-over
rates, especially for broadcast and paid online
advertising.

Video Dubbing
The process of replacing the dialogue or voice in a video,
film or TV show with voices in another language –
anything from an off-screen narration to matching the lip
movements of actors or presenters in the frame. While
the term technically refers to the replacement of any
voice-over in a video, it's most often associated with lip-
sync. More information here.

VO
See Voice-Over.

Voice Talent
An actor who performs voice-over, or a voice-over artist.
Also generally used to refer to any entertainer or actor.

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Voice-Over
Process in which a non-diegetic voice audio track is used
in an audio or video project, or placed “over” the content.
More commonly, the process of recording professional
voice audio. More information here.

WAV (file format)

High-quality audio file format created by Windows, but
now compatible with most media applications. Used in
studio recording, as well as for full-quality deliveries.

Wild Audio
See Untimed Audio.

Wrap
To end a studio or voice-over session. Once all work is
done the director says, “That’s a wrap.”

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 For more information on
voice-over & dubbing localization,
contact JBI Studios today!

818-592-0056 | [email protected]
www.jbistudios.com

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