Settlement Presentations in un'Altra Lingua

Despite what current sentiment would have you believe, the U.S. is a melting pot of many cultures. People from all over the world have come here to work hard and improve the lives of their families. Many of us- like myself- are only 1-2 generations away from a relative who arrived through Ellis Island, with not much more than a suitcase and dream.

I still have my grandfather's passport from when he came here from Calabria, Italy at the age of 15. He worked hard, started a hair salon, that my grandmother and mother worked at, and was proud to be successful in America. I know how proud he would have been to see me become the first in the family to graduate from college, in the land of opportunity.

Many of you have clients who came here in search of the same dreams. Unfortunately, a tragic injury or death might have gotten in the way of achieving them.

I have just completed two of months of editing a few settlement documentaries in Spanish, Vietnamese, and Portuguese. I'm not quite sure how that all happened at once, but it worked out that way.

It's important to strongly consider interviewing non-English speaking clients and family members for a Settlement Documentary. We all struggle in the same ways- no matter what language it's conveyed in- because, in the end, we are all human beings being human.

So what is the best way to go about these interviews and get your client heard?

1. Write up and translate discussion topics a week before the interviews.

And then send them to your client a few days before so they can come up with anecdotes and detailed answers. I recommend this for regular interviews, also. It helps your client feel more in control of the process instead of being a deer caught in the headlights. There's nothing like a camera, lights and a microphone to make your thoughts go "POOF!" Knowing what will need to be discussed and revisited beforehand really goes a long way to having a more productive interview.

2. Hire an Interpreter

First of all, make sure you know exactly what area of their country your client comes from. As you know, there are many different dialects of Spanish. So if you get an interpreter from Spain, they might miss the idiomatic expressions and nuances in the Spanish your Venezuelan client speaks. Questions and answers can be misunderstood. Make sure to ask - NOT ASSUME- what area exactly your client is from and be specific when speaking to the agency you are hiring from.

3. Have the Interpreter just give you the gist of the answers

When doing depositions, most interpreters jump in after 2-3 sentences. This doesn't really work as well in these types of interviews because it breaks the flow.

I find it's better to let your client answer the question freely and fully before it is interpreted. It's less stressful for everyone. Your client gets to say what they need and the translator is less stressed about getting every single word interpreted.

4. Have your Client speak in English whenever they can

Especially when they're giving a simple answer. It shows they are making an effort to learn the language of their adopted home, which can be better received by the viewer. But, as soon as they want to convey more details or emotions, they should revert to their native language.

5. Factor in the extra time when scheduling

Adding an interpreter will double the interview time. Both the question and answers need to be interpreted along with any questions your client might have or clarifications given. It's best to just schedule 1-2 interviews a day. Any more than that is creating a marathon of a day.

6. Have the interview audio transcribed and translated for subtitles

I prefer to use subtitles- as opposed to a voice over. Hearing a different speaker can be disconcerting. It also buries the emotion your client might have had in their voice. If a voice over talent tries to emulate that, it will sound contrived.

The other issue is that sometimes the spoken English interpretation might be too short or too long for the clip in question and make editing difficult.

Using subtitles allows the viewer to still hear your client's voice. With so much social media using close captioning these days, people are used to reading. It's not off-putting like it was a few years ago.

7. Shop around for prices and allow about 3-4 weeks turnaround

Spanish is a very common language, so it's not difficult to find translators. But when you start to get into Asian, African and other less common languages, estimates tend to go higher because there are less interpreters. Some of the languages have different nuances, so it might take longer for it to be interpreted within the right context.

Most places will ask for the audio first so they can create an estimate. Many- if not all- will ask to be paid upfront before the work will commence. Be prepared for that. Also expect to be charged expedited rates if you need it sooner than 3-4 weeks.

I always ask that they only translate and transcribe the answers and nothing else- because ultimately that's all you will be using in the finished piece anyway. This can help save money.

8. Allow extra editing time

Depending on the amount of video needing subtitles, It may take your editor 10-15 hours more than usual to complete the subtitling. Sometimes, it's actually more labor intensive if your client is a slow talker or have long pauses between words. Sometimes, your editor has to take a translation that was an idiomatic expression and break it up into individual words if...they...spoke........like.........this. If they are not familiar with the language, they might have to get Google Translator involved to place everything correctly on the timeline.

The translations can come in a SRT format, which is essentially a video you lay over the video clip on the timeline. But, they can be hard to place, still need finagling and might not play nicely with all editing softwares. They tend to cost more, too.

While there is some extra time and work involved, giving your non-English speaking client a voice is totally worth it. In this current climate, it's important to remind others that -no matter what language we speak- we all suffer loss, love fiercely, want to contribute to society, and build a solid future.

If you have any questions about this topic or any of my legal video services such as Day-in-the-life videos or Settlement Documentaries , please shoot me an email at [email protected], call me at (617) 584-3179 or visit my website www.fadetoblackproductions.com.

?2025 Fade to Black Productions. All rights reserved.