TICOM 2006PAVIA

A post-graduate film translation courseChris Taylor

University of Trieste

Syllabus1. What is a Multimodal Text?2. Graphic Advertising3. Television Advertising – the Multimodal Transcription4. Television Advertising – Phasal Analysis5. Phasal analysis – drinks ads, music video6. The Language of Film7. The Non-verbal Language of Film8. Film Translation9. Dubbing Strategies10. Dubbing Strategies – case studies11. Subtitling Strategies12. Subtitling Strategies – case studies13. Television – comedy, soap opera14. Documentaries and voiceover15. Latest research – and where do we go from here?

What is a multimodal text? A text consisting of more than one semiotic

modality eg. Signs

Clothing Housing Natural Environment Weather Etc.

Example film FAR FROM HEAVEN

Graphic Advertising ‘a soundbite’

A magazine ‘ad’ is a semiotic unit, structured, not linguistically, but by principles of visual composition... verbal text becomes just one of the elements integrated by the codes of information value, salience and framing... reading is not necessarily linear, wholly or in part, but may go from centre to margin, or in circular fashion, or vertically,... (p 185)

Graphic Advertising (downloadable material) The grammar of visual design:         in this case the superimposed verbal text blends in with the

background;         the four lines add to the sense of perspective, the punchline

being foregrounded – semantic hierarchy;         the (interested) reader gets the impression of being in the

vehicle;         the promise – “get away from it all” with the letters of ‘So here I

am’ of an exaggerated size;         a semiotic construct - the background is surreal (and therefore

tempting) while the product is real (and therefore attainable);         two unequal halves – the picture and product are salient; sharp division of two parts of text – promise/information (two different

kinds of meaning)

Television Advertising

Citroen videoAnalysis through multimodal

transcription

VISUAL FRAME VI + kinesic action SOUNDTRACK SUBTITLE

1

Black & white atmosphere Close-up - head bobbing. Eyes lowered -slightly menacing expression; sweating SKY logo

Ba dum Ba dum

2

Head moving sideways. Hair wet from exertion. Concentration. (Could be a …)

idem

3

Sparse boxer’s training room. Light visible in centre. In boxer’s gear. Full back view. Central position. Knees flexing in typical boxer style

Wind-like sound – a little eerie

4

Drumming begins

5

Half back view Muscles. We glimpse a television.

6

Horizontal perspective, Side view Crouching in boxer pose. TV clearly relevant.

“The best way to stay outta trouble (cockney accent)

MAX: Il miglior modo di rimaner fuori dei guai… MIN Se non vuoi guai

7

Frontal view. Fighting pose. Word SPADE on shorts – suggests professional boxer.

is to ( wailing type song)

8

Dodging Ducking Fending

avoid it. MAX …è di evitarli MIN non cercarli

9

Half hidden

10

Face comes into view with typical towel slung round neck. Citroen website address appears

Phasal analysis

drinks ads Bundaberg Beer - video

music video Californication

Bundaberg phases

Three macro phases:1. Man walking though outback

Music/no speaking

2. Action with bottle“You can’t walk away from the truth”.“Naturally brewed from our family owned company”

3. Attention on product“True Brew Ginger Beer”

Bundaberg phases 2

Macrophase 1 (microphases)1. man walking away through grassslow drawn out musical sound2. side shot of legs (mountain behind)rhythmic music starts3. passes tree under red sky4. back view of manbase notes5. walking through stream6. emerging from streamfamiliar music starts7. walking through undergrowth8. climbing rock face9. reaches summit

TEXT

Video Game A Live performance B Narration C

A1

A 2

C1

B1

C2

C3

B2

C4

C5

C6

C7

C8

B3

C9

C10

C11

B4

C12

B5

C13

A3

I N T

P LA Y

J LP1

C A LP2

A F J C A LP3

A FLY

A LP4

QUAKE

LP5

UNITE

NEXT

A1a A1b

A1c A1d Ale Etc.

Television advertising Phasal Analysis

Volkswagen video

(student practice)

The Language of Film A complex semiotic event (first of a list of explanations)In everyday conversation, much languageuse is in fact formulaic in nature, and muchordinary talk is humdrum and banal, whereasthe time and space constraints of films, andthe need to relate interesting, exciting orengaging stories, leads to an excess of highlypertinent, dramatic or intriguing exchanges.

Filmese

Compare the language of film with a spoken corpus of English.

Bank of English

Spoken language

Use of large number of prefabricated fillers, both interactive and planning (eg. so, well) BROWN & YULE

Immediacy of context… is reflected in a high number of discourse markers (eg. well, right) McCARTHY

Comparison films/corpus

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

realistic corpus

nowwellrightyesOKso

The Non-verbal Language of Film

Taxi Driver Chat-up scene conducted largely through

gesture.

Students encouraged to get background information on films.

Film Translationmultimodal text > film text > translation

DiscourseDesignProductionDistribution Interpretation(Kress & van Leeuwen (2001)

Dubbing Strategies AIDAC

Associazione Italiana di doppiaggio e adattamento cinetelevisivi.

TRANSLATOR ADAPTER (dialoghista)

Dubbing director Actor

Potential Problems

geographical place names measurements names of institutions food and drink games and entertainment proverbial language language varieties plays on word speech defects substandard speech overlapping speech

Speech defects (A FISH CALLED WANDA) Otto: You really like animals, don’t

you Ken? What’s the attraction? Ken: (stuttering) Because you can t-t-

t-trust them. And they don’t sh-sh-sh-

Otto: …shit on you? Ken: …show off all the time.

Speech defects (cont) (A FISH CALLED WANDA) Otto: A te piacciono molto gli animali

vero Ken? Cosa ci trovi? Ken: (balbettando) Puoi fidarti di

loro e poi ti ca-ca-ca- Otto: …cagano adosso? Ken: …calmano in nervi.

Dubbing Strategies – case studies Eg. Notting Hill video

NO. 2 (from Chapter 5): “Birthday Party” (group scene)

SCRIPT FILM DIALOGUES MAX: Right – I think we’re ready. They all move towards the kitchen. ANNA (to Bella): I wonder if you could tell me where the...? BELLA: Oh, it's just down the corridor on the right. HONEY: I'll show you. A moment's silence as they leave -- then in a split second the others all turn to William. BELLA: Quickly, quickly – talk very quickly, what are you doing here with Anna Scott? BERNIE: Anna Scott? BELLA: Yes. BERNIE: The movie star? BELLA: Yup. BERNIE: Oh God. Oh God. Oh Goddy God. The horror of his remembered conversation slowly unfolds. Honey re-enters. HONEY: I don't believe it. I walked into the loo with her. I was still talking when she started unbuttoning her jeans... She had to ask me to leave. INT. MAX AND BELLA'S CONSERVATORY – NIGHT A little later. They are sat at dinner.

MAX: Right, I think we’re ready. HONEY: Oooh! BELLA: Okay! ANNA: Bella, can you tell me where I can find – BELLA: Oh, sorry. Yeah, yeah. It's ----- down the corridor on the right. HONEY: I'll show you. I'll show you. BELLA: Quickly, quickly, quickly, talk very, very quickly. What are you doing here with Anna Scott? BERNIE: Anna Scott? BELLA: Yes! MAX: Shh! BELLA: Shut up! BERNIE: What, the film star? BELLA: Shh! BERNIE: Oh God. WILLIAM: What? BERNIE: Oh, oh God. Oh, Goddy God. WILLIAM: What did you say to her? HONEY: I don't believe it. I don't believe it. I actually walked into the loo with her. I was still chatting when she started unbuttoning her jeans. She had to ask me to leave. BERNIE: Oh God. So you knew who she was? HONEY: Of course I did, but he didn't, he didn’t! BERNIE: Well, I did, but not instantly, but I - I - I got away with it. (laughs, overlapping utterances)

SUBTITLES DUBBED VERSION Bene, è pronto. Bella, mi diresti dov’è… Oh, sì, scusa… è in fondo a destra. Ti ci porto io, ti ci porto io.. Su, su, dai… racconta, svelto Che ci fai qui con Anna Scott? Anna Scott! Zitto! Ma chi, l’attrice? Oddio Che c’è? Oddio. Oddio. Oddididdio! Cosa le hai detto? Niente. Non ci credo. Sono entrata in bagno anch’io Ero lì che chiacchieravo quando si è sbottonata i jeans Mi ha dovuto chiedere di uscire. Oddio •Allora tu, tu sapevi chi era? •Certo che lo sapevo, ma lui no, lui no •Beh sì, magari non da subito •Co-comunque.. Mi è andata liscio.

Ci siamo. E’ tutto pronto. Mi dici dove posso trovare il bagno? In fondo al corridoio a destra. La accompagno io; ti accompagno io Presto, presto, presto, parla veloce Che ci fai qui con Anna Scott? Anna Scott! Stai zitto! Oh dio Che c’è? Oh mio dio, Oh mio dio, Oh mio dio Cosa le hai detto? Non ci posso credere. Sono entrata in bagno con lei Stavo chiacchierando quando ha cominciato a sbottonarsi i jeans Ha dovuto chiedermi di uscire. Oddio. Allora tu sapevi chi era? Certo che lo sapevo, ma lui no, Io no, non subito Me la son cavata bene.

Subtitling Strategies Subtitles/spontaneous conversation Prepared not prepared Written spoken Additive original Synchronous extempore Transient ongoing Polysemiotic multimodal

Technical aspects 3SPOTTING – where to insert the subtitles.

in cueout cue

spotting list.

Gottlieb on SubtitlingWrittenAdditiveImmediateSynchronousPolymedial

TRANSFEREXPANSION CONDENSATIONDECIMATIONDELETIONPARAPHRASEIMITATION TRANSCRIPTION DISLOCATIONRESIGNATION

Decimation ‘Caro Diario’Agenti di borsa, deputati, assessori, giormalisti,…

Brokers, congressmen, journalists,…

ENGLISH No. subtitles %

transfer 661 66.3%condensation 165 16.5%decimation 45 4.5%paraphrase 35 3.5%deletion 35 3.5%imitation 33 3.3%transcription 11 1.1%expansion 9 0.9%resignation 3 0.3%dislocation 1 0.1%TOTAL 997 100%

Television – soap opera Un posto al sole - video

Voiceover Voice-over narration “oral statements spoken by an unseen

speaker situated in space and time other than that simultaneously being presented on the screen”.

Voice-over for documentaries Difficulties

inadequate information provided; length of text; orality (foreign speakers); culture-bound terms; plays on words; commissioner’s intervention eg. political,

business.

Level of constraintMusic Image Spatial

synchronyTemporalsunchrony

Phonetic synchrony

Spoken language

Level of constraint

Text ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- ------- 0Ads ------- Static

imagex ------- ------- ------- 1-2

Comic ------- Series ofimages

x ------- ------- ------- 2Song x ------- x x ------- x 4Subtitles x Dynamic

imagesx x ------- ------- 3-4

Dubbing x Dynamicimages

------- x x x 4-5

Level of constraint for voice-overMusic Image Spatial

synchronyTemporal synchrony

Phonetic synchrony

Spoken language

Level of constraint

Voice-over

x Dynamic images ------- x ------- x 3-4