localize-a-video

name	localize-a-video
category	media
description	Localize video through translated meaning, timing, voice, captions, graphics, metadata, and cultural context. Use when an approved master must serve audiences in another language or locale.

localize-a-video

Preserve intended meaning and audience experience rather than translating isolated words.

Procedure

1. Define target locale, audience, distribution, dialect, accessibility, rights, and approval owner.
2. Lock and transcribe the source with timecodes, speakers, terminology, and on-screen text.
3. Create a context-rich translation with glossary, names, numbers, humor, idioms, and disputed terms.
4. Choose subtitles, dubbing, voice-over, graphics replacement, or a combination.
5. Adapt line length, timing, lip constraints, reading speed, layout, and safe areas.
6. Record and mix voices with consent, casting, pronunciation, and performance direction.
7. Replace graphics, dates, units, URLs, legal text, credits, and platform metadata.
8. Review linguistically, culturally, technically, and in the final player.
9. Deliver locale-labeled masters, captions, transcript, and a localization report.

Guardrails

• Never imitate a person's voice without clear authority and disclosure.
• Do not erase culturally meaningful context to force literal timing.
• Keep source and localized claims aligned and fact-checked.

Done

• A localized delivery package contains approved video, captions, transcript, and metadata
• Meaning, terminology, timing, voices, graphics, rights, and playback are verified
• Native-language review findings and final versions are recorded