Session

This workshop will guide participants through a structured discussion aimed at exploring experiences with and opinions of collaboration and briefing in subtitling, drawing on data obtained from prior interviews with subtitlers and filmmakers. Subtitling requires translating between languages, cultures and modes of expression. It also involves creative decisions about which elements of the original dialogue to prioritise, how to convey meaning in limited space and how to handle humour, cultural references and character voice. When watching a subtitled film, audiences want to feel that they are experiencing the work in a way that aligns with the intentions of the writer or director. Achievement of this requires careful consideration of word choice, ideally informed by communication with filmmakers. Although globally, communication between subtitlers and filmmakers is rare, it is seemingly more common for English-language subtitlers in Japan to communicate with filmmakers. When communication is impossible, subtitlers rely on briefing materials to inform decisions, but these vary widely in quality and are frequently insufficient for informed decision-making. Discussion in this workshop will help identify realistic expectations for filmmaker–subtitler communication and define the minimum briefing information that supports translation. The session will also involve discussion of a possible approach to formalising the request and receipt of briefing materials from clients.