Recording Styles Q & A: Part 1

Q:  I keep hearing terms like “U.N. style” and “CNN style” and documentary style”.  What is the difference between them?

A: They are similar, which is why the confusion. In the U.N., the CNN, and the Documentary styles, the original English is retained and plays softly in the background, while the sound of the  foreign voiceovers are audible rather like an interpreter.  However, the “U.N. style” means using a simultaneous interpreter to record, not a voice talent.  That interpreter may be interpreting “live”  on the fly, or may have practiced a little before coming to studio.  In either case, an interpreter has a monotonous performance, and should be avoided for multimedia projects whenever possible.  Both the “CNN” and the “Documentary style”, on the other hand, are perfect for multimedia projects, because they use professional talent voiceovers and the “reporter” effect is created through the mixing technique.

Q:  When is a documentary-style approach preferred to full voice replacement?  When do I keep the original English in the background, and when eliminate it entirely?

A: There are a few basics rules to decide which mixing approach to use.  If is a testimonial, the CNN-documentary style is usually better, unless that testimonial is played over b-roll, not actually seeing the person’s face as they speak.  Sometimes, subtitling is even more impressive for a testimonial.    For narration over footage or b-roll of some kind, voice replacement is always better, without exception.  If there is dialog, such as vignettes of people talking together, then lip sync is the best - a second possibility is subtitling or using foreign voiceovers mixed in documentary style, when there is a budget issue, but impact is lost that lip sync does provide in spades.

Q:  What other considerations are worth a thought for international projects?

A: You might consider music localization.  The music that appeals to other cultures is often not our corporation music choices.  For commercials, obviously, music has a monumental impact.  And for corporate sales pieces, again, localizing the music can make a big difference.  One company that provides localized music is @International Services.

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