Subtitles, voice over, or ignorance

[bingy13]

In a movie I am writing, some of the characters are African and part of it is set in Africa... Should I use subtitles (what I really want to do, not the easiest for the crowd, or me though), voice over (to me these look cheesy, what are your guys' thoughts), or just ignorance and say they speak English...

 

[Silver Sable]

If I were you, I would use subtitiles b/c that will make the film more realistic

 

[bingy13]

If I were you, I would use subtitiles b/c that will make the film more realistic

That's wut I'm thinking...

 

[Hobbes]

You can establish that they're speaking their native language, yet have the actors speaking english.

 

[bingy13]

You can establish that they're speaking their native language, yet have the actors speaking english.

how would you go about this? I was thinknig of having one person who could speak english and everybody else couldn't...

 

[Hobbes]

how would you go about this? I was thinknig of having one person who could speak english and everybody else couldn't...

Do you watch Lost? Thy did it really quite well in one episode.

 

[bingy13]

Do you watch Lost? Thy did it really quite well in one episode.

nope never watched it... could you explain...

 

[Hobbes]

Well, the characters were speaking Iraqi, subtitles going, and the camera panne dbehind a fellers head, screen all black for a moment, When the camera came back out, they were speaking English. It may not make sense the way I say it, but It worked quite well on the show.

 

[bingy13]

Well, the characters were speaking Iraqi, subtitles going, and the camera panne dbehind a fellers head, screen all black for a moment, When the camera came back out, they were speaking English. It may not make sense the way I say it, but It worked quite well on the show.

I don't think I want to do that...

 

[Blackmail]

What would the world be without voice overs?

 

[Psycho Hulk]

Alot of movies have the people speaking in their native tongue with out voice overs or Subtitles. You usually just go by what they are looking at or relating too. Like a silent movie, the characters never spoke but you always knew what was going on or what they were thinking about. So you could have them speaking in their native tongue but their motions and expressions cleary stating the subject. Unless, its something really important...then I dunno, sometimes they will start speaking in there native tongue and then somebody will speak in english...and suddenly everyone knows english. I still prefer subtitles for realism.

 

[bingy13]

Alot of movies have the people speaking in their native tongue with out voice overs or Subtitles. You usually just go by what they are looking at or relating too. Like a silent movie, the characters never spoke but you always knew what was going on or what they were thinking about. So you could have them speaking in their native tongue but their motions and expressions cleary stating the subject. Unless, its something really important...then I dunno, sometimes they will start speaking in there native tongue and then somebody will speak in english...and suddenly everyone knows english. I still prefer subtitles for realism.

I think I'll go with subtitles in the beginning and then either have everybody learn English, or the main character learn their language... I'm leaning towards them learning English... It would make it easier for them to deliver powerful lines, and everybody get it in the crowd...

 

[DarkKnightJRK]

I think it would probably depend on what kind-of movie it is or the plot of the story.

 

[GL-Corps#28]

You should only do voiceovers if you get the most monotone, flat-voiced white guys you an find.

 

[bingy13]

You should only do voiceovers if you get the most monotone, flat-voiced white guys you an find.

LOL, you need a job, jk...

 

[Knightsaber Priss]

Subtitles. It's more classy.

 

[TGG]

Being a Professional Voice Over Talent, I vote for voice over.

 

[Isildur´s Heir]

Voice over is the most retarted thing ever.
I only accept in animated movies because of the kids, but i refuse to watch them, i only see original versions.
Thank God i live in a country (Portugal) that doesn´t dub any movie, except the animated ones, and even those, have always theaters with the original version.

Why?
Because an actor is 50% voice and 50% body movement, if you take the voice, you get half an actor, and, by other words, you get a product, not a person.

I am and will always be, 100% against dubbing

 

[hippie_hunter]

how would you go about this? I was thinknig of having one person who could speak english and everybody else couldn't...

Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was spoken in English even though most of it was said in Russian.

 

[Stringer]

I agree with Sable go with the subtitles.

 

[Victor Creed]

Subtitles are the best especially if anyone watching is hard of hearing, it kills two birds with one stone. My wife is nearly deaf in one ear, so i have become so accustomed to subtitles on movies that I began to watch foreign films with no qualms.

Of course, I still can't resist them dubbed over Jackie Chan flicks, lol.

 

[freelancer]

Subtitles.