Foreign languages. When to translate?

ladybugger · Mar 27, 2009

I just had a question about the translations of foreign languages in screenplays.

In my script, there is a telephone conversation in Spanish. The conversation is short, but it pertains to the first Plot Point before the conflict. The rest of the screenplay is in English, except for that one scene.

Since it is a short, but important conversation, do I need to 'superimpose' the English translation over the INTERCUT telephone conversation? Or, is it just a matter of choice and preference?

Thanks!
Ladybugger

clockwork · Mar 27, 2009

You could just go with;

BOB
(in Spanish)
Shall we go sombrero shopping today?

KATE
(in Spanish)
Sombrero shopping? You bet.

Do whatever takes up the least space but is still clear. Don't bog your script down with distracting intercuts, filters, translations and so on.

In a shooting script, it would look something like;

BOB
(In Spanish)
La cuenta por, favor.
[phonetically: La koo-en-ta
por fa-vor. [English: The bill,
please.]

Obviously that's for the benefit of an actor and not something you need to worry about now.

Foreign languages. When to translate?

ladybugger

clockwork

In the zone...