Streaming platforms in the West have brought an array of films and TV that have inspired people to dive into the experiences of many amazing cultures from around the world. The popularity of international films and television shows has increased in interest dramatically in recent years, and streaming platforms such as Netflix are expanding their range of foreign content to meet this demand.
Following the popularity of many great international films and series among audiences, English-speaking viewers are becoming more accustomed to subtitles and dubbing, which will be necessary as more international content is scheduled to hit the screen in the coming years, with people anticipating TV and films from Korea, Germany, Mexico, and all over the world.
More People Are Watching Non-English Titles
In fact, Netflix reported that 97% of Americans watched a non-English title last year, and dubbing can be important for drawing in more viewers, as more people chose to watch the incredibly successful Korean series Squid Game dubbed over the version voiced by its original cast in Korean. Although, Thor: Love and Thunder director Taika Waititi believed that the only way to really enjoy the series is to experience it in the original Korean language track. To do this though, getting the subtitle translation right has become more crucial than ever. Despite this, getting to have a choice between watching a non-English language film either with dubbing or subtitles may be the best option the industry wanted to attract a wide range of audience members. But everyone prefers different things, so which is the better option?
When watching a foreign language film, it's almost too simple to assume that subtitles would be the preferred choice of watching. After all, using this option allows the audience to hear the actors' actual voices, whereas the lack of synchronization between dubbed words and the movement of the actors' mouths might be distracting. But, a lot of people over the years have shown little interest in watching movies which require subtitles, whether because the prospect of reading dialogue (even in just a glance) is daunting to some, or due to xenophobia.
This is surprising, as dubbed films may contain some performers who play many roles, which can make the experience less engaging and even a little confusing at times. While a dubbed film might not be as good as the original, some viewers think it makes a film more watchable, with devoted fans making English dubs of some titles; if it's a gateway for some audiences to see a film they otherwise wouldn't, then it's better than not seeing the film at all.
To Dub or Sub
When a dubbed over subtitled film is watched, it may impair the viewer's capacity to learn a new language. Although, it's not often that people will be watching with the aims of learning a language. Most people will say that when they go to watch a film, their major motivation is likely to be entertainment rather than a desire to scrub up on their language skills. However, one of the major disadvantages of dubbing may detract from this joy, because subtitles are generally more accurate than voice-overs. So, from choosing subtitles, certain humor and character traits might be better translated to the audience.
Having said that, watching a movie with subtitles might result in the viewer missing out on part of the action onscreen. The majority of users who choose to watch dubbing over subtitles might generally be the viewers that prefer an easy and laid-back watch rather than having to shift their eyes slightly to read the dialogue. Dubbing allows users to be able to sit back and relax, whereas subtitles normally force viewers to pay full attention to the film at all times or else they’ll lose out on vital information. You can't have a film on in the background when you don't understand the language.
Also, it might affect the way a person generally watches a film. For example, when viewing a horror film, subtitles might not only take away the general classic gloomy atmosphere and the reactions from brilliant jump scares we get from watching a scary movie, but it might just generally dull the excitement of watching a great film. People do, however, gradually adapt to subtitles, and easily train themselves to see the full screen while taking in the dialogue.
Perhaps there will never be a conclusion to this debate; there are many pros and cons to both, so perhaps the best option will be for streaming platforms to offer their audience a choice of either. As the popularity of international films are constantly rising, it is clear that we will all have to pick a side.