Multimedia translation can be applied to various fields, including cinema, television, theatre, advertisement, audiovisual and mobile device communication.
Audiovisual text can be labeled as multimodal when produced and interpreted by applying a variety of semiotic resources or ‘modes’.
[2] When various modes, such as language, image, music, colour and perspective are combined in different forms of media, with the major role attributed to the screen, audiovisual text can be described as multimedial.
[7] Once considered the most comprehensive form of translation, dubbing follows the "timing, phrasing and lip movement of the original dialogue" as closely as possible.
[7] The most extensively studied mode of multimedia translation, subtitling is the linguistic practice showing written text on a screen that conveys "a target language version of the source speech.
[7] Voice over is considered a "cheap alternative to dubbing" so it is the first choice for translating films in former Communist states and some countries in the Middle East and Asia.
[7] Free commentary is the variation of an audiovisual source to an entirely new audience and the cultural factors or new goals involved.
[7] Narration consists of preparing, translating and condensing a text in advance which is then read by dubbing actors and actresses.
[7] Narration is also similar to voice over, but is different in that the final product is more condensed and is not always completely faithful to the original's style.
[8] SDH is meant for those who have difficulty hearing the dialogue on a film or television show by helping them to "see" the sound.
[8] However, the "growing number of legislative and regulatory provisions has set minimum quota requirements" for broadcasters and subtitling companies.
[8] AD is meant for those who are blind, visually-impaired or partially-sighted and assists by providing a narration concerning the visual aspects of a film or television show, for example.
classes on this subject have been established at several universities across Europe and the United States (Boston, Dallas, Forlì, Genova, Leeds, Londra, Pisa, Pittsburgh, Torino, Udine, Barcelona, Vigo, Winterthur).