WO2019135012A1 - Method for audio dubbing and voice-overs - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the management of audio dubbing and voice-over production intended for audiovisual media, such that the presence of different dubbing actors is not required in the studio. The implementation of the method of the invention not only removes the need for the actor to be present in the studio, along with the resulting advantages this entails, but it also facilitates the management of different service proposals and offerings since access to the different services, from both sides, is greatly improved given the flexibility and security of the platform to be used. Almost all of the infrastructure and tools necessary to carry out the dubbing tasks are hosted on a server accessible by means of a client represented in an electronic device: this considerably reduces the costs and materials necessary, while making the use of said tools flexible.

Description

 METHOD OF DOUBLE AND AUDIO LOCATIONS OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention described here is framed in the field of audiovisual techniques.

More specifically, the object of the invention is directed to a method of managing audio dubbing tasks, such as voice dubbing in different languages in movies or recording of voiceovers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The dubbing of video audio, such as voice dubbing in movies, is a long-known task and is very common today. Normally a consumer of audiovisual content has different audio sources available for the same content, said audio sources may contain different audios that have been generated based on an original audio, or that have simply been implemented with the video. This known process, dubbing, involves recording and replacing voices, after their production, of a cinematographic, television or radio medium mainly to carry out their internationalization.

The dubbing consists mainly of replacing the dialogues spoken by the actors in an original language with other identical or similar dialogues in another language. In the case of video games, it can also refer to the process of adding voices recorded by voice actors in exchange for written dialogues.

At the beginning of the 70s the dubbing of productions in video tapes began to be developed. To this end, a one-inch helical video recorder was modified to add additional tracks to the high-fidelity audio recording and another of control pulses used in the synchronization of the original format during transfer to working copies. This system allowed to increase the efficiency and continuity of the dubbing at a lower cost. Given the nature of the video, like the movies, which are still moving images, the audio must be synchronized with the images that are shown: this synchronization technique has several possible implementations.

One of the critical problems faced by the dubbing industry is that which is related to the location of the studios, this implies that, for example, in a city like Madrid a dubbing of an audiovisual medium to a minority language is required , a qualified person with the necessary knowledge of that language must travel to the studio in Madrid on specific dates, with the cost that this entails: also the quality controls to which the result of the dubbing must be submitted can make these costs they shoot when having to make different shots or repeat the process.

It is because of all this that it is necessary to be able to obtain quality dubbing regardless of the person who performs it and without the need to use complex or expensive systems that sometimes have to be implemented ad-hoc requiring displacements of dubbing actors that are necessary for each task. All this would allow the recreation of locutions in any language, in any country with native speakers, speeding up and substantially improving the process and the quality of the product generated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is directed to the recording, postproduction of all the products related to the recording of voices, for the film industry, and any other that needs recordings, interpretations, or locutions, made by dubbing actors, as by speakers carrying out the process in a delocalised manner.

The method object of the invention is implementation, preferably, in a client-server environment in which the latter is accessible through a communications network such as via web or using an application on the mobile device) and comprises a series of modules such as: a script editor, a recording module, a production module, an image bank, a module administration, and all the necessary tools in the recording process, in the production of any audiovisual product. By entering the server, a voice actor or speaker accesses a platform where he can carry out the tasks necessary to generate a dubbing product based on the needs of the client.

The access to the server, and therefore to the platform, can be carried out from any electronic device with accessibility of communication networks that allow the connection of the same to the server: either a computer, a tablet or a mobile phone: or a combination of them but always in a private environment accessible to dubbing professionals who will carry out the tasks necessary to generate the dubbing product.

The server is not only accessible through a communications network but it either has access, or hosts a series of databases necessary to carry out the object of the invention. Said databases replicate, at least partially, the processes and users necessary to carry out a dubbing process in which at least the following roles intervene:

 • Manager, with permits for complete visualization of all the sections: clients, production, job status, payments made / pending. He has full access and communication with all roles.

 • Production: Separated by "producers": pending works, delivery alerts, etc. He has full access and communication with all roles.

 • Mixing technician, with scheduled permissions and downloading of audios for mixes.

 • Translator: with permission to edit translations made / pending.

 He has partial access and communication with production, dubbing actor and with the client that accesses the server.

 • Director: with editor permissions for adjustment and comment for each character.

• Actor of dubbing / Announcer: with access permissions to pending / finalized works, tools, recording program, own accounting, and additionally with access permissions to his qualification. It has communication access with production and with the client that accesses the server, obviously it is accessing the server through the client. To carry out the task of evaluating the quality of the dubbing product generated, the server can have a public access to it which gives access to certain parts of the platform in which one or more users can see and hear the product of dubbing to assess the quality of it. This part of the platform is especially useful when evaluating the work carried out by each professional in a way that establishes an environment of trust in which each job is valued, and therefore, each professional acquires a status referred to the quality of your work: status that can be useful when assigning new dubbing jobs or negotiating them.

To carry out the object of the invention, the use of a remote control device adapted to prevent the dubbing actor having to be aware of the screen or the keyboard of the client device with which it accesses the server of the platform is provided. Said remote control device allows, for example, start / pause / stop / record the recording tool of the server: in this way it has that through this device, the voice actor or speaker can focus on the artistic creation, without having to Focus your attention on the different buttons of the computer keyboard. The recording tool located on the server accessible via has a button, where you activate or deactivate the remote control. The control has different keys, strategically arranged for an intuitive control of the recorder's functions. In a possible alternative embodiment of the object of the invention can have the remote control defined in a remote control generated on the screen or input means of an electronic device that has wireless communications capability, in this way the remote control can come defined as a mobile application or as part of a mobile application that allows all the parts of the method of the invention to be carried out from a portable device having wireless communication capability at the same time as means of capturing and reproducing audio.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical realization thereof, it is accompanied as an integral part of the invention. said description, a set of drawings in which, with an illustrative and non-limiting character, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- It shows a flowchart where the processes related to a first phase of the method of the invention are appraised where the processes are marked as well as the relationships between them: processes that take place in the server having running in the same the tools corresponding to: the text editor (E), the recorder (G), the voice bank (BV), the pattern (P) and the quality control (QC) while there are processes that take place in the client as the evaluation (V) and the proposals (D).

Figure 2 shows a flow diagram showing the processes related to a second phase of the method of the invention where the processes are marked as well as the relationships between them: processes that take place in the server having running in it the tools corresponding to: the text editor (E), the recorder (G), the voice bank (BV), the set (P), the quality control (QC), the text validation (VT) and the glossary, while there are processes that take place in the client such as the valuation (V), the proposals (D), the payment gateway (PP) and the auction (S).

Figure 3.- It shows a table where you can see the different roles that are registered in the database of roles as well as the different processes in which they are involved as well as the corresponding permits.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

In a preferred embodiment of the object of the invention is that a customer requires an audio dubbing product, and for this purpose it makes a manager come to a job. The manager, through access to a server that hosts, among others, a database of jobs, stores in said work database said work together with the detailed information of the product to be made.

Once a new entry is generated in the job database, a producer assigns for that job: a mix technician, a translator, and a director. For each job, the corresponding mix technician, translator, and director can be designated in the same database of works in their corresponding fields or they can be stored in a database of roles which is a relational database to which they find the works of the work database linked: the database of roles can include data related to: client, manager, mixer, translator, director, dubbing actor, reviewer and dubbing proposals.

Each record in the role database is assigned a series of access permissions: in such a way that, for example: a reviewer only has access to the public part of the platform through access to the server, while a technician has access to the tools necessary to carry out the tasks required by your role. In this way, the mixing technician can perform a layout of the work to be done by accessing a layout tool that is hosted on the server or the translator can carry out a translation of the work by accessing the corresponding tool on the platform by access from their devices no matter where they are or at what time they carry it out.

In a preferred embodiment of the object of this invention is that the director accesses the server and performs a distribution of proposals of assignments of the different characters of the work to double to respective dubbing actors. Each proposal is stored in a proposal database, which in turn can be linked to the database of jobs and the database of roles in such a way that the data of a record of each of said databases they are linked to the corresponding registry of the rest of the databases.

In the proposal database, records are stored that include data referring to the dubbing actor, information of the corresponding tks, date of delivery established and characteristics of the product. In this way, one of the records of the proposal database, together with its corresponding information, is related to the database of roles and the database of works, making a preliminary assignment of work to a dubbing actor sending a first proposal from the server to a respective first voice actor that is located in a first place in the proposal sent: this way you have a first dubbing actor, with a proposal that includes the aforementioned data, at least date of delivery, information of tks and characteristics of the product.

Although this assignment is registered, the final assignment does not have to correspond with it. In a preferred embodiment of the object of the invention a first proposal is sent and once the first dubbing actor receives the proposal, preferably in his electronic device previously registered in the platform and linked to his data in the database of roles, this one can accept or not: to accept or not the proposal, this first actor of dubbing has a predetermined time, which in this example we estimate in two hours. After this time, it is understood that this first dubbing actor, for whatever reason, will not carry out the work included in the proposal, so that a second proposal is sent to a second dubbing actor, where the procedure described for the first proposal is repeated until an actor accepts the proposal and it becomes a final assignment registered in the databases assigning the least work and delivery date to said dubbing actor.

In this example of realization we have generated as many proposals as possible dubbing actors are available with the characteristics required by the client and these proposals follow an order of preference, in such a way that a proposal is not sent until the previous one has been taken as null or rejected: in other possible embodiments of the object of the invention all the proposals are sent simultaneously to the respective dubbing actors, becoming an assigned proposal that meets at least one of the following conditions:

 • Be the first to be accepted.

 • Meet a series of requirements that may be referred to in terms of language, required accent, speech quality, availability, economic conditions.

• That which in response to the proposal proportions a date prior to the date of delivery of the proposal.

Once you have the final assignment the corresponding dubbing actor can access the server where, through correlation between the different databases, you will have access not only to the corresponding tools but they will be preloaded with the necessary data to carry out the work. Also, the generation of the final assignment implies a communication to the director who, if deemed necessary, encloses the comments that he believes appropriate along with the script on which the dubbing actor will work. The dubbing actor accesses the server as many times as necessary until the work is completed, once the work is completed it is marked as completed and added to the database but this time as finished: the different roles of the database of roles with permissions associated with them have access to the finished job. It should be noted that the insertion of the finished work in the database, or uploading it to the server, can be associated with respective time stamps (timestamps) that can serve as a reference to determine if the work has been completed within the deadline marked by the date of present delivery in the proposal. This determination can be useful when determining the status of the dubbing actor which can lead to loss of confidence on the part of third parties, which can generate a mark in the corresponding database that will make future proposals consider this brand at the time of including said dubbing actor in the proposal, or to determine economic penalties based on the initial offer.

Something similar happens when the work once finalized and issued or released becomes part of the finished work and it is offered publicly for the evaluation of work done, the quality of the work done can be measured based on the evaluations of third parties who have access to it.

Once the work is finished, the mixer accesses the server and downloads the finished work from the corresponding recording bands and makes a final mix, which may come from several works completed from several proposals. . This implies that all processes, except for the final mix, are carried out through access to the server, which not only guarantees the security of the distributed content, but also allows the relocation of each of the parties acting in each process.

In a possible still more alternative embodiment of the object of the invention, all the databases are merged into a single database, preferably relational, that includes all the registers and fields, as well as their relations, of the databases of works, roles and proposals.

To carry out the work, the dubbing actor or speaker, access a recording tool hosted on the server accessing it preferably from the electronic device acting as a client, accessing via web or via mobile application; This tool has a command in the form of a button or pressed that allows you to start or stop recording. During the same, the dubbing actor can send different commands by accessing keyboard, mouse or using a touch screen as input devices.

To facilitate the carrying out of the object of the invention, a specific device is provided that allows the sending of commands remotely without having to be aware of any input device, for this a remote control command is provided, comprising a series of buttons, keys, pacte and / or tactile surfaces that represent the following functionalities shown together with the identification acronym present in the button / key / pad / corresponding touch surface:

ORIG: Listen to the original band.

 STOP: For recording / image.

 RUN: Launches the selected take loop.

 REC: Activate the recording.

 OK: Validate the recording.

 NEW: Discard the last recording.

 ON / OFF: Activates / deactivates the remote control.

 PREV: Go back to the previous Take.

 NEXT: Jump to the take later.

 FADER: Touch key and with Click: The touch allows to raise or lower by means of a single finger, the signal input power to the micro. Click Locks or Activates

Touch fader

 EDIT: Activate the editing, to be able to move the sound wave, forward and backward.

 SELECT: Select the wave to edit.

FRAME »: Move the waveform to the left (forward). FRAME »: Moves the waveform to the left (delays). OK: Validate the edition.

 Í ÍTDB: Increase decibels of the wave.

 DB: Low decibels of the wave.

 <= UNDO: Undo the changes.

Claims

1. Method of dubbing and audio locutions characterized because it comprises: a. generating in a server, to which at least one client has access through a communication network, at least one database comprising:  i. data of work to be done, where said data in turn comprise,  ii. data of the roles of each client with access to the server, where said data includes access permissions to the different functionalities offered by the server, Neither. Proposal data where said data includes at least one of the date of delivery and a certain period of time, b. generate a series of n proposals respectively directed to dubbing actors where said proposals comprise a delivery date or a specific period of time,  c. Sort the proposed n following a hierarchical criterion,  d. get the first of the n proposals from the server to a dubbing actor located in the first of the n proposals,  and. start a countdown of a preset period of time when the reception of the proposal is verified by the dubbing actor located in the first of the n proposals,  F. determine the proposal as accepted when the dubbing actor in response to the proposal accepts it,  g. generate a first time stamp corresponding to the moment in which the dubbing actor, in response to the proposal, accepts the same, h. establish:  i. a first temporary counter with start corresponding to the time stamp and with a duration corresponding to the period of time determined in the proposal, or  ii. a second temporary counter whose end corresponds to the delivery date, i. receive on the server a work done by the dubbing actor, corresponding to the proposal, making a second time stamp, j. comparing the second time stamp with at least one of the time counters thus determining a delivery on time when the second time stamp is within the limits of the time counter, and  k. allow a public access, conditioned by the entries in the database of roles in the server, to the work done by the dubbing actor, corresponding to the proposal, to carry out a quality control of it based on the data. 2. Audio dubbing method characterized in that it comprises:  to. generating in a server, to which at least one client has access through a communication network, at least one database comprising:  i. data of work to be done, where said data in turn comprise,  ii. data of the roles of each client with access to the server, where said data also includes access permissions to the different functionalities offered by the server, iii. Proposal data where said data includes at least one of the date of delivery and a certain period of time, b. generate a proposal addressed to a series of dubbing actors where said proposal includes a delivery date or a specific period of time,  c. send the proposal from the server to each dubbing actor, d. start a countdown of a preset period of time when the reception of the proposal is verified by at least one of the dubbing actors,  and. determine the proposal as accepted when a dubbing actor in response to the proposal accepts it, F. generate a first time stamp corresponding to the moment in which the dubbing actor in response to the proposal accepts the same, g. establish: i. a first temporary counter with start corresponding to the time stamp and with a duration corresponding to the period of time determined in the proposal, or  ii. a second temporary counter whose end corresponds to the delivery date,  h. receive on the server a work done by the dubbing actor, corresponding to the proposal, making a second time stamp, i. comparing the second time stamp with at least one of the time counters thus determining a delivery on time when the second time stamp is within the limits of the time counter, and  j. allow a public access, conditioned by the entries in the database of roles in the server, to the work done by the dubbing actor, corresponding to the proposal, to carry out a quality control of it based on the data. 3. Method of audio dubbing according to claim 1 or 2 characterized in that the work data are in a database of jobs, the data of roles are housed in a database of roles and the data of proposals are housed in a database of proposals: said databases of jobs, roles and proposals hosted on the server. Audio dubbing method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the work data is found in a work database, the data of roles are housed in a database of roles and the proposal data are housed in a database of proposals: said databases of jobs, roles and proposals hosted on respective servers.