7 rare languages, 120+ hours, 15 days. OTT localization at scale

The problem to solve

OTT localization for rare languages is a different problem than standard subtitle work. The client needed three deliverable types per language, subtitles (timed and formatted to platform specs), dubbed audio, and localized metadata (titles, descriptions, genre tags, content warnings). Each deliverable type has its own quality standards and compliance requirements.

Seven rare languages meant seven separate production lines running in parallel. Dubbing required voice talent casting, recording studio coordination, and audio sync review. Subtitling required timing accuracy to platform specifications, accurate translation plus frame-accurate cue points. Metadata localization demanded consistency across hundreds of content entries per language.

The 15-day window was tied to a regional content launch. The platform had already committed launch dates to regional partners. A slip in any single language would delay the launch across all seven markets.

How Multimedia services was delivered

We structured the project as three parallel production streams, one per deliverable type, each with its own team lead and QA process.

• Dedicated PM per language:

  Each of the 7 languages had a dedicated project manager responsible for all three deliverable types. This eliminated cross-language coordination delays. Each PM owned their language's timeline, quality, and client communication.

• Three parallel streams:

  All three production tracks ran concurrently rather than sequentially. Subtitle teams started on day 1. Dubbing casting and script adaptation ran in parallel. Metadata localization began as soon as the first content batch was assigned. This compressed a typical 6-week timeline into 15 days.

• Platform-spec compliance built into QA:

  The client provided detailed technical specifications for subtitle formatting, audio levels, and metadata field requirements. We built these specs into our QA checklists rather than treating compliance as a final review step. Every batch was checked against platform specs during production, not after.

• Subtitle timing validation:

  All subtitle files were run through automated timing checks before human review. Minimum display duration, maximum characters per line, reading speed calculations, and cue point alignment were validated programmatically. Human reviewers focused on linguistic quality and cultural fit rather than mechanical timing issues.

• Dubbing sync review:

  Dubbed audio was reviewed for lip-sync accuracy, emotional tone match, and audio quality in a dedicated pass separate from the linguistic review. Two reviewers per language, one for linguistic accuracy, one for audio-visual sync.