The best people
How’s your summer going?
I took a few days off in June, but now I’m back to work and available for projects in July and August. Feel free to reach out if you need assistance—I still have room to accommodate more work.
During my time off, I reflected on my work process. It’s nothing extraordinary, but it has consistently produced successful results, as expressed by satisfied clients. This feedback brings me great joy.
When I receive a translation or subtitling job, I follow these 6 steps:
- I thoroughly read the text or watch the entire video to grasp the overall tone.
- I identify terms requiring further research and idiomatic phrases, checking for suitable Portuguese equivalents, or finding interesting translations when none exist.
- Furthermore, I carefully analyze the client’s guidelines and seek clarification if needed.
- Once I have all the necessary information, I commence the work. Two key aspects to highlight here:
- Time: I prefer starting early to avoid rushing toward deadlines. Projects with complexity require reasonable timeframes.
- Creativity: I immerse myself in the source text, understand its meaning, and aim to convey the same message in Portuguese as if it were originally written in the language.
- After completing the translation, I read it aloud to ensure natural-sounding sentences that don’t mimic the structure of the source text. This step helps me gauge the rhythm of the text and break down long sentences into smaller, more readable ones.
- Next, I perform a second reading, comparing the translated text with the source material. Finally, I let it rest for a few hours, ideally overnight, before doing a final review and delivering it to the client.
This is my method, which I apply consistently to every job. It may take time, but it gives me confidence that I’ve done my best.
Although I have a passion for finding the perfect word, there are instances when a few days later, an even more suitable expression comes to mind for a specific context.
Client feedback, even informally, serves as a tremendous source of encouragement. I consider myself privileged to work with the best clients in the world. The universe has been generous, placing good people on my path.