Any advice for filming characters who speak different language?

[Omar N]

Howdy peeps!

I've got a really exciting job coming up where I will be traveling overseas with a director to shoot a documentary on foreign soil. I have done plenty of doc work before, but this will actually be the first time I am put in a position where I will be following 4-5 characters for several weeks and having them talk in a foreign language. I believe this will be particularly challenging because it will be hard to know how to frame shots and judge when its important to roll the camera and when it is not. For instance, one of the characters may be spilling her life story, which is something I would certainly want to record on camera. On the other hand, many of the characters might only talk gibberish small talk. To me as a foreigner, I will not be able to distinguish other than by looking for visual cues such as reactions, emotions, etc.

My question before I embark on this project is, any quick tips people can lend regarding following characters around who speak a different language? Any tools of the trade, or things to look out for? Just wondering how others have tackled this challenge.

Thank you!

 

[DPStewart]

Make sure you use microphones that were made in the country that person's language is from. The mics can understand them better that way.

.
But seriously.
You'll quickly find that there are more "universal" gestures and body language than you would have ever guessed - this will make framing almost as easy as if you spoke their language natively.

But really it comes down to having an interpreter. A GOOD ONE. And most importantly one who is very warm and calm by nature. I personally try to use women in this role whenever possible if you're trying to get women to speak to you freely on camera. Often men will respond more comfortably to men for the same sorts of reasons, but not always. My experience has been that a female interpreter puts the subject at ease better about 2/3rds of the time.

Be calm. Make good eye contact. Don't be too "hype-y".

This is my 2 bits on trying to record people who's language I don't speak.

 

[combatentropy]

There is a Hollywood editor who likes to cut with the sound off. He says he does it by focusing on the emotion playing on the faces, or just the physical action, etc. Anyone know who I'm talking about? Is it Walter Murch?

Anyway, you've already mentioned watching for emotional cues, facial expressions. I guess I would hug tightly to that, looking even more intently in their eyes.

Then again, I'm not a fan of zooming in and out, doing fancy camerawork, etc. I used to be but not anymore. So I would be just framing the interviewee in a medium shot anyway.

Finally, I would just rely on the director to guide me. I mean, he's biliingual, right? I would just film whoever he talks to, go where he goes, see if his facial expression is saying something like "hey get this shot," and so on.

 

[Chmiola]

But seriously.
You'll quickly find that there are more "universal" gestures and body language than you would have ever guessed - this will make framing almost as easy as if you spoke their language natively.

DPStewart is totally right on this, there's so much you can get from body language and other non-verbal cues. Early in my career I got an assignment to edit a standup comedy routine in a foreign language that was shot with 4 or 5 cameras. I was stressing out about it beforehand, but once I got started on it I immediately realized how easy it was to ready the comedian's face / hands / gestures. The pacing and delivery of the jokes seemed so familiar, I just couldn't understand the words.

If you're watching for nonverbal expression you'll be fine.