Dear friends,
Firstly, I’d like to acknowledge how much of a battle 2020 has proven to be on every level for a groundbreaking majority of the world due to the COVID-19 pandemic creeping up on us all. For some, it has literally been a battle against an unforgiving virus for their lives or the lives of their loved ones; some lives were won and, unfortunately, many others were lost. For too many, a fierce battle has been fought for their livelihoods, for subsistence. Finally, the unexpected and disruptive reality of cohabitation has made emotions and tensions surface, in many cases resulting in hurtful micro-battles. Be as it may, the world is left to deal with personal loss, grief, and the emotional aftermath.
Yet somehow, we are blessed to practice a profession that was not only less impacted than most but also was reportedly even more in demand during these difficult times. Whether due to a greater need for dissemination of accurate public health information, an increased need for advertising, or for home entertainment. Translators never stop and our field of translation has become a staple commodity for mental health.
Fortunately, our industry is getting back to normal, has kept us busy most of this time and continues to develop and pose challenges for us. Therefore, we need to rise to the occasion. With that in mind, we give you food for thought to delve into with an ATA61 recap of noteworthy audiovisual translation presentations that touch on Parasite, video games, and dubbing adaptation. Secondly, two members of our leadership council suggest attainable New Year’s resolutions and how our social media efforts could very well take the Audiovisual Division to the influencers’ arena. And last but not least, we have a surprise in store for you as four top-tier colleagues share thought-provoking, field-specific articles on video game localization, efficiency with shortcuts and macros, the recent style guides reshaping by the industry leading company, and brand new captioning standards for the hearing impaired.
We at the ATA’s Audiovisual Division wish all our division members, contributors, readers, and extended translation community a 2021 full of reunion, solace, peace, and love.
Stay safe and happy New Year!
Ana Gabriela González Meade
Deep Focus Editor