Creativity in Audiovisual Translation and Media Accessibility

Abstract

Audiovisual translation (AVT) and media accessibility (MA) are some of the most fertile grounds in which to test the validity and operational use of the concept of creativity. Many examples can be found containing splendid and controversial examples of creativity expressed through authorial interventions on even the most revered texts: from films by eminent directors to high quality TV series to global videogames, creative producers, mediators, translators and adapters have all found ways of making their own aesthetic mark. Creative practices in media localisation in today’s world of digital technology acquire new meanings linked to the exploration of modern techniques and challenge traditional notions of translation. This article attempts to set the limits of creativity in AVT, to understand this notion from several angles and to map creative practices in the current world of media localisation. It explores the notion of creativity in the postproduction phase of media localisation and addresses the issue of creative media access, when creativity is incorporated into the filmmaking process and is also shared with prospective users in advance, to take the path towards participatory AVT.