Starting with a degree in psychology, Salvador’s journey into the world of words began not in the realm of translation, but through a passion for storytelling. While still in university, he and a group of friends took to writing and self-publishing short stories, poems, and essays. This led to an unexpected opportunity to contribute a weekly column to a local newspaper, where he expanded his writing to include translations of poems and narratives that caught his interest.
His path took a turn when he was asked to translate pamphlets for a local museum. This job gradually evolved into a role as a tour guide, where he found himself not just translating text but conveying the rich history of his home state, Morelos, to visitors. These early experiences in translation grew into a more formal career when a friend invited him to help start a translation agency in 2017. This was the turning point where he left his psychology practice behind to dive full-time into translation and later, subtitling.
At the agency, Salvador encountered the challenges and nuances of subtitling for the first time—working on everything from short videos to full-length documentaries. As he transitioned into freelancing after the pandemic, he brought with him a wealth of experience in managing translation projects and a deep appreciation for the subtleties of audiovisual translation.
But it wasn’t just traditional methods that fueled his success. Salvador’s willingness to experiment with AI has played a crucial role in his work. He discovered that AI could automate some of the more tedious aspects of subtitling, such as syncing subtitles to video, significantly reducing the time required for these tasks. This freed him up to focus on refining the quality of the translation—something that still requires the expert touch of a human translator.
"I don’t see anything wrong with using machine translation," Salvador says, "In the end, it’s just a tool—like a hammer driving a nail or a saw cutting wood. Reducing the workload doesn’t mean avoiding the work. It means there’s more time to dedicate to polishing the translation and other details that require more attention and expertise."
Salvador’s story is a powerful reminder that AI is not a threat to our profession but an opportunity. It allows us to maintain high standards while adapting to the fast-paced demands of the industry. As he puts it, "There’s no real limit to what AI can do in the world of translation. The time to ask what it can and can’t do is long past. Now, it’s about setting standards that prevent abuse without limiting the advantages."
If you’re interested in exploring how AI can enhance your work in audiovisual translation and subtitling, join us for the upcoming ProZ.com Meetup on July 18th at 13:00 GMT. The event will feature a deep dive into AI’s role in this field, followed by a networking session where you can exchange ideas and experiences with fellow professionals. Don’t forget to enable your microphone and camera for the networking session to get the most out of this interactive opportunity.
To register, please follow this link»
Embrace the future of translation and subtitling with AI as your ally, and take your work to the next level.
Hope to see you there. :)
