In 1981, desktop computers took up most of your desk and digital watches embodied the cutting edge of consumer technology…
There was no internet—and mobile phones were still the stuff of sci-fi movies. But there were movies, of course. And studios wanted people around the world to enjoy them. Which required translators and technicians. So Subtitling & Dubbing International (SDI) was born.
Localizing content through subtitles and dubbing has been our bread and butter for more than 25 years. But two things happened recently that caused an explosion in demand: globalization and the digital revolution.
The content explosion
Hollywood now generates more than half its revenue from overseas markets. We help studios tap into that, at the same time combating piracy by enabling simultaneous releases in the world’s languages. The rise of DVD, with its multiple-language options, has made the traffic two-way. So we now localize Chinese films for other cultures. Or any language into a host of others. And, of course, the internet makes video available to more people than ever before.
Today, SDI is the world’s largest localization services provider for media and entertainment companies. As well as movies, we also handle TV—from drama and sport to live news broadcasts. For a modest incremental cost, content owners can localize their output and get more from their original investment in production. Each year, we provide a staggering 15 million programme minutes across our languages.
New gadgets, new markets
Technology is changing the playing field in other ways, too. Mobile TV has opened up fresh markets—requiring not only translation but also adapting content to handheld devices.
Gaming is a massive market that has overtaken movie-making in global revenues. You want your game to reach players in Russia, Brazil, China? You need SDI. But the entertainment industry is only part of our story.
Multimedia represents a fast-growing area for us. More companies are realizing the necessity of keeping their brand voice intact across languages. From websites to corporate presentations, we help them do it.
A global conversation
Our infrastructure is built to handle complex, multi-territory projects. SDI owns and operates more dubbing studios than any other language localization provider in the world. On average, our key clients rely on us to provide localized content in over 20 languages.
It’s all done with 750 full-time personnel and a network of more than 7000 language experts worldwide with over 30 offices across Europe, Asia, and North America.
For almost three decades, SDI has built strong customer relationships. We’ve invested in technology, achieved significant cost advantages, and assembled a talented employee base. With our expertise, technology, and customer service, we’re continuing to expand our services and global reach while delivering the same depth of quality our clients have come to expect.
Ownership
SDI Media is owned by Elevation Partners, a $1.9 billion private equity firm that makes investments in market-leading media, entertainment, and consumer-related businesses. Elevation's five managing partners are Fred Anderson, former EVP and CFO of Apple Computer; Bret Pearlman, former senior managing director of The Blackstone Group; Marc Bodnick, a founding principal of Silver Lake Partners; Roger McNamee, co-founder of Silver Lake Partners and Integral Capital Partners; and Bono, lead singer and co-founder of the rock band U2. For more information visit http://www.elevation.com