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May 1999

In other words

Disney sets up shop for synchronization in Munich.

Who taught Mickey Mouse and Bill Cosby to speak German? Dubbing television shows and motion pictures into another language, in such a way that lips match text as closely as possible, is done in a “synchronization studio.” Munich is already home to one such studio, but according to Walt Disney Inc. executives, the Bavarian Film studio is unable to keep up with demand, resulting in movies coming out in Europe long after their release in the States. Disney, after considering proposals from a handful of major German cities, has chosen Munich as the site of its new “super-studio” set to open next year. The Disney studio, soon to be erected on Theresienhöhe, will bring 300 jobs to the city. It will be used to dub movies and TV programs into German and Eastern European languages – one-third of them Disney productions, the other two-thirds in rental agreements with other film companies. Why Munich? Sources say the Disney executives believe Munich offers creativity found in few other German cities. The availability of space in the city’s center also helped secure the contract for Munich. Why not America? “Americans just don’t have the experience – few Americans speak German,” said Wolfgang Braun, director of the project, in a recent interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung. “A work must be understood in order to make timing and intonation realistic.” The long wait to see an acclaimed film will soon be over. With help from the new multi-million-dollar Disney super-studio, the film industry hopes to synchronize the release of movies in Europe and the U.S.

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