The task of translation scholars studying film translation, just as in more traditional branches of the field, is to describe practice as exhaustively as possible, making critical use of the abundant contributions provided by those directly involved in the transfer process, and attempt explanations for choices in a global strategical context from both internal and external viewpoints. In the transfer of audiovisual texts from one culture to another in the world of contemporary mass communications the external factors of the power relationship between practitioners and commissioners (distributors) and the interconnected element of audience reception are a crucial influence on translational decision making. This paper will attempt to harmonize these aspects with a close internal micro analysis in a case study of the transfer of a very popular British film comedy to the German, French and Italian speech communities via the dubbing process.
