Inside a German Movie-Dubbing Studio

Although American viewers may not realize it, dubbed movies and TV shows are popular in many countries. In one Berlin studio, actor Dietmar Wunder is the German voice of Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Daniel Craig—among others. In this short video, we learn about the dubbing process, and are treated to some completed scenes featuring Wunder's voice. (My favorite is a Jerry Maguire scene, in which the out-of-context German-speaking Cuba Gooding Jr. seems to confuse and annoy a speechless Tom Cruise.)

Watch as Wunder dubs scenes while viewing the source movie. Because he's trying to match lip movements as closely as possible, he's scrutinizing another actor's performance, memorizing script lines, and delivering a voice-acting performance simultaneously. Quite a feat!

For more on the dubbing business (including how much these actors get paid), check out this extensive New York Times piece.