Welcome to my website! You will find here more information about who I am, my projects and the services I offer.
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All services
Creative Localization
Share your creative content across borders & cultures!
• Voice Over & Dubbing FR/EN/SE • Translation EN/SE to FR + FR to EN • Transcreation EN/SE to FR • Copywriting FR • Proofreading FR • Transcription EN & FR • Interpretation EN-FR • Other*
Management
Have people work together and get things done!
• Project Management • Project Coordination • Team Leadership • Operations Management • Business Development • Other*
*Interested but not finding what you’re looking for? Just get in touch and we’ll develop a tailor-made solution!
My extensive experience across borders & cultures and of working in various creative areas makes me especially competent when working:
• In an international setting: working with people from various cultural backgrounds, abroad or with people located abroad…
• In the creative world: animated & live-action films and series, video games, board games, comics…
For more information about my international & creative background, feel free to check the rest of this website, the customer cases further down and LinkedIn!
Testimonials
I can highly recommend David to anyone who needs an ambitious, conscientious and driven team player. David’s positive attitude also spurs the rest of the team! Great work so far! Hope to work together a lot more in the future.
Mathias Henning, Head of Multimedia Localization
BTI Studios
You’ve got talent, vision and follow-through. You have created an excellent and clear strategic vision; you kept us on time and on budget.
Marguerite Beaulieu, co-founder & partner
Language Team 23
The amazing thing is your ability to communicate naturally with just about anyone: our CEO, the purchasing department, the team members, happy or angry people, younger or older…
David is easy to work with, committed and dedicated and he thinks outside the box. He quickly understood what the job was about and we’re very grateful for the weeks during which he helped us.
Christina Almskog, Key Account Manager
Amesto Translations
Thank you for your amazing hard work, we look forward to working on many more projects with you!
Angela Serrano, Head of Talent Management
Translation Bunny
The customer was happy, our boss was happy, we were happy… Everyone was happy! Great job!
Sebastian Rosenlind, Digital Marketing Specialist
Vekst
You made a brilliant contribution!
Marcus Lindéen, Director "The Acali Experiment"
Fasad Production
Customer Cases
Click on a logo to display more information about the project(s) carried out with that customer. (NB: more localization customers, services and projects on LinkedIn.)
Services Provided
• Operations Management • Team Leadership • Business Development
Services Provided
• Translation • Voice Over
Services Provided
• Project Management • Business Development • Team Leadership
Services Provided
• Project Coordination
Services Provided
• Translation • Voice over
Services Provided
• Translation • Proofreading
Services Provided
• Interpretation
Services Provided
• Translation • Transcription
Services Provided
• Interpretation
Services Provided
• Business Development
Skills Used
• Project Management • Project Coordination • Team Leadership • Business Development • Operations Management
Organization: The Good Country Website:www.good.country Country: Global
Assignment: Increasing awareness about the Good Country and recruiting more citizens in the Nordic Countries
Background The Good Country is an initiative started by Simon Anholt and Madeline Hung. It stems from Simon’s previous work (mostly the Good Country Index and the Global Vote) and the basic idea that, in order to tackle today’s and tomorrow’s global challenges (global warming, conflicts, mass migration, pandemics, terrorism, etc.), the culture of governance worldwide must be changed from being fundamentally competitive (i.e. governments competing against each other to maximize their citizens’ benefits) to being fundamentally cooperative (i.e. governments making decisions that are good for their citizens AND the rest of the world). The philosophy - or mindset - behind this view is that we are all members of the human race living on a single planet before being citizens of country X. I got in touch with Simon to offer my help in his work after watching his TED Talk about the Good Country Index and we started working together in August 2018, right before the launch of his project entitled “The Good Country” – a digital country with no territory, open to anyone, and that is run based on the cooperative mindset described above with the purpose of proving by example that it can be done and that it’s beneficial for both the country's citizens and the world. The project is still in its launching phase and there are no agreed-upon methods or processes; everything needs to be invented and tested. The main objective for now is to recruit as many citizens as possible in order to move on to the next phase: testing policy-making processes.
Goal Establishing, growing and coordinating a network of “ambassadors” – people willing to promote the initiative and help recruit more citizens – in the Nordic Countries.
Responsibilities
• Being the point of contact for all Nordic citizens to answer questions about the Good Country and enroll & train those willing to join as ambassadors. • Educating & informing existing and upcoming citizens about the ambassador’s role, in an effort to increase their number. • Leading & coordinating the existing team of ambassadors to define together strategies and responsibilities, and then following up on the implementation and lessons learned in the process, always with the goal of increasing awareness about the Good Country and recruiting more citizens. • Sharing ideas and best practices with other Regional Coordinators, Simon, Madeline and other people from the Good Country, along with sharing what is learned during these sessions with my ambassadors.
Results
The project having only just started it is too early to draw conclusions. However I’ve put together a network of ambassadors and we’re currently discussing several ideas of projects to inform about the Good Country.
Company: BTI Studios Website:www.btistudios.com Industry: multimedia localization Country: Sweden
Assignment: Localizing Media
Responsibilities
• Localizing a YouTube video from Wargaming EN to FR:
○ Translating & adapting the voice over script to match the video's pace ○ Providing voice over performance FR with live instructions from the customer (via Skype) ○ Acting as facilitator between the French buyer and the Swedish sound engineer
• Localizing a corporate video from Halida EN to FR:
○ Proofreading the voice over script ○ Providing voice over performance FR
• Localizing TV documentaries FR to EN:
○ Translating voice over scripts ○ Transcribing audio content that doesn't require translation
Assignment: Advertising Language Team's Full Range of Services
Background Language Team had been delivering successful language courses to the Volvo Group for many years but wanted to expand their activities to include the full range of their expertise: cultural training, consulting, localization... For 2 years they had tried to find new customers while advertising their services within Volvo, but without success.
Goal Defining and implementing an action plan to advertise Language Team's full range of services.
Responsibilities
• Creating a communication strategy:
○ Identifying & gathering motivated individuals ○ Leading and coaching them so they could use their industry knowledge to come up with a marketing strategy: who to target, what to say, how, when...
• Leading the implementation of the communication strategy:
○ Identifying, planning & dividing tasks, following-up, organizing & leading meetings... ○ Upholding interests from non-team members (mostly the company's board of directors)
Results
• Gathered a team of 4 volunteers from various nationalities • Within 6 months we established an action plan and decided to target Volvo, then managed to obtain 2 meetings to introduce Language Team's expertise • One of these meetings led to a pilot project in India
After this initial success the company changed its priorities and so the project stopped there.
Company: SKF Website:www.skf.com Industry: roller bearings manufacturing Country: Sweden
Assignment: Replacing the Translation Coordinator During her Vacations
Responsibilities
• Being the point of contact for all internal translation-related questions • Requesting quotes, placing purchase orders and authorizing payments for dozens of simultaneous projects (documents & website elements) • Keeping track of the progress of the translation steps and the associated layout work for 30+ source & target languages • Receiving and forwarding files from suppliers & buyers all over the world to ensure the projects move toward completion, following several different processes depending on the type of content, project and buyer • Learning the job by myself (very short training period)
Results
• Customer satisfied - gets back in touch whenever the translation coordinator needs replacement • Created written tutorials summarizing most of the processes and exceptions, to simplify the training of potential future translation coordinators
Company: Streamline Studio Website:streamlinestudio.se Industry: sound design & recording Country: Sweden
Assignment: Localizing a Radio Advertisement for Cernitol Novum
Responsibilities
• Translating the song from SE to FR while maintaining the rhythm, rime and overall tone • Helping with contacting potential French singers since Streamline's team didn't speak French and most singers targeted didn't speak English • Singing and recording the song FR (since we couldn't find a singer within the allocated time-frame and Cernitol approved my voice) • Recording the voice over FR for the last few sentences that aren't sung
• Crafting a proofreading test to screen potential new proofreaders, i.e. adding on purpose various kinds of mistakes to a translated text (grammar, spelling, sentence structure, expressions translated directly...) • Translating EN to FR: voice over script, subtitles, eSports press release, social media articles... • Translating FR to EN: voice over script • Proofreading FR: voice over scripts, subtitles, articles...
Company: Fasad Production Website:www.fasad.se Industry: film production Country: Sweden
Assignment: Making Possible the Shooting of a Documentary with Participants Speaking Different Languages
Responsibilities
• Simultaneous interpretation between EN & FR (with some SE) during the shooting, so that the people on screen could talk with each other seamlessly while speaking different languages • Consecutive interpretation between EN & FR (with some SE) between the shooting sessions, so that everyone could communicate with each other • Facilitating the project as a whole by making sure instructions were understood, information was shared and so on (as the only person who could speak all three languages used)
• Translating EN to FR: voice over scripts, subtitles, PR content (news, social media articles, newsletter...) product descriptions, marketing brochures... • Translating SE to FR: marketing brochure, product descriptions... • Transcribing FR & EN: video interview about public transport, conference about geopolitics, phone calls about medical topics, audio interview about harassment at work...
Company: French Embassy in Sweden Website:se.ambafrance.org Industry: politics Country: Sweden
Assignment: Making International Ministerial Discussions Possible
Responsibilities
• Consecutive & simultaneous interpretation between EN & FR (with some SE) during the visit to Gothenburg of Marlène Schiappa, State Secretary for Equality Between Men & Women • Same services during the visit of Elisabeth Borne, Minister in charge of Transportation
Company: PMC Production Website:www.i-pmc.co.kr & www.nanta.co.kr Industry: live show creation & production Country: South-Korea
Assignment: Bringing PMC Production's Show "Cookin' Nanta" to Europe
Background I discovered the Korean show "Cookin' Nanta" during my studies in Seoul. I thought it was amazing and wondered why it wasn't available in Europe and so I decided to get in touch with them to see whether I could help bringing the show to Europe. After some communication difficulties due to the long distance, they accepted to work with me.
Goal Organizing a Cookin' Nanta tour in Europe.
Responsibilities
• Understanding the industry and the show (no previous experience in the field):
○ Learning the business models & processes in the industry to know who does what ○ Learning the show's business details: price, requirements, participants, previous performances overseas...
• Creating a communication & sales strategy (show rather unknown and unusual):
○ Finding similar shows to use as references, deciding what characteristics to highlight... ○ Picking target countries based on Nanta's historical data and my own abilities
• Introducing Nanta to festivals, arenas, theaters and other venues looking for shows to offer to their audience
Results
• Targeted French-speaking countries & Scandinavia to benefit from my language skills and geographical location • Managed to create awareness about the show in the target markets and to give a clearer picture of what it was • Found some venues interested but once it became clear that the few places where Nanta had been in the past had lost money in the process, it became very difficult to convince anyone without first doing major changes in the show's business aspects • Gave feedback and insights to PMC Production so they could adjust their European strategy
PMC Production chose to focus on successful Asian markets (where the show was working in its current form) and to leave Europe aside for the time being.
Note: This page gathers a selection of projects I initiated and carried out for myself rather than for a customer.
Project: Starting & Running a Board Game Association
Background I started a group on Meetup during winter 2017 with the goal of gathering board game lovers to play together, meet new people and make new friends. The gatherings were held in English in order to attract people from different countries. The group expanded and in autumn 2017 we moved to a bigger venue. Supported by our growth and several suggestions from the venue's owners, who saw in this group a potential for much more than gaming sessions only, I decided in spring 2018 to turn it into an official non-profit association: "International Board Gamers"
Responsibilities
• Running the group:
○ Started the group from scratch by defining the goals, creating the Meetup page, finding the venue, deciding when and how long to meet and what to do ○ Currently managing the practicalities such as updating the Meetup page with new events, booking the venue, answering questions, printing name tags for the participants, welcoming everyone during the events to make sure newcomers are quickly integrated among the veterans...
• Starting the association:
○ Screened and recruited 3 additional board members, 1 controller and 3 election comity members ○ Educated them on their role, the vision, mission, values and strategy of the association ○ Made budget estimates and looked for additional sources of financing ○ Negotiated various advantages with the venue for association members & organizers ○ Managing the project as a whole: defining tasks, creating schedule, allocating work, organizing meetings, leading discussions to reach decisions and generate ideas...
• Running the association as chairman of the board:
○ Organizing board meetings and writing down the agenda ○ Keeping the board and other organizers motivated ○ Coaching, questioning and making sure everyone gets to contribute as best they can ○ Ensuring we define clear goals in accordance with the members' wishes and the association's vision & mission and that we reach them ○ Representing the association when dealing with external partners: the city (for potential subventions), organizers of various events we'd like to participate in, our venue...
Results
• 1000+ members on Meetup in Septembre 2018 and counting • For now bi-monthly gaming sessions with 25 to 30 international participants every time • Steady inflow of new comers, many of whom come regularly afterwards • Successfully created a friendly atmosphere, leading most participants to also meet outside and become friends • Many big ideas for the future and people motivated to carry them out
Project: Utilizing the IP "Chronicles of Galadria"
Background I completed the writing of the 6-volumes novel "Chronicles of Galadria" in spring 2009. After letting the whole project rest for a while I looked for a way to make it available to everyone and decided to go for online e-book publishing. So in autumn 2011 the series was uploaded on Smashwords & Amazon. The next step was to get it translated, especially to English. The opportunity came via Babelcube in spring 2014. Then in spring 2015 several YouTube videos combining the text from the book with the soundtrack I had composed for it were produced.
Responsibilities
• Making strategic decisions about what do to with the "Chronicles of Galadria" and prioritizing these projects • Supervising the e-book publishing, distribution & sales process:
○ Evaluating and selecting distribution platforms ○ Making the creative decisions to produce the e-books, in accordance with the platforms' requirements ○ Supervising the layout & cover design work carried out respectively by a French assistant and an Australian graphic artist (both located abroad) ○ Managing distribution via the platforms: choosing a price model and potential discounts, picking distribution channels, uploading/updating the files... ○ Keeping track of sales: when, from where, how much...
• Supervising the translation process:
○ Making the creative decisions to produce the French master ○ Screening & selecting translators ○ Coordinating translations in several languages simultaneously, with translators from different nationalities, located in different countries ○ Supervising the layout work carried out by a French assistant located abroad ○ Managing distribution via the translation platform: choosing a price model and potential discounts, picking distribution channels, uploading/updating the files...
• Supervising the production of YouTube videos:
○ Selecting the text to be used and matching the timing to the music ○ Supervising the editing work (i.e. combining music & text and animating them) carried out by a French assistant abroad ○ Handling broadcast via YouTube
Results
• Novel selling as an e-book through 20+ retailers & libraries, including major ones such as Apple and Amazon • Novel available in 5 languages • 15 YouTube videos published
Project: Introducing Global Directions during the Swedish Publishing Prize
Background After co-founding "Global Directions" - a network of experts in multicultural communication - with a Canadian & Swedish colleague, we came across the opportunity to sponsor the Swedish Publishing Prize (Svenska Publishing Priset) - a competition rewarding written publications in a variety of fields: marketing brochures, programs, yearly report, magazines... The deal included a dedicated space during the event where we could advertise our services to the participants. However we had to create all communication material from scratch (logo, roll-up, giveaways, brochures, articles demonstrating our expertise...) with a very limited budget. We also had to work on this project on top of our regular workload.
Goal Having a booth ready at the Swedish Publishing Prize to be able to introduce Global Directions' services.
Responsibilities
• Organizing & leading our meetings to identify the communication material needed, the tasks involved, to make all creative decisions (layout, colors, content...), to agree on a schedule and who does what, and to choose suppliers • Following up & monitoring progress to ensure on-time completion of what was agreed upon • Making sure communication was running smoothly and that everyone was always on the same page • Keeping an eye on the budget and obtaining approval from everyone when needed
Results
• All communication material ready on time, within budget and with the expected quality • Booth up & running during the event and even used the following year as well
Background More or less at the same time as I created my first musical compositions, I started dreaming of listening to them when played by an orchestra. The opportunity came during the first year I moved to Sweden, when a friend who was part of a local orchestra offered to help me gather volunteers from his group who would be interested in this project. We managed to assemble about 10 Swedish teenagers, ranging from around 13 to 20 years old. However my Swedish was almost non-existent, they were not very comfortable speaking English and I had no previous experience leading an orchestra or rehearsals.
Goal Succeeding in playing correctly 3 of my pieces.
Responsibilities
• Finding & contacting potential participants to offer them to join (with the help of a friend) • Planning & leading the rehearsals: picking a date and communicating it, choosing what to focus on, adjusting on the fly depending on who came or not... • Making all creative decisions pertaining to the music (what to play, who plays what...) while taking into account input from the participants, who were more experienced with an orchestra • Upholding interest & motivation despite the distance: lived in different cities, rehearsal not frequent (max once a month), lots of young people who tend to lose interest when the novelty wears off...
Results
• Managed to keep most of the participants from start to finish • Short concert covered by the local newspaper • The participants still remember the adventure • Opened the way to a song being played by the Gävle Symphonic Orchestra
Services Provided
