International Dubbing Day

Last June 12 was celebrated the International Dubbing Day, a day in which tribute is paid to all those who dedicate themselves to give voice to different characters in a professional way. The International Dubbing Day is celebrated every June 12 because in 1895 Louis Lumière made a short film of the disembarkation of French congressmen in the port of Neuville-sur-Saône, on the occasion of the celebration of a Congress of Photography. At this congress, where the mayor of Neuville was present, the mayor, who was hiding behind the screen, reproduced his own words in the film, giving rise to the origins of the term dubbing.

As a great coincidence, dubbing actors in Mexico also celebrate another date exactly six months later on December 12 of each year, the same day on which the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe is celebrated. This last mention is important to understand a very popular anecdote within the Mexican dubbing industry that is related to the "loop", one of the most important terms within the dubbing actors and actresses guild.

Taking as a reference the words of the consolidated actress Rossy Aguirre, the loop is the amount with which the number of interventions of a character to whom they lend their voice is determined. A loop takes place every 25 words or 16 seconds and in Mexico there is a tabulator based on this metric unit so that a dubbing actor/actress can determine the remuneration for his/her work.