Conference interpreter in Nice, a dream job? Yes, absolutely, but not at the moment unfortunately. The postponements of MIPIM, MIPTV, and the CanneSeries Festival have detrimental effects on the activity of these freelancers who were preparing to start the professional event season on the French Riviera.
Who’s afraid of this contagious epidemic?
The apprehension is legitimate, and event organizers must also take precautions for their guests and exhibitors. However, these professionals, like the experts in interpretation, need to work.
Therefore, when festive gatherings like the end of the Nice Carnival or professional fairs like MIPIM are banned in Cannes, these professionals need to find solutions. The creatives might say think outside the box, step out of your comfort zone, thank God, I don’t work in a communication agency. I say exactly what I think, and this concerns the field of interpretation.
There are many online discussions on forums and social networks about the profession of conference interpreters these days. What should we make of it?
Keep a level head: when you have a simultaneous interpretation assignment planned for 6 months for an important client, the cancellation is painful. For the wallet, but also morally. We prepare for our missions; a self-respecting interpreter never shows up unprepared at an event. Preparation, research are essential to deliver an excellent performance, whatever the field.
React: we need to find the right method to compensate for losses and bounce back. What do we do? Realize that this phenomenon is not limited to Nice, Cannes or Monaco. Far from it. Conference interpreters around the world are affected. Nonetheless, it’s a unique opportunity to contact colleagues, take the time for a coffee, and no longer settle for just meeting them at conferences, training seminars, networking meetings. This will help shape the future of the interpreting profession.
I started doing this well before this dangerous virus declared itself in my region, and I intend to intensify my efforts in the future. It’s a way of seeing the glass half-full and perhaps also of changing our perceptions, our behaviors, and understanding that we need each other to progress and offer better interpreting services.
Interpreter in Nice: actions to be taken
Locally, I am gathering some fellow conference interpreters from various backgrounds, whether they have gone through the crucible of university or not, European or not, and possessing some knowledge of remote simultaneous interpreting.
This innovation can salvage some international events from cancellation. That said, we must realize what this demands of us, conference interpreters, before venturing into remote simultaneous interpreting. Here are some useful questions to ask before offering your remote simultaneous interpreting services or accepting such a mission.
What should be known about remote simultaneous interpreting?
• What are the leading remote interpreting platforms?
• What are their prerequisites?
• In case of technical failure, who is responsible? The interpreter?
• What is the stance of AIIC, the international association representing and defending conference interpreters?
What health risks are involved?
• Should one accept or refuse to work from home? What is a hub?
So many questions call for discussions, animated debates and especially answers to save what can be saved from this professional event season for conference interpreters in Nice but also in Cannes and Monaco.
Cyril Belange
For more information about the author of this article, Cyril Belange conference interpreter
