I’m Pablo Muñoz and I was born to translate video games, software, websites and apps from English into Spanish. When I’m not busy working on translation projects, I write a blog about translation called Algo más que traducir, teach courses and speak at specialized conferences.
I graduated from the University of Granada, Spain, in 2007 with a Degree in Translation and Interpreting. I worked for the University’s Translation Service during my last year as an English-Spanish translator and project manager.
I cut my teeth as a translator at AbroadLink, a translation agency based in Granada where I started to work as a translator and localization engineer fresh out of college. I learnt to value the importance of teamwork and the dexterity required to meet demanding deadlines.
The job that genuinely got my career off the ground was my two-year stint at Nintendo of Europe in Frankfurt, Germany. My work there as a translator on a highly-specialized international team helped me make up my mind to gear my career towards projects with a strong creative and technological profile.
On top of all that, I spent my spare time in Germany studying a European MA in Audiovisual Translation at the Autonomous University of Barcelona, Spain, where I learnt all about dubbing, subtitling and localization, among many other things. So much so that in 2011, my former lecturers asked me to teach some of the units of the MA.
I’m currently based in Madrid, Spain. Why? An agency hired me to work as an external part-time translator, proofreader and tester for the localization department at one of the leading multinationals in the Internet search engine and technology sector. I’ve been honing my professional localization skills there since 2010.
The backstory
Guess what happens when you give a ten-year-old a Super Nintendo? You’d be right to think he or she would be blown away by all the amazing entertainment options and by its visual display.
That gift also sparked my vocation, since I couldn’t play the almighty Might and Magic II without an instruction manual and the manual was only available in English at the time. Back in those days, there was no Internet around to make our lives easier (you cannot imagine how analogical it makes me feel to write that!), so I had no other choice but to translate it myself into Spanish. And there it was, a translator was born.
I discovered romhacking at the ripe age of 14 and a whole new world opened up before my eyes. Back then games weren’t localized, and fans had to work together to develop the translations before we could set about playing these legendary games as they truly deserved. I founded Sayans Traductions, my very own romhacking group.
That kicked off the most prolific chapter of my life. I had so much fun passionately translating Secret of Mana, The Legend of Zelda, Phantasy Star IV and Final Fantasy VI , to name just a few. Along the way, I learnt more than I could have ever imagined about translation, teamwork and technology.
Years went by and I combined amateur video game translation with fansubbing. I translated amazing Japanese animated series such as Haibane Renmei and GunParade March from English into Spanish.
Luckily for me and for the IT world, I chose to study translation. However, over the years, technology has been a constant presence in my work as a translator.
I lived in Dublin, Ireland, for almost a year after I finished my degree. Not only did I polish up my language skills, but I also learnt loads about life and met friends I will cherish for life.
Who knows? If you hire me, we might end up being the best of friends.