How to make a fandub

• Start short: one scene of a few minutes or less with a handful of characters.
• Check rights before you start. Fandubs of copyrighted shows may infringe, and crediting the source does not change that.
• A timed script with numbered lines keeps a remote cast organized.
• Ask everyone for clean, unprocessed recordings with consistent file names.
• Sync each line by its start and its closed-lip sounds, and re-record instead of stretching audio.
• Without a clean music and effects track, plan early how you will handle the original voices.

Many fandubs that never get released stall because the project was too big. A first fandub should be short, ideally a single scene of a few minutes or less, with two to four speaking characters and clear mouth movements. A full episode means dozens of lines, many schedules, and hours of syncing.

Decide early whether this is a solo or group project. A solo fandub, where you voice every character, is a great way to practice range and learn the whole process end to end. A group dub is more fun to watch and sounds more natural, but it adds casting, communication, and deadlines.

This comes before casting for a reason. Fandubs of copyrighted shows, films, and games may infringe the owner's rights, because you are copying their footage and usually adding new dialogue on top. Giving credit, adding a disclaimer, or not making money does not by itself make a fandub legal. Platforms can remove videos, apply copyright claims, or restrict monetization.

In the United States, fair use can protect some uses, such as certain parody or commentary, but it is decided case by case and never guaranteed. Other countries have different rules, and some rights holders tolerate fan works while others enforce strictly. This is general information, not legal advice; if you plan to publish something significant, check the rules where you live.

The safer route is footage licensed for reuse. Creative Commons licenses vary: CC BY allows adaptations with credit, licenses marked NoDerivatives (ND) do not allow adaptations such as dubs, and NonCommercial (NC) licenses rule out commercial use. SceneDub's prepared scenes are Creative Commons licensed, so they are a good base for a group fandub as long as you follow the license terms, including credit. Your own animation, or footage you have permission to use, also works.

Every fandub needs a script that fits the picture. If you are dubbing into another language or writing a parody, adapt the lines so they match the length and rhythm of the mouth movements, with closed-lip sounds like B, P, and M landing where the lips close. If you are writing original dialogue for Creative Commons footage, you have more freedom, but the same timing rules apply.

Format matters when several people are recording. Give every line a number, the character's name, a start and end time, and a short delivery note, like the example below. The cast can record efficiently, and whoever edits knows exactly where each file goes.

• Line: 012
• Character: Kai
• Time: 01:14.2 to 01:16.8
• Text: You said the bridge would hold.
• Note: out of breath, annoyed, not shouting

Write a short casting call for each character with their personality, age range, vocal notes, and two or three audition lines. Share it with friends, in Discord servers and voice acting communities, or on sites like Casting Call Club, which hosts many fan and hobby projects. Set a clear audition deadline.

Cast for fit and reliability, not just the most impressive voice. A good match who delivers on time is worth more than a perfect voice who disappears. Be upfront about what the project is: paid or unpaid, where it will be posted, how people will be credited, and when lines are due. If anyone involved is under 18, get a parent or guardian's permission.

If the cast is just you and a couple of friends, character voice guides can help everyone find distinct voices, so listeners can tell characters apart even when they cannot see who is speaking.

Send each actor the clip, the full script, and their numbered lines, and ask them to watch the scene before recording so they understand the context. A short call to direct the first few lines can save a lot of re-recording later, especially for the main characters.

Agree on file specs up front. Ask for uncompressed WAV files at your project's sample rate, commonly 48 kHz for video, with no effects, noise reduction, or music added. Request two or three takes per line and consistent file names such as 012_Kai_take2.wav, plus a few seconds of room tone from each actor to smooth edits.

Remind everyone to record in the quietest, softest space they have, at a steady distance from the mic. Mismatched rooms are one of the most obvious giveaways in a fandub, and they are far easier to prevent than to fix.

Import the video into your editor and give each character a separate audio track. Place each line so its first syllable meets the first mouth movement, then check the end and the closed-lip points. Zoom in and nudge in small steps; a couple of frames often make the difference.

Small timing fixes are fine, but if a take is badly off, ask for a re-record rather than stretching it heavily, which sounds robotic. Keep a running list of lines that need pickups and send them to each actor in one batch, so nobody gets a dozen separate requests.

The original audio is the biggest technical problem in fandubs of existing shows. Official dubs use a separate music and effects track with no dialogue, which fans usually do not have. Vocal-removal tools can strip some of the original voices but tend to leave watery artifacts. Alternatives include rebuilding sound effects yourself and using music you are licensed to use. Some Creative Commons projects publish separate audio, so check the source.

In the mix, keep dialogue clearly on top. Use gentle EQ to clean up muddy or harsh voices, light compression to even out levels, and a touch of reverb only where the scene's space calls for it, so voices recorded in different rooms feel like they share one place. Balance levels between characters, then check the whole thing on headphones and on a phone speaker.

Credit everyone: cast, editor, script adapter, and the original source with its license, as the license requires. For CC BY footage, that means naming the creator, linking to the license, and saying that you changed the material. Put credits both in the video and in its description.

Watch the final cut with fresh ears a day later before you publish, then gather feedback from your cast and viewers. The second fandub is usually much easier than the first, because now you know where the time goes.

1. Choose a short scene. Pick a clip of a few minutes or less with two to four speaking characters.
2. Check the rights. Prefer Creative Commons or permitted footage, and read the license terms.
3. Write a timed script. Number every line with the character, timing, and a delivery note.
4. Cast the roles. Post a casting call with character notes, audition lines, and a deadline.
5. Record clean takes. Collect unprocessed WAV files with consistent names and some room tone.
6. Sync each line. Align starts and closed-lip sounds, and request pickups for lines that don't fit.
7. Mix, export, and credit. Balance dialogue, music, and effects, then export and credit everyone and the source.