le film débute par une filature

English translation: the film opens with a tailing scene

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)

French term or phrase:	le film débute par une filature
English translation:	the film opens with a tailing scene
Entered by:	Carla Buchman

20:16 Sep 9, 2012

French to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - Cinema, Film, TV, Drama / style: film noir

French term or phrase: le film débute par une filature

I thought of the term "shadowing", but "the film begins with a shadowing" sounds terrible.
Target language: American

Carla Buchman

the film opens with a tailing scene

Explanation:
Another suggestion. Not enough context to give a more precise answer.

Another more precise option could be "the film opens with a scene picturing XXX tailing YYY" with possibly more details about the tailing, depending on what is at hand.

Selected response from:

Kévin Bernier
France
Local time: 03:14

Grading comment

Thanks for your help, I will use your suggestion.
3 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

Summary of answers provided

4 +1

The film opens to/with XXX being stalked

Lara Barnett

4 +1

the film opens with a tailing scene

Kévin Bernier

stalking; tailing;

Kevin B. Shelton

the movie opens with someone being tailed

Marian Vieyra

(the film begins with an) undercover pursuit

freekfluweel

Discussion entries: 4

Answers

42 mins confidence:

stalking; tailing;

Explanation:
While these verbs are probably better than shadowing - unless we know the context of the movie it would be difficult to be more specific.

Example sentence(s):

The movie begins with the stalking of (character name).
The movie begins with (character name) being tailed by ....

Kevin B. Shelton
Canada
Local time: 21:14
Meets criteria
Works in field
Native speaker of:

English

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

The film opens to/with XXX being stalked

Explanation:
English seems to use verb forms more often than the Latin languages at times. Maybe :

"[X] being stalked by [Y]"

"Opens to" / "opens with" = two ideas.

Example sentence(s):

"The film OPENS TO a young George (Johnny Depp) and his parents Fred (Ray Liotta) and Ermine (Rachel Griffiths) of Weymouth, Massachusetts. "
"The movie OPENS WITH a drunk Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) behind the stage of a traveling Winchester rifle sale/show in the spring of 1876."

Reference: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blow_(film)
Reference: http://www.themoviespoiler.com/Spoilers/lastsamurai.html

Lara Barnett
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:14
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 32

2 hrs confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

the film opens with a tailing scene

Kévin Bernier
France
Local time: 03:14
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of: French
PRO pts in category: 7

Grading comment

Thanks for your help, I will use your suggestion.

16 hrs confidence:

the movie opens with someone being tailed

Explanation:
My suggestion.

Marian Vieyra
United Kingdom
Local time: 02:14
Meets criteria
Specializes in field
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 4

1 day 22 hrs confidence:

(the film begins with an) undercover pursuit

Explanation:
see discussion

freekfluweel
Netherlands
Local time: 03:14
Does not meet criteria
Native speaker of:

Dutch
PRO pts in category: 8

Login or register (free and only takes a few minutes) to participate in this question.

You will also have access to many other tools and opportunities designed for those who have language-related jobs (or are passionate about them). Participation is free and the site has a strict confidentiality policy.

Return to KudoZ list

KudoZ™ translation help

The KudoZ network provides a framework for translators and others to assist each other with translations or explanations of terms and short phrases.

See also:

ProZ.com term search

Search millions of term translations