The Secret Life Of Pets Dubbing Indonesia ⇒

In the era of globalization, animated films have become a transnational commodity. While originally produced in English, these films reach global audiences largely through the process of dubbing. The Secret Life of Pets, a 3D computer-animated comedy film produced by Illumination Entertainment, was a massive commercial success in Indonesia. A significant portion of its success can be attributed to the quality of its Indonesian dubbing.

Dubbing is not merely a linguistic translation; it is an act of cultural adaptation (Chaume, 2004). It involves replacing the source language (English) with the target language (Indonesian) while maintaining lip-sync synchronization and preserving the narrative flow. This paper analyzes the Indonesian dubbing of The Secret Life of Pets, focusing on how the dubbing team tackled linguistic jokes, cultural references, and the "star power" of the voice cast to make the film relatable to Indonesian audiences.

Berikut adalah sebuah cerita pendek (fan fiction) berdasarkan film The Secret Life of Pets, diceritakan dalam gaya Dubbing Indonesia. Bayangkan Anda sedang menonton film ini dengan suara-suara karakter yang khas versi Indonesia.

JUDUL: KEBISINGAN DI APARTEMEN LEBARAN

SCENE 1: PAGI YANG SUNYI

(Layar menunjukkan apartemen Max yang rapi. Pemiliknya, Katie, baru saja keluar pintu. Suara kunci pintu berputar. "KRAK." Hening sejenak. Lalu, suasana berubah.)

MAX (Menghela napas lega, suara santai): "Akhirnya! Dia pergi juga. Oke guys, acara dimulai!"

(Meloidramatis): "Katie... Katie... Kenapa sih kamu harus kerja? Aku kan anjing paling ganteng sedunia yang butuh perhatian!"

(Tiba-tiba, Chloe, kucing gemuk berwarna abu-abu, masuk dari jendela dengan tidak terlihat. Dia melompat dan jatuh ke lantai dengan suara "BLAG".)

CHLOE (Suara datar, sarkastik, khas selebgram malas): "Aduh, Max. Berhenti berakting deh. Kamu itu kayak sineton pagi aja. Tadi tuh Katie cuma pergi ke kantor, bukan perang." The Secret Life Of Pets Dubbing Indonesia

MAX: "Chloe! Kamu datang lagi lewat jendela? Kan pintu nggak dikunci."

CHLOE (Menjilat kakinya): "Aku tuh kucing, Max. Kucing nggak pakai pintu. Kucing pakai style. Oh iya, ngomong-ngomong... di kulkas ada ayam panggang sisa semalam. Sudah kukira-matikan."

(Di sudut lain, Gidget, anjing putih kecil, muncul dari apartemennya dengan wajah panic tapi lucu.)

GIDGET (Suara cempreng, super excited): "MAX! MAX! Oh, hai Max! Kamu lagi ngapain? Kita mainin bola yuk! Atau kita ngomongin bola? Atau kita liatin bola? Aku suka bolaaa!"

MAX (Sedikit jengkel): "Gidget, tenang dikit dong. Kita lagi rapat kerja."

SCENE 2: KEDATANGAN TETANGGA BARU

(Tiba-tiba, pintu depan dibuka paksa. Duke, anjing besar coklat kaku, masuk dengan wajah bingong.)

DUKE (Suara besar, agak bodoh tapi tulus): "UH... HALO? ADA MAKANAN DI SINI? KATIE BILANG AKU HARUS TINGGAL DI SINI."

MAX (Terkejut, kepala pusing): "Hah? Siapa lagi ini? Giant beast? Apa kamu alien?" In the era of globalization, animated films have

CHLOE: "Wah, kayaknya Katie sedang konsultasi ke psikiater hewan. Dia bawa kerusakan berjalan."

DUKE (Mendekati Max): "AKU DUKE. KAMU KECIL. KAMU TEMAN KU?"

MAX: "Hey, jangan dekat-dekat! Umurku masih muda! Aku nggak mau mati dipelukan raksasa! Aku Max, bos di sini. Denger kan? Max! Bos!"

DUKE: "AKU DENGAR. KAMU SUARA NYA KECIL. KAYAK NYAMUK."

SCENE 3: SNOWBALL SANG PENGACAU

(Adegan bergeser ke lorong bawah tanah kota. Musik seru terdengar. Snowball, kelinci putih lucu, berdiri di atas kotak kayu. Matanya merah dan liar.)

SNOWBALL (Suara cepat, hiperaktif, sedikit gila): "BROTHER AND SISTERS! REVOLUSI SUDAH DEKAT! MANUSIA SUDAH MENJADIKAN KITA BONEKA! MEREKA PIKIR KITA IMUT? MEREKA PIKIR KITA CUMA BISA MENGGOYANG-GOYANGKAN EKOR?"

(Kelompok hewan buas mengaum dan berkokok setuju.)

SNOWBALL: "SALAH! BESAR SALAH! Kita ini predator! Kita ini pembunuh! Nanti malam, kita akan bebaskan semua hewan dari penjara manusia! Dan siapa yang menghalangi...?" JUDUL: KEBISINGAN DI APARTEMEN LEBARAN SCENE 1: PAGI

*(Max dan Duke t

The original English script utilizes witty banter and puns. In the Indonesian version, the translators often had to abandon the literal meaning to preserve the comedic timing. This frequently resulted in "creative transcreation," where the joke is entirely rewritten.

For instance, if a joke relied on a rhyming scheme in English, the Indonesian translation would change the punchline to a different joke entirely, often utilizing slapstick dialogue or local slang to elicit laughter. While the semantic meaning shifts, the function of the dialogue (to make the audience laugh) remains intact.

Lawrence Venuti (1995) distinguishes between two translation strategies: domestication and foreignization. In the Indonesian dubbing of The Secret Life of Pets, the strategy of domestication is dominant. The translation brings the text "home" to the Indonesian audience, making the foreign text recognizable and culturally familiar.

Unlike subtitles, which often require the viewer to read foreign names and concepts, the dubbed version alters specific terms to sound local. For example, specific American food items or locations might be replaced with generic Indonesian terms to ensure immediate comprehension by younger audiences who form the film's primary demographic.

When animated films cross borders, dubbing does more than replace voices: it reshapes humor, identity, and cultural meaning. Examining The Secret Life of Pets through the lens of its Indonesian dubbing reveals how localization negotiates global media flows, audience expectations, and linguistic creativity.

For an Indonesian viewer, The Secret Life of Pets is not just an American movie about New York animals. Thanks to the extraordinary dubbing work, it feels like a story about stray dogs in Kemang, cats in Pondok Indah, and delinquent rabbits in Tanah Abang.

If you have only seen the English version, you have not truly seen the film. The The Secret Life of Pets dubbing Indonesia transforms a simple kids' movie into a masterclass of cross-cultural comedy. Whether you are a language learner, a dubbing enthusiast, or just looking for a good laugh, find the Indonesian dub. You’ll never listen to Snowball the same way again.

Have you watched the Indonesian dubbed version of The Secret Life of Pets? Share your favorite Snowball quote in the comments below!

Humor is widely considered the most difficult element to translate. In The Secret Life of Pets, humor often relies on wordplay, puns, and pop culture references that do not have direct equivalents in Indonesian.