Audio Description in Theatres, Museums, and Movies

Audio Description...What is it?

    Audio description is the art of talking pictorially to make theater, television, films, museums, exhibits, and events more accessible and understandable to people with diminished vision. The describer carefully weaves descriptions of the key visual elements of a performance or movie into the natural pauses of the dialogue.

   IN THEATRES, the describer talks via a small FM radio to listeners anywhere in the audience. Speaking softly during pauses in the stage dialog, the trained describer verbally pictures actions, body language, lights, costumes, scenery and other aspects of the production not conveyed by voices from the stage. For theatre patrons with low or no vision, audio description provides visual accessibility.

    FOR MUSEUMS AND EXHIBITS, audio description cassette tapes provide informational accessibility. Audio description training or specially prepared scripts for guides and docents lets them help visitors who are visually limited.

    FOR TV AND MOVIES, televised described shows are designated with the symbol DVS which stands for Descriptive Video Service. The viewers television set must have a SAP (Second Audio Program) Channel in order to hear the descriptions, or they may purchase a special box that plugs into their TV and allows them to receive the descriptions. DVS is also available on video tapes from Blockbuster, and is being tested in movie theaters.

AUDIO DESCRIPTION ... WHERE DID IT COME FROM?

    Audio description was developed as an art and a system in 1981 by Margaret and Cody Pfanstiehl of the Metropolitan Washington Ear along with Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. Now audio description can be found in several other states as well as the District of Columbia, and the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences awarded Margaret Pfanstiehl an Emmy for "leadership and persistence" in pioneering accessible TV for people who are visually impaired.

    IMAX movies, the Statue of Liberty, Harpers Ferry, Ellis Island, DC's National Museums, dozens of other museum exhibits and galleries, and hundreds of theater performances have been audio described. The Metropolitan Washington Ear now also maintains current listings of audio described performances and events all over the country so that travelers with visual impairments can take advantage of them as part of their tourist activities.

                                           
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Access Austin Arts, 3710 Cedar Street #7, Austin TX 78705
Phone 512-454-9912, Fax 512-451-3110, E-Mail: aaa@kdi.com