Audio Description vs Video Description
When you use your voice (audio) to describe what's happening in a video, what should it be called?
I call it audio description, and so does the FCC. Here's what else they say: "Audio description is audio-narrated descriptions of a television program's key visual elements. These descriptions are inserted into natural pauses in the program's dialogue. Audio description makes TV programming more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired."
The American Foundation for the Blind leans toward "video," but makes room for everyone. This is from their site: "Video description (sometimes called "audio description" or simply "description") makes television programs and movies accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired."
I work with the Media Access Group at WGBH, and I could not be more proud. The verbiage is clear and concise. The writers, session directors, and engineers all care about making it all happen deftly and artfully. It's always helpful and never obtrusive.
I've described over a hundred titles, including Spiderman - Into the SpiderVerse, Incredibles 2, The King of Staten Island, and Troop Zero, and several TV shows, including The Stand, season 2 of In the Dark, and many episodes of Magnum, PI.
I'm proud of this work!
Whatever you decide to call it, check it out sometime. I watched the whole first episode of the second season of Fleabag, before I realized I had the audio description toggled on. It was not jarring or weird at all, and for folks who are visually impaired it's pretty great.
I call it audio description, and so does the FCC. Here's what else they say: "Audio description is audio-narrated descriptions of a television program's key visual elements. These descriptions are inserted into natural pauses in the program's dialogue. Audio description makes TV programming more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired."
The American Foundation for the Blind leans toward "video," but makes room for everyone. This is from their site: "Video description (sometimes called "audio description" or simply "description") makes television programs and movies accessible for people who are blind or visually impaired."
I work with the Media Access Group at WGBH, and I could not be more proud. The verbiage is clear and concise. The writers, session directors, and engineers all care about making it all happen deftly and artfully. It's always helpful and never obtrusive.
I've described over a hundred titles, including Spiderman - Into the SpiderVerse, Incredibles 2, The King of Staten Island, and Troop Zero, and several TV shows, including The Stand, season 2 of In the Dark, and many episodes of Magnum, PI.
I'm proud of this work!
Whatever you decide to call it, check it out sometime. I watched the whole first episode of the second season of Fleabag, before I realized I had the audio description toggled on. It was not jarring or weird at all, and for folks who are visually impaired it's pretty great.
What makes a person like me start a podcast?
I'm glad you asked. (Click on that below!)
I'm glad you asked. (Click on that below!)
Speaking of Shakespeare, here I am improvising at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
Who is Silvie?
What is she, that all our swains commend her?
(Two Gentlemen of Verona; Act IV, Scene 2.
Shakespeare wrote "Silvia," but he probably meant Silvie.)
SAG/AFTRA • AGVA
Silvie has voiced fast food, cosmetics and retail commercials, interactive menu kiosks, phone systems, and web-based training with lots of chunky medical jargon.
Silvie has performed in theatres from Edinburgh to Pennsylvania, Vancouver to San Diego. (Yes, she has entirely missed the southern hemisphere so far.) She’s done interactive theatre, story theatre, musical theatre, clowning, avant garde opera, improvisation and shows in the 99 Cent Only series, which is a category unto itself. Favourite roles include Leona Helmsley in Inside Private Lives, Helena Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and spur-of-the-moment roles in the improvised musical U-sical and the all-girl Shakespeare-style improv show, Chickspeare, both at ComedySportzLA. She is also an actor for Kaiser Permanente, performing in improvised and scripted pieces that provide communication skills training for clinicians.
Silvie has voiced fast food, cosmetics and retail commercials, interactive menu kiosks, phone systems, and web-based training with lots of chunky medical jargon.
Silvie has performed in theatres from Edinburgh to Pennsylvania, Vancouver to San Diego. (Yes, she has entirely missed the southern hemisphere so far.) She’s done interactive theatre, story theatre, musical theatre, clowning, avant garde opera, improvisation and shows in the 99 Cent Only series, which is a category unto itself. Favourite roles include Leona Helmsley in Inside Private Lives, Helena Landless in The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and spur-of-the-moment roles in the improvised musical U-sical and the all-girl Shakespeare-style improv show, Chickspeare, both at ComedySportzLA. She is also an actor for Kaiser Permanente, performing in improvised and scripted pieces that provide communication skills training for clinicians.