Designing Enhanced Cinematic Experiences for Visually Impaired Audiences

Article: Researchers develop new methods to enhance film experience for visually impaired audiences
Source: University of York (U.K.)
Published: November 1, 2021 

In 2016, film-makers in the U.K. conducted a survey which found that 34% of visually impaired people surveyed had not attended the cinema in the previous 12 months, compared to only 5.5% of sighted people surveyed. The participants who were visually impaired reported issues of accessibility discouraging them from attending. These researchers subsequently sought to improve up on the traditional Audio Description, a third-person commentary added onto film soundtracks for visually impaired film and television audiences, to create a more inclusive film-watching experience. The Enhanced Audio Description (EAD) they developed utilizes three main techniques that focus on sound design: (1) the addition of sound effects to provide more cinematographic information about the film, such as providing information about actions, establishing shots, conveying abstract scenes, and indicating the presence of characters, time, and place; (2) the use of 3D audio over headphones to convey the position of characters and objects portrayed on the screen, and (3) the use of first-person narration to portray aspects of the story that cannot be conveyed through sound effects, e.g., feelings, gestures, and colors. This alternative soundtrack overall intended to minimize the number of verbal descriptions to avoid them masking crucial elements in the original soundtrack. They tested their EAD on a case study short film called "Pearl" thus far. They argue that the integrated approach produces an organic form of accessibility that can cater to both sighted and visually impaired audiences to promote more inclusive cinematic experiences, and can be offered alongside traditional AD for difference audience preferences. First author of the study comments, “We have sought to create a new paradigm for accessibility to film and television by shifting the focus from verbal descriptions to the power of creative sound design and the importance of incorporating accessibility to the creative filmmaking workflows. By designing such works, sound can be a vehicle for social inclusion by making cinematic experiences shared accessible experiences.”

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Lopez M, Kearney G and Hofstadter K. “Enhancing Audio Description: Inclusive Cinematic Experiences Through Sound Design.” Journal of Audiovisual Translation.  4(1):157-182. 29 October 2021. https://doi.org/10.47476/jat.v4i1.2021.154