Audio description is an audio track that objectively describes the visual content of a film for individuals with visual impairments. It becomes essential when understanding what is happening and who is involved based solely on the film's audio is crucial. It is often a requirement for informational films from the public sector, governed by accessibility laws. However, not every film needs an audio description; it depends on the film's purpose and whether essential information is already conveyed through sound.
There are three main types of audio description: verbalization, information audio description, and drama audio description.
Verbalization is a straightforward method where the description is integrated directly into the script. For instance, an interviewer presenting people in the video through speech, instead of relying solely on on-screen text, and if the film's audio effectively conveys crucial locations, separate audio description may not be necessary.
Information audio description focuses on conveying factual information, often used in educational and public information contexts. Planning for audio description from the start of film production eases the process. Ensuring some breathing space around essential visuals and data that might need audio description can prevent the need for re-editing.
Drama audio description, which emphasizes emotion, is more advanced and often requires a trained audio describer familiar with working on dramatic films.
Four key elements in audio description are character, location, action, and time. Identifying who is on screen, where the action is taking place, what is happening, and when it occurs are crucial. Considering these elements while writing the film script can often simplify or even eliminate the need for separate audio description by effectively verbalizing essential information.
The audio describer's task is to analyze the film, create a script fitting into pauses or silent periods, and maintain objectivity, focusing only on essential elements for understanding the plot. Not every detail in the film needs to be described. If your film needs an audio description Voicemachine has an easy-to-use solution. Just start an Audio Description project, upload your film, and select the audio description voice you prefer. The experienced audio description talent will write the script and record a synced audio description track to be downloadable in your preferred format and loudness level. Easy as that!