Audio Description

Hearing is Seeing with audio description

Like the title suggests audio description is a novel way for visually impaired people (who are blind, have low vision, or cognitive disabilities) to enjoy watching a movie, a TV show, or any visual media by giving them a narration of what’s happening on the screen. It is also called video description or descriptive video. It helps them process visual information better.

Audio Description, AD in short, works by inserting an additional audio track in the film, TV show, or any visual media. It narrates scene changes, actions, and important visual elements conveyed through dialogues or sound effects. It might include details about the characters, settings, and actions taking place on the screen. AD is a boon for the visually impaired or blind people as it provides an inclusive experience for them to enjoy the content.

AD is created by trained professionals who watch the content and record the narration of key visual elements on a separate Audio Track. It is precisely timed to fit it in between the dialogues and sound effects of the main content. This separate Audio Track is played alongside with the regular audio track and is made accessible through a separate hearing device or app.

AD service is becoming the new norm in reaching a wider audience for video content creators across the world. It plays a crucial role in ensuring people with visual disabilities get fully engaged with and enjoy a wide range of media and cultural experiences.

At TakingTypeCaptions, Audio Description is not just a service, but a mission to give individuals with visual disabilities an engaging and inclusive experience.

Our Approach to Audio Description

Like all our other services, we begin by watching the video content and identifying all the important visual elements of the main content. A script is created that includes all the information about the characters, their appearances, facial expressions, body language, scene transitions, actions, and any other important visual details. All this is precisely done by trained scriptwriters in AD.

The next step involves selecting the right narrator with the perfect tonal quality that makes the listener not only comfortable but also easier to understand.

At TalkingTypeCaptions, the timing of the audio description plays a pivotal role, since the narration should not overlap with the other important audio cues in the video content. The user can also enable or disable the audio description based on their preferences.

The next step is to test the audio description by showing the visual content with the AD track to a test audience. The feedback helps us to deliver AD that’s effective and easy to understand.

Video Samples of Audio Description

Movie: “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings”

Audio Description: A group of characters walk across a rocky, mountainous terrain, their path illuminated by the light of a bright, crescent moon. They are carrying backpacks and weapons, and appear to be in high spirits despite the danger of their quest.”

Movie: “Inception”

Audio Description: A spinning top wobbles on a wooden table, as the camera pans up to reveal a man seated at the table. He is holding a revolver, which he spins around his fingers. The room is sparse and dimly lit, with peeling wallpaper and a small window covered by a dusty curtain”

At TalkingTypeCaptions, we offer a wide range of AD services including live audio descriptions and post-production audio. We create precision-oriented audio descriptions that adhere to established guidelines and standards like the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), and Audio Description Project of the American Council of the Blind. provide comprehensive resources. The goal is to strike a balance between providing essential information and allowing viewers to fully immerse themselves in the narrative. Because we believe, that visuals when described with spoken words can be even more powerful than seeing with your eyes. Audio Description is the perfect platform to empower individuals with visual disabilities to be part of all visual content.

To give your visual content a wider reach, talk to us at (301) 640-5040 or email us at: TalkToUs@TalkingTypecaptions.com

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