Who it helps
First of all, blind and partially sighted viewers. It is also useful for people with other functional limitations, and for anyone who simply wants to listen to a film.
What it describes
- actions and events;
- place, time and setting;
- characters — appearance, facial expressions, gestures;
- text and captions shown on screen;
- colours and details that matter to the story.
How it is made
A describer watches the film, finds the gaps between the dialogue and writes short, precise lines. A narrator records them in the studio, and a sound engineer mixes the recording with the film so the description never gets in the way of dialogue or music.
An example
- Description
- Evening. A single lamp lights the kitchen. Anna, a grey-haired woman in a knitted cardigan, sets two mugs on the table.
- Anna
- You’re late again.
- Description
- A young man stands in the doorway with a wet backpack. He smiles.
Where to watch
Every film in the Syncon catalogue already includes audio description. There is nothing to switch on — just press play.