We encourage you to find out more about creating films, multimedia materials (audio and video) accessible to persons with a wide range of needs. We hope you find the following tips helpful.
To meet digital accessibility guidelines, multimedia materials in the form of video should be accompanied by:
- Subtitles
- Extended subtitles, or subtitles for deaf persons
- True or quasi audio description - as long as the video has an educational value and the image conveys important visual content not included in the sound track
Subtitles
This is a text track that accompanies the soundtrack and is adapted to the multimedia material. Subtitles are placed in the form of two rows of text, usually at the bottom of the screen. Subtitling is not the same as transcription of the text. When creating subtitles for multimedia, it is worth bearing in mind a few rules:
- Two lines are used as standard, each line should be no more than 38–40 characters long
- The displayed text should be, as far as possible, one sentence or one semantic particle, inter-word or phrase associations are not separated
- There should be an interval of 2–4 frames between each subtitle, the rhythm should be adapted to that of the whole film
Why are they important?
Subtitles are not only used by people with hearing difficulties or deaf/Deaf persons. We all use them because we do not always have the option to turn on the sound, especially when in a crowded or noisy room/space. Subtitled material is definitely ranked higher on social media.
Extended subtitles
Extended subtitles are standard subtitles that have been augmented with relevant ambient sounds, e.g. doors closing, applause, unintelligible sounds from outside the image shown, loud laughter, atmospheric music, etc. Extended subtitles also include the identification of speakers in the material, preceding a person’s words with their name and a colon. Extended subtitles also include translations from foreign languages. These are indicated in square brackets. Sometimes, if the video editor allows it, they are marked in a different colour or in capital letters.
Why are they important?
Extended subtitles help deaf/Deaf persons orient themselves in the content presented and enable them to fully experience the audiovisual work.
Audio description
This is a verbal description of visual content from the environment created for persons with sight disabilities. The technique is used, among others, in feature films, theatre performances, museums and art galleries, sports shows, video recordings of conferences, and various other events.
During audio description, important information visible to the participants of the event is described, such as facial expressions, meaningful gestures, elements of scenography or interior design.
Audio description should be objective, concise and should not interpret the content described. As it is not possible to describe everything, it is necessary to make a sensible selection of the described content.
Audio description may not be longer than the multimedia material itself. The audio description track must not interfere with dialogues or sounds relevant to the image. Silence should not be artificially filled with audio description; silence is also meaningful and often builds mood. Elements of audio description will include, for example, the location of the plot, description of buildings, spaces, significant objects shown, description of the background, special features of characters, as well emotions and signs shown.
During audio description, important information visible to the participants of the event is described, such as facial expressions, meaningful gestures, elements of scenography or interior design.
Audio description should be objective, concise and should not interpret the content described. As it is not possible to describe everything, it is necessary to make a sensible selection of the described content.
Audio description may not be longer than the multimedia material itself. The audio description track must not interfere with dialogues or sounds relevant to the image. Silence should not be artificially filled with audio description; silence is also meaningful and often builds mood. Elements of audio description will include, for example, the location of the plot, description of buildings, spaces, significant objects shown, description of the background, special features of characters, as well emotions and signs shown.
Types of audio description
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Classic audio description - understood as an audio track woven in between the dialogue or plot of the audiovisual materialExtended audio description - short descriptive material of an informative nature, uses stop-frame, i.e. stopping the frame and introducing the audio descriptionAudio introduction - short descriptive material of an informative nature, pre-recorded and played immediately before the start of the recording, at the very beginningDescription - a text description of visual content created for persons with sight disabilities, an accessible digital document, placed in close proximity to the visual file, used e.g. in music videos so as not to spoil the pleasure of listening to the material or short advertising spots where there is no room for an additional voiceover trackAudiotext - making visual textual information audible, e.g. in a film, a voiceover reads: Paris 1950 or e.g. voiceover subtitles of what speakers say in the material - the sound can be provided by synthetic speech or a voiceover/reader, in the case of feature films, it is done by the latter
Why is audio description important?
Audio description enables persons with sight disabilities to become fully acquainted with multimedia material. It empowers blind persons to be independent media users.
When can audio description be omitted?
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If all the necessary information conveyed in the audio layer is included in the multimedia (e.g. lectures for students, speeches by politicians)If the visual information is irrelevant to the audience and has no cognitive significanc
How to prepare audio description?
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Choose how to record and edit the materialDecide who will do the audio description - someone from the team developing the material or should the service be outsourced?It is advisable to use a proven voiceover studio, this ensures the best sound quality, good elocutionSome film companies offer editing services with integrated audio descriptionThe person providing the audio description should have at his/her disposal the best possible recording file and a transcription of the film material (script, scenario)The ready text of the audio description should include time codes so that it is clear where to insert the audio-descriptive trackIt is good to consult the audio description with a blind person, who will tell us whether the audio description is readable and fulfils its taskPrepare the final files properly and ensure appropriate promotion - it is worth making the film available online with a note in the title that it includes audio description (the first file - the original version of the film, the second file - the version with audio description)If a male-voice voiceover can be heard in the original file, it would be good to have audio description read by, for example, a female voice as the reading voices should differ
Since when has there been a legal obligation to include subtitles and audio description in multimedia material?
Referring to the Act of 4 April 2019 on digital accessibility of websites and mobile applications of public entities, all multimedia (audio, video) published after 23 September 2020 on websites of public entities should be provided with subtitles, extended subtitles and audio description/audio-descriptive form.
Are there any internal regulations at the JU that refer to accessible multimedia?
Yes, that is the Ordinance No. 20 of the Jagiellonian University Rector of 22 February 2023 on the principles of implementing the accessibility policy of the Jagiellonian University concerning the needs of persons with disabilities and persons with specific needs. In addition, accessibility as a social value is part of the JU Rector’s Development Strategy until 2023.
Netography and useful links:
Guide ‘Access Ticket’
Webinar of the Warsaw Academy of Accessibility ‘Audio description and audio accessibility’, YouTube
Article ‘What about audio description?’
Adding subtitles on YouTube
Guide by Dr Monika Szczygielska ‘Accessible multimedia’
Guide for the cultural sector on providing accessibility - Accessibility Plus http://www.dostepnoscplus.gov.pl/
If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Marta Bylica, email address marta.bylica@uj.edu.pl.