You’d miss the sweeping landscapes, the expressions on people’s faces, or the on-screen text that adds crucial context.
Audio descriptions (AD) ensure that everyone experiences the full impact of the video by narrating the visual details that bring it to life.
Who this impacts
- People who are blind or have low vision: They rely on audio descriptions to understand important visual content.
- People with cognitive disabilities: Descriptions provide extra context that can help with comprehension.
- Multitaskers: When people can’t watch the screen directly, audio descriptions add depth to their understanding.
How to meet Audio Description (Prerecorded)
- Add descriptions for important visuals: Narrate significant on-screen actions, facial expressions, settings, or text that isn’t covered by the original audio.
- Synchronize with natural pauses: Audio descriptions should be timed to fit into natural breaks in the dialogue, so they don’t overlap with spoken content.
- Offer audio descriptions as an alternative track: Make sure the description track can be toggled on or off, or make a separate AD version of the video.
Practical examples
- Educational Video:
Your educational video includes visual content such as charts, graphs, or demonstrations that are not described in the original narration. An audio description would explain these visuals, such as “The graph shows a steady increase in sales over the last five years.”
- TV Show:
During a suspenseful scene, a character silently reads a text message. The audio description would narrate, “The message on the screen reads: ‘Meet me at the docks at midnight.'” (Did you like our Nokia/Gnoccia pun?)
Top tips
- Focus on what’s essential: Narrate key visual details that contribute to understanding the content. Avoid overloading with unnecessary descriptions.
- Use professionals for complex content: For detailed or lengthy videos, professional audio describers can provide high-quality narration.
- Get user feedback: Testing with people who use audio descriptions ensures that the narration adds value and accurately conveys the content.