What does audio description mean and how it is work

What does audio description mean and how does it is work

AD Scripting (Audio Description Scripting)

        The term "audio description" refers to the descriptive narration of significant visual components in a film or multimedia project. By using this method, blind people can access material that would otherwise be inaccessible by only listening to the audio. Typically, narrators in audio descriptions explain actions, gestures, scene changes, and other visual cues. Titles, speaker names, and other text that might show on the screen are also described.

        In order to enable access to people who are blind or have limited vision, audio-described tours (or universally prepared tours that incorporate description or the enrichment of existing recorded programs on audio or videotape) are utilized in museums and visual art exhibitions. Tour guides and docents can receive training on how to use audio descriptions in their presentations.

        A supplementary audio track is generally used to offer descriptions in movies and television shows. Television broadcasters in North America commonly use a Second audio program (SAP) to give an audio description. Some nations (including Canada and the US) have put into place regulations requiring broadcasters to transmit a certain quota of content that contains audio descriptions in order to encourage accessibility.

Audio description Guidelines

1. Audio description is required only when important actions, images, and texts in the video are not covered in the audio.
2. Audio Description (AD) can be written in two types: Standard and Extended.
3. In standard type, AD is written without pausing the run time of the video. Script time should be given when there is a gap in the audio. The voice-over in the video and the AD should not get overlapped. Example: Time code format for Standard AD: 00:00 - 00:03.
4. In the Extended type, AD is written by pausing the run time of the video. Both the in and out timecodes should be the same in extended AD. Example: Timecode format for Extended AD, 00:03 - 00:03. The voice-over in the video and the AD should not get overlapped.
5. The pause time, which we choose, should not affect the audio flow.
6. AD can be either standard or extended.
7. The timecode format should contain equal space, colons, and hyphens. (Example: 01:01 - 01:01 - <AD>). The timestamp should be in order. (Example: Time duration 01:24 – 01:24 should come after 01:03 – 01:03)
8. The format to write text in AD is Text, <corresponding text>. 
9. Use Notepad++ to write the audio description.
10. Encoding in notepad++ should be UTF-8.
11. Do not use curly quotes “” as they become junk characters. Use straight quotes "" wherever necessary.
12. Be cautious while copy-pasting the text since there will be a chance of junk characters. 
13. Deliver​ ​description​ ​in​ ​present​ ​tense, ​ ​active​ ​voice, and​ ​in​ ​a third-person​ ​narrative​ ​style.
14. Proper research for images and videos should be done before writing the AD. 
15. Use​ ​vocabulary​ ​that​ ​is​ ​meaningful​ ​to​ ​students​ ​who​ ​are​ ​blind​ ​or​ ​visually​ ​impaired.
16. Describe​ ​shape, ​ ​size, ​ ​texture, ​ ​or​ ​color​ ​as​ ​appropriate​ ​to​ ​the​ ​comprehension​ ​or appreciation​ ​of​ ​the content.
17. Identify​ ​people​ ​and​ ​characters​ ​by​ ​name​ ​or​ ​obvious​ ​physical​ ​attribute​ ​(if​ ​no​ ​name​ ​is provided).
18. If​ ​there​ ​are​ ​long​ ​periods​ ​of​ ​silence, even​ ​if​ ​the​ ​visual​ ​is​ ​decorative, ​ ​briefly​ ​describe what is​ ​going​ ​on​ ​so​ ​that​ ​the​ ​user​ ​is​ ​not​ ​confused​ ​by​ ​the​ ​silence.
19. Copyrights, photo credits, and end credits should be mentioned.
20. Logical spacing between words is required. (Example: www.phoenix.org/art21 should be written as "w w w dot phoenix dot o r g slash art 21")
21. While expressing time periods, hyphens should not be used. (Example: "1658-70" should be written as "1658 to 1670")
22. Units should be expanded. (Example: "cm - centimeter" and lb - "pound" and oz - "ounce")
23. Proper punctuation is required wherever necessary. Sentences should always end with a period to avoid overlapping time stamps.

Example for standard type:

            Link: https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/20140418_1_StudVid_AjaxandAchilles (You can see the descriptive video by clicking the DV button in the same video link)

AD 1:

00:00 - 00:06 - Text, Achilles and Ajax Playing Dice, by Exekias, circa 540 to 530 B C E, Vatican Museums, Vatican City.

01:49 - 01:54 - Text, Video by Sara E. Gummo, Temple University.

    • Example for extended type:

Link: https://mediaplayer.pearsoncmg.com/assets/_video.true/IndifferenceAnalysis_2 (You can see the descriptive video by clicking the DV button in the same video link)

AD 2:

00:00 - 00:00 - Text, The budget line. Four pictures are shown. Picture 1 displays some fruits and vegetables. Picture 2 displays two outlet stores. Picture 3 displays a chain of baggage trolleys. Picture 4 displays people buying in a supermarket.

00:28 - 00:28 - Text, a budget line. A table displays the combination of X and Y. The table has 4 rows and 2 columns. The column headings are, Units of good X and Units of good Y. The values under the column, units of good X are 0, 5, 10, and 15. The values under the column, units of good Y are 30, 20, 10, and 0.

00:57 - 00:57 - A graph is plotted with, units of good Y on the vertical axis and units of good X on the horizontal axis. The coordinates of points a, b, c, and d are (0, 30), (5, 20), (10, 10), and (15, 0) respectively.

01:16 - 01:16 - Text, Effect of an increase in income on the budget line. A red color decreasing line denoting the budget of 30 pounds is drawn from the point (0, 30) to (15, 0).

01:38 - 01:38 - A blue color decreasing line denoting the budget of 40 pounds is drawn from point (0, 40) to (20, 0).

02:10 - 02:10 - m is a point on the red line. The coordinate of m is (7, 16). A red color dashed horizontal and vertical line connects the coordinates with the point m. n is a point on the blue line. The coordinate of n is (10, 20). A blue color dashed horizontal and vertical line connects the coordinates with the point. 

02:22 - 02:22 - A blue color decreasing line B 1 is drawn from the point (0, 30) to (15, 0). A red color decreasing line B 2 is drawn from the point (0, 30) to (30, 0). The point (0, 30), (15, 0), and (30, 0) are denoted as a, b and c respectively.