Speaker 1: Hi and welcome to this session of Social Media Accessibility Basics, Audio Description Principles. This recording has been created by myself, Lane Amaro, Trina Huntsman, and Angela Fairbanks as a collaborative effort for the ADA 30 Idaho virtual campaign celebrating 30 years of the ADA through independence and accessibility. In our last session we introduced how to add closed captioning into live social media streams. We're going to switch gears this week and start looking at audio description. Descriptions of visual events happening in recorded videos. The purpose of audio description is to give people who have limitations perceiving or processing information a more complete picture of what is being shown, enabling them to enjoy in the experience of the visual presentation. This may be in a recording or in a live performance or webinar. It is important to keep in mind that when you are talking about descriptions in a live event, it may be difficult to describe something that is not repetitive, that is not scripted. So when you happen to be presenting in a webinar or doing a Facebook Live, consider using a very descriptive language in your presentation style. There are different types of audio description or AD. There's open audio description where the descriptions are included as part of the primary audio track. This means that your viewers cannot enable or disable those extra descriptions and for some viewers that extra description might be distracting. The alternative is a closed audio description or closed AD. This is a secondary audio track that is embedded into the video file. This requires that the video player software or device on the viewers end must be able to decode and transmit a secondary audio file. This means that viewers can turn it on and off as they need. You may be familiar with this when exploring audio description on Netflix videos. On your television, smart device, etc. it is very easy to go into the subtitles, audio descriptions and subtitles and turn on audio description if you want to see what that looks like. So when you're deciding on what type of audio description, you got to consider the audience and the device or devices that they may use to view the videos. Social media video players like those on YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter often don't allow for a secondary audio track. They don't have the ability to decode and turn that secondary audio on and off. So open audio description might be your only alternative. This may mean that you end up uploading two copies of the same video. One without audio description and one with audio description. Best meet the needs of your diverse audience. Those who need the audio description and those who may be distracted by it. So when we think of audio description, we need to think of this as a completely secondary script. It is best for recordings. As I mentioned previously in live events, it's best to simply use a descriptive presentation style. So if you think of it as a secondary audio track or script, you can take some time to prepare and carefully consider, understand what needs to be described, how you will use language, style, and delivery, and of course then take the time to prepare and even completely script the description. It's important to consider what to describe. Your priorities in what you describe are going to vary. Most frequently this variation is dependent upon the amount of time or quiet time in the video that you have available to include your descriptions. You want to describe who is on screen, character identification, who is speaking, speaker identification, and as well as describing the set, including location of entrances and exits, the color, texture, etc. of furniture, and this will include potentially describing costumes as well as characters physical attributes such as facial expressions, mannerisms, gestures, etc. It is also important to identify what happens visually for any sounds that are not obviously apparent, such as a slamming door. The sound of a slamming door makes it pretty clear what just happened, but there might be other sounds such as just a loud thud where it may be important what was knocked to the floor or fell to the floor. So keeping in mind, does this the sound itself give away the action? If it does, it probably doesn't need described. You'll also need to read credits, subtitles, and captions, and what is essential for the viewer to know in order to follow plot and character development. The other thing is now that you've learned what you're going to describe, now you got to consider how you're going to describe it. Remembering that nonverbal cues are important in face-to-face communication as well as in your descriptions. So as you're considering how to write your script and how you will present what is scripted, remember to use plain language and write to clearly and concisely. Carefully consider your style and delivery. We consider your language considerations and the words that you will use in the script. Again, use plain language, write clearly and concisely, and be descriptive and accurate. Make sure that you use complete sentences unless you're doing something like character identification. Match your vocabulary for the description as closely as possible to the vocabulary used in the dialogue or primary audio track. Avoid technical terms unless absolutely impossible to avoid them, and do your best to avoid the phrase we see. Be aware of and cautious when using gender pronouns as they can be misleading. Also be sure to consider what is real and what could be misleading, and be very cautious of using ethnic terms. You definitely want to use them when they're relevant, but you don't want to, and you don't want to censor them. Make sure that you consider the use of any terms that you are using to describe ethnicity as well. Ensure that you are remaining professional and not using any derogatory terms. When you're considering your style and delivery, now that you have the words down and the script done, you want to make sure that you're describing without interpretation, you're matching your tone, pace, and style to the action, that you're sounding confident and authoritative while being considerate of the mood of the scene. And, of course, be aware of your microphone etiquette. You don't want to bump your microphone or suddenly start speaking louder or more quietly, unless, of course, the mood requires it. Make sure that you're describing in present tense and at the same time action is unfolding. In a high action scene, such as a fight or dance, you might want to anticipate some of the action in order for the viewer to understand the anticipatory nature of the scene, but, of course, take that into careful consideration. There are two big no-no's. Never override the dialogue or primary audio track unless absolutely necessary. If it is absolutely necessary, do your best to choose the least important primary dialogue to override. And don't worry about necessarily filling every silence. Sometimes the background sounds need to come through in order for the viewer to gain the full experience. Make sure that you prepare. Take plenty of time to watch the recording, read the primary script, read the audio description script, and observe carefully and closely so that you can convey as much as possible to the experience. And, of course, practice, practice, practice. Two additional reminders, and I pulled these directly from the American Council for the Blind Audio Description Project guidelines. Make sure that your descriptions never confuse, mislead, or distract from the sound tract or dialogue. And make sure that you disappear. A good description directs attention to the presentation, not to itself or to you as the describer. Thank you for joining me for this Audio Description Principles session of the Social Media Accessibility Basics series. We are thrilled that you're going to join us in being accessibility pioneers on your social media. If you're interested, please join us for our Accessibility Coffee Break specific to Audio Description Principles, where we will have an open discussion regarding these principles. You can register at the link provided in the description.