Audio description and captioning
Audio description is an additional verbal commentary of visuals during television programs, live performances, movies and DVDs. It includes a description of different visual elements, such as scenes, actions, settings, and costumes.
Captioning is the text version of speech and other sound. Captions are used on television programs, DVDs and movies, and can also be used to support online content. There are 2 types of captions-closed captions, which are selected by a user; and open captions, which automatically appear on a screen.
What audio description and captioning services are available?
You can find out about the following audio description and captioning services in Queensland:
Cinemas
Some cinemas in Queensland currently offer audio description, and closed and open captioning for films. You can contact the following cinemas for information about services:
- Event Cinemas. You can search for upcoming films with audio description and closed captioning on the Event Cinemas website. You can also find a cinema and contact them directly for session times and service details.
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BIGSCREEN Cinemas. You can call BIGSCREEN Cinemas at Hervey Bay on (07) 4124 8200, or visit its accessible cinema web page for information about upcoming open captioned and audio described movies. You can also receive details about upcoming sessions by email. To be added to the list, send a request to herveybay@bigscreencinemas.com.au.
Theatre, ballet and opera
The Queensland Performing Arts Complex (QPAC), in conjunction with Access Arts and Vision Australia, offers an audio description service for theatre, ballet and opera performances. You can find out more about audio described theatre, ballet and opera—including stories shared by Queensland patrons who have used the service and volunteers who deliver the audio description.
Information about upcoming audio described performances is available on the QPAC website.
Television
Audio description is being trialled by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) later in 2012 on channel ABC1. More information about the audio description trial is available on the Australian Government's Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy website and the Media Access Australia website. If you have any questions about the trial, you can email Media Access Australia on info@mediaaccess.org.au.
Improved cinema accessibility
The 4 major cinema chains in Australia—Hoyts, Village Cinemas, Event Cinemas and Reading Cinemas—have committed to making captions and audio description available in all of their cinemas by 2014. The Australian Government has provided funding to support this initiative.
You can find out about progress with the Cinema Access Implementation Plan on the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs website.
You can provide feedback about personal experiences with using the closed captioning and audio description devices being used by the major cinema chains by emailing accessible.cinema@fahcsia.gov.au.
More information
The Media Access Australia website includes more information about audio description and captioning; as well as captioning, audio description and transcription suppliers in Australia. If you have any questions about audio description and captioning, you can contact Media Access Australia on phone (02) 9212 6242 or email info@mediaaccess.org.au.
