What is description?
Audio description (or, as it’s called in Canada, described video) is a narration track intended for blind and partially-sighted audiences to access motion pictures, by describing events, objects, and characters on-screen. This track is skillfully mixed with the original program soundtrack to create a sound experience that all audiences can enjoy.
Description can be complex to craft. Which events, objects, and characters are worth describing? How can things which will prove important later be described without spoiling upcoming scenes? When can description be worked into a dialogue or narration-heavy sequence? What if there are subtitles? What kind of voice should narrate? A sharp describer will demonstrate good judgement about what to describe, and when.
The Phoenix Soundworks philosophy
For over fifteen years, Mark Phoenix helped blaze a trail for audio description/described video, first as part of Accessible Media Inc.’s audio editor team, and later on his own. In that time, he helped develop the best practices for described video in Canada. His experience and personal interest in description informs his philosophy: description should be accurate, as enjoyable as the program being described, and sound as if it was intended to include description in the first place. A sighted audience member should be able to enjoy a described title as much as a partially-sighted or blind one.
While describers strive for a sense of objectivity in narration, this can result in monotonous tones that can disrupt the mood of a scene and draw the audience’s attention in a negative way. At Phoenix Soundworks, narration follows the mood of the scene and program.
Skillful narration and mixing is critical to keeping the audience immersed in the world of the program. Rushed, poorly-cut sentences can confuse listeners, while jarring soundtrack dropouts under narration detract from the quality of the overall mix, affecting everyone’s enjoyment. Phoenix Soundworks strives to mix description into existing program soundtracks as if it was intended to include narration in the first place, and keep audiences immersed in the world you wish to create.
Whether your project is a short YouTube video or a feature film presentation, Phoenix Soundworks can help make it accessible for all audiences.
Hear the Phoenix Soundworks difference
Click here to return to the main page.
Click here to learn about audio post production services.
Audio description (or, as it’s called in Canada, described video) is a narration track intended for blind and partially-sighted audiences to access motion pictures, by describing events, objects, and characters on-screen. This track is skillfully mixed with the original program soundtrack to create a sound experience that all audiences can enjoy.
Description can be complex to craft. Which events, objects, and characters are worth describing? How can things which will prove important later be described without spoiling upcoming scenes? When can description be worked into a dialogue or narration-heavy sequence? What if there are subtitles? What kind of voice should narrate? A sharp describer will demonstrate good judgement about what to describe, and when.
The Phoenix Soundworks philosophy
For over fifteen years, Mark Phoenix helped blaze a trail for audio description/described video, first as part of Accessible Media Inc.’s audio editor team, and later on his own. In that time, he helped develop the best practices for described video in Canada. His experience and personal interest in description informs his philosophy: description should be accurate, as enjoyable as the program being described, and sound as if it was intended to include description in the first place. A sighted audience member should be able to enjoy a described title as much as a partially-sighted or blind one.
While describers strive for a sense of objectivity in narration, this can result in monotonous tones that can disrupt the mood of a scene and draw the audience’s attention in a negative way. At Phoenix Soundworks, narration follows the mood of the scene and program.
Skillful narration and mixing is critical to keeping the audience immersed in the world of the program. Rushed, poorly-cut sentences can confuse listeners, while jarring soundtrack dropouts under narration detract from the quality of the overall mix, affecting everyone’s enjoyment. Phoenix Soundworks strives to mix description into existing program soundtracks as if it was intended to include narration in the first place, and keep audiences immersed in the world you wish to create.
Whether your project is a short YouTube video or a feature film presentation, Phoenix Soundworks can help make it accessible for all audiences.
Hear the Phoenix Soundworks difference
Click here to return to the main page.
Click here to learn about audio post production services.
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