Welcome to the Audio Description Project!

Biden Inauguration With Audio Description

The Inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris (Wednesday, January 20, 11 am ET); Featuring: Swearing-In Ceremony, Pass In Review, Arlington National Cemetery Wreath Laying Ceremony, Presidential Escort, Parade Across America
Audio Description:  https://youtu.be/cctCd8jI0e8.

Celebrating America (Wednesday, January 20 at 8:30 pm ET)
Audio Description:  https://youtu.be/tm33Axg0TIY.  (Posted Jan 21)

Bridging the Gap: Media Accessibility and AD

The Sundance Film Festival is sponsoring a panel discussion entitled “Bridging the Gap” – Media Accessibility & Audio Description.  The discussion will take place via Zoom on Sunday, January 31, at 2:30 pm Eastern time (11:30 am Pacific), and enrollment (via the link above) is free.  Moderated by Michele Spitz (Woman of Her Word voiceover artist and philanthropist), six panelists will participate.  Their titles include writer, director, head audio description writer, voiceover artist, post production manager, and AD enthusiast.  Join them!  If you can't make it, check the site later for a recording.  (Posted Jan 19)

AD Service Providers Now Categorized

Due to the growth in the number of providers (now approaching 100), the AD Services page has been revised to categorize each service provider (vendor) and to allow visitors to narrow in on exactly what they are looking for by selecting the category to display.  In addition, buttons on the page now allow for simplified new submissions or updates to existing entries.  Categories include:  Writing, Voicing, Audio Engineering, Full Service (all 3 previous services), Quality Control and Consulting, Training, and Local AD Providers (e.g., local live theatre).  Existing providers may wish to verify our choice of categorization, and those not already listed are welcome to submit new listings.  (Posted Jan 19)

Deadline Extended to March 15th!
Enter the 2021 BADIE Contest

Time was running out (but the deadline was just extended!) for school-age children to submit their reviews of audio described videos and potentially be rewarded with prizes.  The 2021 Benefits of Audio Description In Education (BADIE, rhymes with lady) contest is open for submissions from children aged 7 to 21.  Read about the BADIE Submission Process.  The new deadline for entries is March 15.  (Updated Jan 15)

ACB/ADP Achievement Award Nominations

It's time again (the 13th time, to be exact) to nominate an individual or organization for an ADP Achievement Award.  This year the categories have been restructured a bit to allow separate nomination for individuals and organizations for Media, Performing Arts, and Museums.  Read the full nomination criteria and options for submitting a nomination at 2021 ADP Achievement Award Nominations.  You can also see previous winners in The Audio Description Honor Roll.   (Posted Jan 12)

ADP Website Year-End 2020 Report

During 2020, I tried to find ways to make the ADP website more informative and usable. Here are some of the updates that occurred during the year, in no particular order, in case you missed a few:

• The FindAVideo page was added to let you search the Master AD List for described titles
• Spectrum Access titles were added
• CBS All Access titles were added, temporarily on the Other AD titles page
• A page with all the described title counts of all the services was added with links to those services
• A sort-by-year feature was added for services that provide this information (DVDs, Disney+, and Prime Video)
• A sort-by-rating feature was added to all services
• More...

Read the rest of the Website YE 2020 Report.  (Reposted in shortened form Jan 12)

Next Audio Describer Training

The next Audio Description Institute, sponsored by the ADP, will be held virtually via Zoom March 1-5.  Details can be found in the Virtual Audio Description Institute brochure.  (Updated Jan 5)

Q&A on Audio Description With Dr. Joel Snyder

ADP Project Director and President of Audio Description Associates Dr. Joel Snyder was recently interviewed by Equal Entry Services, a company whose primary focus is on how people with disabilities actually use technology.  "[T]here is simply no good reason why a person with a physical disability must also be culturally disadvantaged."  Read the Q&A on Audio Description With Dr. Joel Snyder.  (Posted Dec 22)

Lost in Translation:
Audio Description Needed in Commercials!

If you are blind, you can relate to this experience had by Sumaira Latif, Leader, Company Accessibility, Procter & Gamble, as she previewed a company commercial for the "Flash" brand :  "Everyone in the room kept laughing when it started playing, but all I could hear was the song ‘Flash’ by Queen. What I didn’t know was that it was a dog singing the song, and that the creativity and humour embedded throughout the advert was intended to make consumers smile."  Read:  Lost in translation: Why audio description must go onto the accessibility agenda; or view the Flash commercial with AD.

You may also wish to read this excellent article, ‘The voice of blind people hasn't been heard’: inside the fight for audio-described ads, which covers the same story but goes further, showing additional described advertisements and discussing the challenges associated with getting them published.  "P&G has proven its campaigning power in the UK market, American broadcasters may soon follow.  The world’s largest advertiser is now audio-describing all of its ads in the US, as well as in the UK and Spain..." 

We have finally found some audio described commercials and are pleased to present this new page of Commercials With Audio Description!  (Updated Dec 22)