EASIT: Easy access for social inclusion training
This is Unit 3B.
Easy-to-understand and audio description.
Element 3. Technical aspects.
Other video:
Sound-editing features.
This video is reproduced with permission of:
ADLAB PRO
Overview
This video includes
two training materials from the ADLAB PRO project.
Mereijn van der Heijden,
from Soundfocus in the Netherlands,
explains the audio description production process.
He first focuses on sound recording and editing,
and then on sound mixing and delivering.
This is an ALDAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO is a project founded by the European Union.
This video is made available to you on a Creative Commons license.
Hello, I am Mereijn van der Heijden from Soundfocus, the Netherlands.
We produce screen AD for all types of media.
I will explain our production process
on sound-recording and sound-editing.
When recording AD, many aspects can influence its quality.
You need specific conditions for a successful recording.
Like well-prepared scripts,
the possibility to work with experienced voice actors,
proper recording equipment,
and knowledge on how to use it.
The recording space acoustics are equally crucial.
They influence the quality of the recording,
especially when AD is offered as a stand-alone stream.
The sound technician has many tasks.
At Soundfocus,
sound technicians provide directional instructions.
They are both engineers and directors.
I read the script to spot mistakes during the recording,
and I follow the image to see if the script is correct.
I also monitor the tone of voice.
I manage the recording equipment,
and I communicate with the voice talent who is in a different room.
We use audio editing software to clean-up the Wav files,
and delete the unusable recording bits.
We add fades at the beginning and the end of sentences.
We also remove all the bold breaths.
At the end, we adjust the timing
of every description with the original soundtrack.
The result is a continuous AD track that needs to be mixed.
Hello, I am Mereijn van der Heijden from Soundfocus, the Netherlands.
We produce screen AD for all types of media.
I will now explain our production process
on sound mixing and delivery.
When recording and sound-editing are done,
the AD track is processed with equalizing, compression and limiting
to make the AD better audible.
The difference between unprocessed and processed audio is clear.
A U-boot cruises on the surface of the ocean.
The captain walks along a corridor within the boat,
then looks through the periscope.
A U-boot cruises on the surface of the ocean.
The captain walks along a corridor within the boat
then looks through the periscope.
AD is usually in the middle of the mix,
or in the center channel in case of surround sounds.
Because people interact differently
with speech than with music or sound effects.
AD often takes the viewer out of the story or experience
and this is something to prevent.
AD needs to follow the dynamics of the original soundtrack.
As to loudness, AD equals to dialogue level.
In case of an interbred mix or open AD,
the original soundtrack will be adjusted.
If the AD is not audible at a particular moment,
the volume of the film sound will be lowered.
Examples of open AD are
the AD mixed on a DVD,
or the AD mixed over by Netflix.
(Open AD Example) An operations room during World War II.
Someone in handcuffs pushes a document across a desk.
-Gentlemen, this is the plan.
A submarine.
-The government chose you to lead this operation.
-Where are you going to find a crew that's up to this?
A woman sights in a rifle.
A German military convoy drives past.
A group of misfits set out to sea on a small boat.
-It's a suicide.
A U-boot cruises on the surface of the ocean.
In case of a discreet AD channel, like in cinema,
the sound of the film is at a fixed level.
The AD level can be adjusted by the user
because it is on a separate system with volume control.
It is important that the AD track follows the original sound mix.
In a silent scene, the AD level can be lower
and in an action scene, the level goes up.
With AD on a fixed level the user should to adjust
the volume constantly.
This is not a nice film experience.
The next step is delivery.
The AD delivery can be split up in two categories.
Delivery as open AD is mixed with the original soundtrack,
and delivery as closed AD, a discreet AD track
that is delivered as a separate audio file.
The export formats are related to the playback system,
so the same production is prepared in different formats.
This is an example of a video we made for the Dutch government.
On the website, the video player is accessible
with an AD button to switch AD on and off.
However, IOs users can’t use this function,
so a download alternative with open AD is provided.
The open AD video is also published on Facebook and YouTube
because they do not support closed AD.
In case of film, we start with closed AD for DCP
which is a digital copy of the film for cinemas.
But for DVD or video on demand,
we deliver an integrated mix in different formats
because of the different frame rates.
Because of the different formats
we developed an AD app called “Earcatch”.
It works with a discreet AD channel on a mobile device
and it is compatible with various screenings.
It works in cinemas, with DVD, Blu-ray, video on demand and broadcast.
The app synchronizes with sound recognition
and recognizes the playback speeds
for cinema, which is 24 fps, and for TV, which is 25 fps in Europe.
With Earcatch, we only need to make one AD track
that can be reused in all situations.
The production process is fast and cost effective.
This was an ADLAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO partners are:
University of Triest,
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
University of Antwerp,
Adam Mickiewicz University,
RTV Slovenija,
Utopian Voices,
Soundfocus,
and Royal National Institute of the Blind.
ADLAB PRO is founded by the European Union.
This video was made available to you on a Creative Commons license.
Source: ADLAB PRO
Year: 2018