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This is an ADLAB PRO video.

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ADLAB PRO is a project funded
by the European Union.

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This video is made available
to you

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on a Creative Commons licence.

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-Hello. I’m Gert Vercauteren

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from the University of Antwerp
in Belgium.

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In this ADLAB PRO video

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I will explain what
Audio Description or AD exactly is

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and how it ensures
that the target audience

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can fully understand and enjoy
the multimodal text

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in which it is integrated.

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This is Unit 2,
"Defining AD"

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in Module 1,
"General Introduction".

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Although many of you
probably know

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what audio description,
or AD is,

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it may be a good idea
to refresh your memory.

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Not in the least, because
the concept has been defined

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in quite a few ways
and not all existing definitions

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mention all the relevant
characteristics.

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So let me first give you
an overview

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of some commonly
used definitions,

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and then formulate my own.

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In 2004, Piety defined AD as

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“the practice
of using language

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to give persons who are
visually impaired

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access to movies, television
programmes, and live events”.

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One year later,
Matamala defined the service as

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“providing a narration
of what is seen, this is

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giving an oral description
of visual elements

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such as actions,
costumes or props

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found in cultural events.”

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Still a few years later,

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in the collection
of articles published

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after the first Media4All
conference,

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Greening and Rolph
defined AD as

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“the addition
of a descriptive narrative

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to accompany the key visual
elements of theatre,

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television, cinema
and other visual media.”

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Based on these three definitions,
we can already gather

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a few basic characteristics
of audio description.

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First of all,
as pointed out by Piety,

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it is an assistive service
for people with sight loss.

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Second, it is in fact
a two stage process:

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it is, as mentioned by Matamala,
an oral service,

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but one that is usually rendered
on the basis of a written text.

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And third, as becomes apparent
from the last definition,

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it is a service
that can be added

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to any kind
of audiovisual product,

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both static and dynamic,
pre-recorded and live.

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However, a more recent definition
by Reviers and Vercauteren

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shows that AD includes
more dimensions.

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They define the concept as:

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“a service that makes audiovisual
products accessible and enjoyable

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for the blind
and visually impaired

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by transferring images
and unclear sounds

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into a verbal narration
that interacts

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with the dialogues and sounds
of the original text

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with which it forms
a coherent whole.”

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A first element
this last definition adds,

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is that it should not only make
a product accessible,

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but that the description should
also be pleasant to listen to.

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Furthermore, while
the previous definitions say

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it is a description
of visual images,

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Reviers and Vercauteren
rightly point out

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that it should also
pay attention to sounds

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people with sight loss
might not be able to interpret

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without an explanation.
As such,

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the AD should also frame
the dialogues.

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This means, make sure
it is clear who is talking

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and identify
unclear sounds.

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In other words, the AD interacts
with all the different modes

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of the audiovisual text.

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Based on all these observations,

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we can now formulate
our own definition of AD,

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namely “a service aimed
at making

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any kind of audiovisual product
accessible and enjoyable

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to people with sight loss

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by translating visual
and unclear aural information

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into a verbal narration that
increases their understanding

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and enhances enjoyment
of that product.”

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Well, that’s it for this unit.

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Now that you know what AD is,

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it should be easier
for you to learn more

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about this access service.

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-The preparation of this presentation

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was supported by ADLAB PRO.

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Audio Description:

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A Laboratory for the Development

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of a New Professional Profile

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financed by the European Union

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under the Erasmus+ Programme,

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Key Action 2, Strategic Partnerships.

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Project number:

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2016-1-IT02

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KA203-024311.

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The information and views

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set out in this presentation

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are those of the authors

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and do not necessarily reflect

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the official opinion

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of the European Union.

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Neither the European Union

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institutions and bodies

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nor any persona acting
on their behalf

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may be held responsible
for the use

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which may be made of
the information contained therein.

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This was an ADLAB PRO video.

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ADLAB PRO partners are:
University of Trieste,

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Universitat Autònoma
de Barcelona,

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University of Antwerp,
Adam Mickiewicz University,

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RTV Slovenia,
Utopian Voices,

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Soundfocus and Royal National
Institute of Blind People.

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ADLAB PRO was funded
by the European Union.

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This video was made available
to you

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on a Creative Commons licence.