This is an ADLAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO is a project funded by the European Union.
This video is made available to you
on a Creative Commons licence.
-Hello. I’m Nina Reviers, from the University of Antwerp,
and in this ADLAB PRO video
I will describe the audio description work process.
This is Unit 5 in Module 1,
"AD: General Introduction".
Creating an audio described product or event is a complex undertaking.
It requires skilful project management and good teamwork.
In this unit, I identify the parameters
that determine the AD workflow, the different stages involved
and I discuss the role of the specialists in each stage.
How the AD workflow is organised
and the experts that need to be involved
depends on a few parameters.
First, the type of product you are describing.
Is it a recorded form of AD for film
or a description of a live performance, for instance?
Second, the additional services required.
Do you need to plan for an audio-introduction
or include the creation of audio-subtitles, as well?
Third, the creation approach adopted by the provider.
Will the AD be created in what is called post-production,
after the film or performance is finalised,
or will the AD be created in parallel
to the original source material?
An approach usually called “accessible filmmaking”,
but which of course can also be applied to live-AD.
Then it is often called “integrated AD”.
Fourth, project managers have to take into account
the technical requirements as well.
For instance, the type of technology used to distribute the AD.
Finally, the number of people involved
and the scale of the AD workflow also depends
on the scope of the project in terms of time and budget.
Depending on the above parameters,
a tailor-made workflow can be developed.
Such a workflow, for any type of AD context,
usually includes the following stages:
preparation, scripting, voicing,
mixing or performing, quality control and feedback.
The preparation stage includes determining the type of AD,
whether additional services are required,
what the technical needs are,
what the creation approach will be
and what the scope of the project is.
The scripting stage involves creating what is usually called
the AD-script: a written and timed preparation
of the descriptions that will be included in the AD.
Scripting involves thorough source text analysis,
timing and writing the descriptions
and includes reviewing and final editing as well.
The voicing stage includes selecting appropriate voices
to read the AD-script, rehearsing the script with the voices
and making final changes where necessary.
For recorded AD, this also includes recording the descriptive units.
The next stage includes mixing the recorded voices
with the original soundtrack in the case of recorded AD
or performing the AD live in the case of live events.
Finally, it is important to integrate quality control
in the AD process.
Quality control needs to be organised after each stage
so that changes can be made accordingly and in a timely manner.
After all, mistakes in the AD-script are difficult to put right,
once the voices are recorded and mixed.
Gathering feedback from both the production team and from users
is an essential step towards quality improvement
and it is strongly advised to plan for this in advance.
Now, you may be wondering who is involved
in these different stages I just described?
This depends, again, on the context
and varies from involving a single describer
to requiring the input of a whole team.
We can broadly distinguish three groups:
First, the organiser.
Second, the artistic team and third the AD-team.
The organiser or initiator of an AD project
can be a film production company, a broadcaster,
a theatre company, a cultural venue,
a sports organisation or a museum curator.
They are usually involved in the preparation stage
and organising feedback.
The artistic team, includes all people involved in creating
the original audiovisual product that is being described.
Think of directors and their assistants, actors,
directors of photography and sound designers,
costume and stage designers, scriptwriters, artists.
The artistic team is not always directly involved
in the AD-creation process, but their input
in the scripting stage can be particularly useful.
Finally, the AD team minimally consists of an Audio describer,
but can additionally include a final editor,
a visually impaired AD advisor, an AD director,
AD voice talents and an AD sound technician.
They are the core team in the AD work process
and are ideally involved in all stages,
from preparation to quality control and feedback.
It has become clear that creating an Audio Description
is a combined effort and requires great teamwork!
-The preparation of this presentation
was supported by ADLAB PRO. Audio Description:
A Laboratory for the Development of a New Professional Profile
financed by the European Union
under the Erasmus+ Programme,
Key Action 2,
Strategic Partnerships.
Project number:
2016-1-IT02
KA203-024311.
The information and views set out in this presentation
are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the official opinion of the European Union.
Neither the European Union institutions and bodies
nor any persona acting on their behalf
may be held responsible for the use
which may be made of the information contained therein.
This was an ADLAB PRO video.
ADLAB PRO partners are:
University of Trieste,
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
University of Antwerp,
Adam Mickiewicz University,
RTV Slovenia, Utopian Voices,
Soundfocus and Royal National Institute of Blind People.
ADLAB PRO was funded by the European Union.
This video was made available to you
on a Creative Commons licence.