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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
I will tell you a bit more

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about what some of the most
important issues are

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when it comes to creating
an audio description.

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This is Unit 8,
"Central AD Issues",

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in Module 1,
"General Introduction".

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A good starting point to determine
what are considered

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to be the most important issues
in AD creation,

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are the earliest documents published
on this translation modality,

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namely national guidelines

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and early articles
in translation journals.

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Basically, all these documents agree

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that there are four essential
questions that have to be addressed:

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A. What should be described?

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B. When should it be described?

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C. How should it be described?

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And D. How much
should be described?

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Let us first briefly look
at what should be described.

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Ideally, that should be “everything
there is to see on screen”.

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But it goes without saying

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that describing everything
there is to see,

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is simply impossible.

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Moreover,
you should describe much more!

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A contradiction you say?

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Not necessarily. Let me explain.

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First of all, you have to describe
the images.

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This includes describing characters,

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their actions and the setting,

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this means the time and place,
in which these actions take place.

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In other words, you describe
who does what, when and where.

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Second, you also have to describe
certain sounds.

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Indeed, people with sight loss
may have difficulties

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identifying ambiguous
sound effects

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and as such,
they should be explained.

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In addition, describing sounds

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also includes translating
foreign dialogues

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through audio subtitling,
dubbing or voice-over.

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Finally, text-on-screen
such as logos,

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opening and closing titles,
text on signs in the film, etc.

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have to be “read”
or described too.

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The second question,
when should it be described,

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refers to the moment
when the description is heard.

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Ideally, this is when the production
is “completely silent”,

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but that hardly ever occurs.

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As such, the general guideline says

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you should never describe
over dialogues

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since these are the first source
of information

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for people with sight loss,

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and avoid describing over sound
effects as much as possible,

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particularly if the sound
is relevant for the story.

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The question of how to describe,

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deals with the language
and style of the description.

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A few general rules of thumb,
are that:

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The description
should sound natural,

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since it is meant to be
read out loud.

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This means the language
cannot be too complicated

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and that sentences
should be simple.

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This does not mean that metaphors

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or descriptive words
enhancing the text,

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should be avoided.
On the contrary.

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The describer should use
a vivid and varied language,

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that is clear and precise.

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He should also make sure

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that the description matches the
style of the film or TV programme,

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and that the wording and phrasing
matches the audience.

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The question
of how much to describe,

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has not been fully answered yet.

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Existing guidelines say that
you should “not describe too much”

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because this may be exhausting,

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or that “describing a lot
just because the film allows

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should be avoided”.

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If you use software
to create your AD,

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you can set a value of about
17 characters per second

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or 180 words per minute.

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However, this is just an indication.

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Here, your own judgement comes in

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and you should try to gear
your description

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to the programme
and the scene at hand.

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A slow, panoramic shot
may need less description,

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an action-packed scene
will need more.

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Well, this is it for this video.

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As you will have noticed,
we barely scratched the surface

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of what is important in AD,
and there is a lot more to learn.

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-The preparation
of this presentation

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was supported by ADLAB PRO.
Audio Description:

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A Laboratory for the Development
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,

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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
set out in this presentation

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are those of the authors
and do not necessarily reflect

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the official opinion
of the European Union.

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Neither the European Union
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:

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University of Trieste,

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Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,

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University of Antwerp,

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Adam Mickiewicz University,

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RTV Slovenia,

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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.