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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 Iwona Mazur
from Adam Mickiewicz University

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in Poznan, Poland.
In this ADLAB PRO video

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I will talk about
film characters in AD.

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This is Unit 4
"Screen AD: characters"

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in Module 2 "Screen AD".

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Characters are an essential part
of any film narrative

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as they drive the story forward.

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They can be divided into focal,

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supporting
and background characters.

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It is usually
the focal characters

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that should be get
the most attention in AD.

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Determine through what means

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character traits manifest
themselves most.

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It can be
their physical appearance,

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their actions or reactions

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or what they say
and how they say it.

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This should give you
an indication

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as to what to prioritise
in your AD.

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For instance,
a character's meticulousness

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can be depicted
throguh his actions,

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such as the way he neatly arranges
writing materials on the table.

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When describing the appearance
of a character

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it is best to avoid appraisal.

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So instead of saying
that a woman is ‘beautiful’,

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it is better to mention
what actually makes her appear so.

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Start with the most
prominent feature,

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such as “blonde hair”
and add more characteristics later.

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You don't want to overwhelm
the audience

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with too many details at once.

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Sighted viewers look at people
in a holistic manner,

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whereas persons with sight loss
will have to conjure up

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the image of a character
in a linear fashion.

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So instead of saying
“She is wearing a white skirt,

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floral top, wedges and a visor",

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it is better to offer
a top-down description such as

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“She is wearing a visor,
floral top

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white skirt and wedges”.

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Characters can express
emotions and attitudes

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through gestures
and facial expressions.

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In your AD, you can simply name
the gesture:

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“She makes an ‘OK’ gesture”.

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You can also describe it:
“She raises her thumb”.

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And you can both
describe and name it:

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“She raises her thumb
in an ‘OK’ gesture”.

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When introducing new characters
you basically have two options.

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You can either name the character

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the first time they appear
on the screen

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and possibly add
a brief description, for example:

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“An older man
with a beard, John.”

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Or you can wait for the name
to appear in the film itself

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and until that time use a brief,
generic description, such as

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“The man with a beard”
or “Bearded man”.

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The latter solution is usually
more time consuming

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but is recommend
if the character's identity

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needs to be kept secret.

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If you want to find out more
about audio describing characters,

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I recommend that you read
the ADLAB guidelines.

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I hope you have learned
some interesting things

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about characters
and their AD from this video.

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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
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-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 person 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.