Enhanced Audio Description
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Theatre Film and TV
Abstract
Audio Description (AD) for film and television consists of a pre-recorded audio commentary that makes visual content accessible to visually impaired audiences by providing information that clarifies the narrative, such as descriptions on actions, gestures and places. Although, throughout the years, digital technologies have been used to improve the mode of delivery of AD, the notions behind its design have been mostly unchanged despite significant advancements in the field of digital sound production and postproduction. Furthermore, AD is a process separate from the creative production and only considered as an accessibility strategy.
The Enhancing Audio Description project investigates how digital audio technologies can transform the design and implementation of AD for film, television and interactive media and as a result, change the ways in which visually impaired audiences experience audio-visual presentations. This research will pioneer novel sound design techniques based on new audio technologies that can be used to enhance AD, providing an audio track that is closer to the artist's vision and that will bridge the gap between sighted and visually impaired audiences. Moreover, the project will enable researchers in the arts and humanities to improve the communication between audio-visual arts and visually impaired audiences and will drive the development of digital technologies and methods that can be used to improve audio-visual experiences for people with sight loss. The project will investigate ways in which AD can be updated through digital technologies to provide both an informative and entertaining experience, while also encouraging the use of the same soundtrack for both visually impaired and sighted audiences.
Enhancing Audio Description explores two key methods: The first method investigates recent advancements in surround sound rendering and interactive media systems to create a more spatially accurate soundtrack, which includes an accurate rendition of the positions of characters and objects in space, types of shot, camera movements, camera angles and depth of frame; such a method will reduce the need for descriptions. The second method is the incorporation of first person narration as an alternative to the descriptive voice, to provide an AD that is better suited to the style of the visuals and could prove enjoyable for all audiences. Both methods would require the incorporation of AD to the creative process, transforming it from just an accessibility measure into part of the creative workflows. Whilst both methods are highly applicable to cinematic presentations, the research aims to generalise the approach so that visually impaired audiences can have enhanced soundtracks in a multitude of environments such as in museums, living rooms, or on personalised mobile media devices as well as in a myriad of applications such as film, television, gaming, therapy, training and other audio-visual activities which stimulate the UK digital economy. The proposers will therefore engage with key stakeholders from the film, television, interactive media industries and accessibility services to consider the practicalities of their implementation, including how they fit within current workflows. A significant outcome from the research will be in linking the new technological mechanisms for the enhancement of AD with the overall objective of inclusion in new media services for those with visual impairments.
The Enhancing Audio Description project investigates how digital audio technologies can transform the design and implementation of AD for film, television and interactive media and as a result, change the ways in which visually impaired audiences experience audio-visual presentations. This research will pioneer novel sound design techniques based on new audio technologies that can be used to enhance AD, providing an audio track that is closer to the artist's vision and that will bridge the gap between sighted and visually impaired audiences. Moreover, the project will enable researchers in the arts and humanities to improve the communication between audio-visual arts and visually impaired audiences and will drive the development of digital technologies and methods that can be used to improve audio-visual experiences for people with sight loss. The project will investigate ways in which AD can be updated through digital technologies to provide both an informative and entertaining experience, while also encouraging the use of the same soundtrack for both visually impaired and sighted audiences.
Enhancing Audio Description explores two key methods: The first method investigates recent advancements in surround sound rendering and interactive media systems to create a more spatially accurate soundtrack, which includes an accurate rendition of the positions of characters and objects in space, types of shot, camera movements, camera angles and depth of frame; such a method will reduce the need for descriptions. The second method is the incorporation of first person narration as an alternative to the descriptive voice, to provide an AD that is better suited to the style of the visuals and could prove enjoyable for all audiences. Both methods would require the incorporation of AD to the creative process, transforming it from just an accessibility measure into part of the creative workflows. Whilst both methods are highly applicable to cinematic presentations, the research aims to generalise the approach so that visually impaired audiences can have enhanced soundtracks in a multitude of environments such as in museums, living rooms, or on personalised mobile media devices as well as in a myriad of applications such as film, television, gaming, therapy, training and other audio-visual activities which stimulate the UK digital economy. The proposers will therefore engage with key stakeholders from the film, television, interactive media industries and accessibility services to consider the practicalities of their implementation, including how they fit within current workflows. A significant outcome from the research will be in linking the new technological mechanisms for the enhancement of AD with the overall objective of inclusion in new media services for those with visual impairments.
Planned Impact
The proposed research will benefit several groups outside the academic research community. Firstly, it will benefit people with sight loss by presenting them with an alternative to traditional AD that provides an experience that is both informative and entertaining. The enhanced AD track will also foster closer links between sighted and visually impaired film and TV audiences by encouraging them to share the same soundtrack. As a result, this project encourages social inclusivity through digital audio.
Secondly, the project benefits artists working within the creative industries, including screenwriters, sound recordists, sound editors, dubbing mixers, actors and directors, by inviting them to apply their talent to the accessibility sector, thus, regaining control over the finished product.
Thirdly, the research has an impact on the film, television, interactive media and technology industries by exploring cost-effective and practical ways to incorporate accessibility measures to the current workflows, while also uncovering new potential for existing digital technologies.
Finally, the accessibility sector, in particular those organisations specialising in AD, would be integrated into the creative process by working closely with members of the production and postproduction teams and providing advice on accessibility.
Secondly, the project benefits artists working within the creative industries, including screenwriters, sound recordists, sound editors, dubbing mixers, actors and directors, by inviting them to apply their talent to the accessibility sector, thus, regaining control over the finished product.
Thirdly, the research has an impact on the film, television, interactive media and technology industries by exploring cost-effective and practical ways to incorporate accessibility measures to the current workflows, while also uncovering new potential for existing digital technologies.
Finally, the accessibility sector, in particular those organisations specialising in AD, would be integrated into the creative process by working closely with members of the production and postproduction teams and providing advice on accessibility.
Organisations
Publications
Lopez M
(2020)
Seeing films through sound: Sound design, spatial audio, and accessibility for visually impaired audiences
in British Journal of Visual Impairment
Lopez M
(2020)
Enhancing audio description: accessible filmmaking, sound design and the importance of educating filmmakers
in Media Practice and Education
Lopez M
(2018)
Audio Description in the UK: What works, what doesn't, and understanding the need for personalising access
in British Journal of Visual Impairment
Lopez M
(2021)
Enhancing Audio Description: Inclusive Cinematic Experiences Through Sound Design
in Journal of Audiovisual Translation
| Title | Pearl - new soundtrack for a short film |
| Description | We redesigned the soundtrack of a pre-existing film to test our design strategies. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Impact | We have exhibited the film in numerous events and it has allowed us to make our strategies on accessibility known at both national and international level. |
| Title | Shelf Life - Short Film |
| Description | A short film to test the new filmmaking workflows developed. The production and postproduction roles were covered by students from the Department of Theatre, Film and Television. The project was supervised by Mariana Lopez and Gavin Kearney, acting as Executive Producers. |
| Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
| Year Produced | 2018 |
| Impact | Students benefitted by being encouraged to think about the diversity of their audiences. The film was shortlisted for an AHRC Research in Film Award. |
| Description | We discovered the potential of using sound design techniques and sound spatialisation to provide accessible and engaging films for visually impaired audiences. Our research indicates that our system works at the same level as traditional systems that have been under development for decades, demonstrating the potential of improving our methodologies even further. Furthermore, we have explored how a team of filmmakers engaged with the workflows for accessibility developed as part of the project. |
| Exploitation Route | Our publications and talks describing the creative and technical methods used to provide creative sound design-based accessible experiences as alternatives to traditional AD, are available to researchers and practitioners who, with the information provided, can apply this to their own work. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Leisure Activities, including Sports, Recreation and Tourism,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| URL | http://enhancingaudiodescription.com/ |
| Description | Principal Investigator, Professor Mariana López, receives regular invitations to give presentations on the Enhancing Audio Description project both nationally and internationally, as well as requests for collaboration from filmmakers. We have received messages from accessibility practitioners both in the UK and abroad letting us know how the project encouraged them to rethink accessibility. Sound designers have mentioned that learning more about the project has allowed them to consider how their design for films could be made accessible from the offset. Furthermore, we are currently working on collaborations with filmmakers both in the UK and abroad, and the BFI has put the research team in touch with a number of productions that seek to use our methods to make their films accessible. The research project has also caught the attention of sound designers working in innovative productions in Uruguay and accessibility companies in Canada. We have also been contacted by a number of theatre companies seeking advise on how to adapt our guidelines to their work. The director of the Eleanor Worthington Prize has included audio description requirements after attending the Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media organised as part of the project, and regularly recognises the effect of the project on their decision. Project findings have also been featured in press releases, resulting in interviews for RNIB Connect Radio and BBC World Service's Digital Planet. In addition to this, Principal Investigator Professor Mariana López has seen an increase in the number of requests for PhD supervision in the field, and is currently supervising 2 projects in this field: one related to accessibility strategies in television and the other linked to the cinematic experiences of visually impaired people in relation to sound perception. She has also examined a doctoral project on accessibility linked to gaming, VR and autism and is supervising a project on narrative structures and ADHD. Co-Investigator Professor Gavin Kearney, also supervised an MSc by Research that looked into furthering some of the technical developments started during the project. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2018 |
| Sector | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
| Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
| Description | Enhancing Audio Description II: Implementing accessible personalised and inclusive film and television experiences for visually impaired audiences |
| Amount | £815,491 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | AH/V015583/1 |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2021 |
| End | 11/2025 |
| Title | Enhancing Audio Description Project Website |
| Description | We developed a bespoke website for the project so as to include information on the project as well as upload podcasts, videos and blog posts. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2016 |
| Impact | The website has had approximately 18,017 visitors since it was launched in April 2016 and we have received numerous enquiries from the general public as well as practitioners and industry members through this portal. |
| URL | http://enhancingaudiodescription.com/ |
| Title | New website for Enhancing Audio Description II |
| Description | At the start of AH/V015583/1 we rebuilt the project website to include new features as well as maximise the data already there, making it easier to search for and more accessible. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Impact | Ability to share project findings more easily. |
| URL | https://enhancingaudiodescription.com/ |
| Description | 140th International Audio Engineering Society Convention |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Since the 1970s Audio Description (AD) has been making visual content accessible to visually impaired people through sound. In film and television a pre-recorded audio commentary provides information that clarifies the narrative, such as descriptions on actions, gestures and places. Although, throughout the years, digital technologies have been used to improve the mode of delivery of AD, the notions behind its design have been mostly unchanged despite significant advancements in the field of digital sound production and post production. This tutorial (Sound Design and Accessibility in Film and Television) introduced participants to the history of sound design and accessibility in film and TV and discussed new research on the use of surround sound rendering and interactive media systems to create more spatially accurate soundtracks, as well as the introduction of first person narration. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.aes.org/events/140/presenters/?ID=4832 |
| Description | 144th Audio Engineering Society Convention - From Seeing to Hearing: Sound Design and Spatialization for Visually Impaired Film Audiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This tutorial presents the concepts, processes, and results linked to the Enhancing Audio Description project (funded by AHRC, UK), which seeks to provide accessible audio-visual experiences to visually impaired audiences using sound design techniques and spatialization. Film grammars have been developed throughout film history, but such languages have matured with sighted audiences in mind and assuming that seeing is more important than hearing. We will challenge such assumptions by demonstrating how sound effects, first person narration as well as breaking the rules of sound mixing, can allow us to create accessible versions of films that are true to the filmmaker's conception. We will also discuss how the guidelines developed have been applied to the higher education context to train filmmakers on the importance of sound. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Access for All |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Article for Professional Audio monthly magazine - PSN Europe. The article focused on explaining accessibility to film and television for visually impaired audiences to professional audio practitioners and disseminating the methods behind the Enhancing AD project. The article has been shared widely on social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Accessibility through Sound Design: an introduction to Enhanced Audio Description |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation by Dr Mariana Lopez for Perth Web Accessibility Camp 2022 in Australia. The presentation was delivered online for an audience in a hybrid (online/in person) setting, and introduced the Enhanced Audio Description techniques to participants. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | http://a11yperth.com/events/perth-web-accessibility-camp-2022.php |
| Description | Audio Description and Video on Demand - TechShare Pro 2019 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Panel of experts aimed at understanding the current status of accessible experiences on TV and video on demand, who's doing what and what still needs to be done. The panel was organised by RNIB and took place in the context of TechShare Pro 2019 conference in London about accessibility and inclusive design. The other members in the panel represented Amazing Prime Video, BBC, Apple and ITV |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8H8qWKExLcc |
| Description | Audio Description: the Art of Access Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Throughout the years digital technologies have been used to improve the mode of delivery of Audio Description for film, television and live events. However, the notions behind its design have been mostly unchanged despite significant advancements in digital sound. AD guidelines have failed to acknowledge how advancements in digital audio could be game-changers in the process of conveying information as well as providing an entertaining experience to visually impaired audiences. This presentation discussed how sound design can be integrated to AD processes through the use of additional audio recordings and surround sound rendering; all of which could reduce the number of descriptions needed. The use of surround sound was proposed to provide an accurate rendition of character and object positions in space, types of shot, camera movements, camera angles and depth of frame. The application of first person descriptions by the main characters was also discussed. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://artofaccessconference.wordpress.com/ |
| Description | Audio, Accessibility and the Creative Industries |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Audio is a powerful tool in the provision of accessible experiences for people with disabilities. Advancements in production and broadcasting technologies means that now more than ever we should be thinking about how those can help provide inclusive experiences within the creative sector. This workshop brings together experts in the field of audio and accessibility and will focus on new research on Audio Description for visually impaired audiences, the use of object based broadcasting to better cater for the needs of audiences with hearing loss as well as the use of e-textiles to provide accessible experiences within creative contexts. The workshop was a panel of experts including the Principal Investigator of Enhancing AD - Dr Mariana Lopez. This was the first time that a workshop on accessibility was organised as part of an Audio Engineering Society convention. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
| URL | http://www.aes.org/events/146/workshops/?ID=6602 |
| Description | BBC R&D Accessibility Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a workshop with approximately 7 invited speakers to share their own work in the field of accessibility, share experiences, and think about the challenges posed by covid-19 to work on accessibility. This was a closed workshop so there was no audience but instead it was an opportunity to share experiences and good practice and the aim was to start thinking about collaborative projects moving forward. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | BBC R&D Sounds Amazing |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The talk was recorded in a professional television studio and included as part of the panel session 'Access all Areas' which was part of the BBC Sounds Amazing event in 2020. The talk was followed by a Q/A. In addition to the live streaming of the talk, it has also been made available to watch online after the event, which increases the reach of the talk. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | BBC Sounds Amazing - Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | We had a research stand with a demo running as part of the BBC R&D Exhibition titled 'Sounds Amazing' |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Blog posts as part of the Enhancing Audio Description Project Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As part of our commitment to engaging audiences with our research we published 39 blog posts covering a variety of topics that included specific sections on our own project as well as other projects that are linked to our research interests and those of our readers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |
| URL | http://enhancingaudiodescription.com/ |
| Description | Cambridge Festival of Ideas 2016 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Discussion and demonstration of an array of novel sound design techniques that are being used to enhance Audio Description to provide an audio track that is closer to the filmmaker's vision and that aims to bridge the gap between sighted and visually impaired audiences. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://www.festivalofideas.cam.ac.uk/events/using-sound-design-foster-inclusivity |
| Description | Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On the 14th and 15th October 2017 the Department of Theatre, Film and Television, University of York, hosted a 2-day International Conference as part of our AHRC project. The event included 2 keynote lectures, 20 paper presentations, 7 workshops, 17 demos/poster presentations and an interactive installation. The conference was fully booked (140 participants) and we live streamed the event to increase its reach. We also turned the paper presentations into podcasts. The Enhancing Audio Description project was featured as part of the conference: Mariana Lopez and Gavin Kearney gave a joint presentation and demos on the project run throughout the event. The event was reviewed by a Canadian Accessibility Company (Accessible Media Inc) and by Mandy Redvers-Rowe through a blog post (http://disabilityarts.online/magazine/opinion/audio-description-art-form-right/) We have received numerous requests for information and invitations to collaborate since the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://enhancingaudiodescription.com/review-on-our-conference |
| Description | DMRN+15: Digital Music Research Network One-day Workshop 2020 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was a keynote presentation for a one-day workshop organised by Queen Mary University of London. In addition to the live presentation, there is also a recorded version of the talk available online, increasing the reach of the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPxDPc541XM |
| Description | DTG Summit - 2020 - 'Future Vision' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | This was the participation in a panel within the DTG Summit event, the panel's theme was 'Advances in sound, vision and control'. A short presentation was followed by a Q/A and then made available on-demand. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://dtgsummit.com/programme/ |
| Description | Digital Television Group - "Evolving Access Services - Content for All, Television for All" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The event was a webinar followed by a Q/A as part of a series of events organised by the Digital Television Group (DTG). In addition to the live release and Q/A the event has been made available as on-demand content, which gives us the opportunity to reach even wider audiences. The recorded version can be accessed here: https://tinyurl.com/469adxe3 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| URL | https://tinyurl.com/469adxe3 |
| Description | Enhancing Audio Description: Digital Audio and Accessibility to Film and Television |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Queen's University Belfast The Principal Investigator (Dr Mariana Lopez) presented both a research seminar and a workshop based on the project. There were around 30 people in each event. The main audience was drawn from the postgraduate community at Queen's University Belfast as well as staff members. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Enhancing Audio Description: Digital Audio and Accessibility to Film and Television at the University of Westminster |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The talk was presented on 21st March 5pm at University of Westminster. The PI discussed the concepts behind the project as well as initial findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Enhancing Audio Description: The Screening (Exhibition at Tate Britain) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Saturday, 23rd September 2017 Digital exhibition to showcase the research of the Enhancing Audio Description Project into how sound design techniques can be used to rethink accessibility to film and television for visually impaired audiences. We screened a short film with its enhanced accessible soundtrack. There were four screenings throughout the day where each one-hour session consisted of an introduction to the project, a short film screening and a Q/A session. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Enhancing Audio Description: Towards accessible creative experiences in film and television |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited presentation for Brunel University London. Abstract: 'Enhancing Audio Description' is a project that seeks to explore how creative sound design can be used to rethink accessibility to film and television for visually impaired audiences. Sound design, binaural audio and first person narration have been used by the research team to explore how the creation of accessible film and TV experiences could be integrated to current creative workflows. In this talk, Dr Mariana Lopez will explore the aims behind the project, the techniques explored and feedback from visually impaired audiences. She will be bringing along some sound examples and will discuss the state of the art of accessibility. The techniques presented can be adapted to other cultural experiences, such as theatre performances, gaming, museums and many more. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2020 |
| Description | Featured in external blog post on accessibility |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Mariana Lopez was interviewed and featured in a blog post written by Michael Achtman titled "DYCP : Develop Your Creative Practice - Part 1" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://machtman-ad.com/blog-one/ |
| Description | Guest Lecture - Edinburgh Napier University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | This was an invited lecture for sound students, both at undergraduate and postgraduate level, for Edinburgh Napier University. The lecture covered accessibility strategies by focusing on the Enhanced Audio Description methods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Interview for Digital Planet - BBC World Service |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview for Digital Planet on the Enhanced Audio Description methods. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct1ltc |
| Description | Languages & The Media, 11th International Conference on Language Transfer in Audiovisual Media |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This presentation introduced the Enhancing Audio Description project as a project which challenges the notions behind the design of AD and aims to apply advanced digital audio techniques to the field of accessibility. These audio techniques will enable information to be conveyed through an entertaining experience for visually impaired audiences. It was discussed how the number of descriptions used in AD could be reduced by using surround sound rendering and interactive media systems to create a more spatially accurate soundtrack. The researchers reported on their exploration on the accurate rendition of character and object positions in space, types of shot, camera movements, camera angles and depth of frame. It was also emphasised that the EAD project aims for its finding to impact the end user. With this in mind, the presentation reported on suggestions drawn from the Project Advisory Panel's discussions on how to ensure the film, TV and interactive media sectors are both agile and inclusive. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://languages-media.com/conference_programme.php |
| Description | Podcast - Conference Vox Pops from Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Podcast that is a compilation of feedback from attendees at the Conference of Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-03-conference-vox-pox |
| Description | Podcast - Kerr Castle at Accessibility in Film, Television And Interactive Media Conference, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Podcast of Kerr Castle's presentation at the Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-04-lauren-ward-accessibility-in-film-television-and-in... |
| Description | Podcast - Lauren Ward at Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media Conference, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Podcast of Lauren Ward's presentation at the Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-04-lauren-ward-accessibility-in-film-television-and-in... |
| Description | Podcast - Maria Oshodi's Keynote at Accessibility in Film, Television And Interactive Media Conference, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Podcast of Maria Oshodi's presentation on Extant Theatre at the Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive media that took place in York in October 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-06-maria-oshodi-accessibility-in-film-television-and-i... |
| Description | Podcast - Q/A at Tate Britain Exhibition |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We created a podcast out of the Q/A section of our exhibition at Tate Britain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-08-part-2-the-screening-tate-britain |
| Description | Podcast - Tate Britain Presentation on Enhancing Audio Description |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We created a podcast out of the introductory presentation we did as part of our exhibition at Tate Britain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-08-the-screening-tate-britain |
| Description | Podcast: Integrating Sound Design to Audio Description Processes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The podcast was the audio recording of a presentation delivered by Mariana Lopez for a one-day workshop that aimed to explore some of the aesthetic and technological questions around the practice of audio description for live performance and in museums and galleries. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-02-integrating-sound-design-to-audio-description-proce... |
| Description | Podcast: Extracts from talk at York Festival of Ideas by Mariana Lopez (13 June 2016). |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Podcast created from extract of a talk on the project delivered by Mariana Lopez as part of the York Festival of Ideas |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/enhancing-audio-description-podcast-01-york-festival-of-ideas-... |
| Description | Podcast: Olivia Gerber-Moro´n and Agnieszka Szarkowska at Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media, York |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The podcast was the recorded presentation of Olivia Gerber-Moro´n and Agnieszka Szarkowska's work at the Conference on Accessibility in Film, Television and Interactive Media that took place at the University of York in October 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017,2018 |
| URL | https://soundcloud.com/user-351945045/podcast-06-olivia-gerber-moron-and-agnieszka-szarkowska-ead-co... |
| Description | Pre-conference workshop - Enhanced Audio Description: inclusive cinematic experiences through sound design |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The pre-conference workshop 'Enhanced Audio Description: inclusive cinematic experiences through sound design' was delivered as part of the 2022 Languages and the Media Conference in Berlin. The conference brings together academics and industry representatives to discuss topics of accessibility. The participation in the workshop included industry professionals (audio describers and other accessibility experts), academics, and postgraduate students. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Presentation and poster titled 'Enhanced Audio Description: towards conveyance of cinematography and picture editing through sound design' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | A speed presentation and poster exhibition were delivered as part of the Languages and the Media 2022 conference in Berlin. This conference brings together academics and industry representatives. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Press release to accompany journal publication |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Press release to accompany the publication of a journal paper with research findings. The press release was shared on several websites and also resulted in an interview with RNIB Connect Radio and Digital Planet (BBC World Service). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.york.ac.uk/news-and-events/news/2021/research/researchers-enhance-film-for-visually-impa... |
| Description | Promotional Video for Enhancing Audio Description Project |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We created a short promotional video to introduce the aims of the project, this was mainly a quick and engaging way of presenting the project to potential partners, businesses and the general public through social media. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkbhY-Q8reI |
| Description | Radio interview for RNIB Connect |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Radio interview on the Enhanced Audio Description methods for RNIB Connect |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://audioboom.com/posts/7980988-the-future-of-audio-description |
| Description | Roving Reporters Training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was a one-day workshop organised in collaboration with local charity MySight York. The workshop introduced the basics of audio recording and interviewing techniques to visually impaired participants. The workshop covered information such as how to use audio equipment, and how to conduct effective interviews, while also providing an opportunity for participants to work on their skills practically and share their work with others. This is an activity that marked the start of a collaboration with MySight York. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Seeing Sound Conference - Seeing with our ears: designing soundtracks for visually impaired audiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This paper presents the concepts, processes and results linked to the Enhancing Audio Description project (funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council), which seeks to provide accessible audio-visual experiences to visually impaired audiences using sound design techniques and binaural audio. Film grammars have been developed throughout film history, but such languages have matured with sighted audiences in mind and assuming that seeing is more important than hearing. This presentation challenges such assumptions by demonstrating how sound effects, first person narration as well as breaking the conventions of sound mixing, can allow us to create accessible versions of films that are true to the filmmaker's conception. The presentation will discuss 'Pearl', a short film used as a case study whose sound was re-designed with the input of visually impaired volunteers to provide an accessible yet engaging experience that can be shared regardless of audiences' sight condition. We will also discuss how the guidelines developed have been applied in the context of higher education to train filmmakers on the importance of sound. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Shelf Life: Incorporating accessibility to sound design workflows |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | This was a conference presentation on the short film Shelf Life produced as part of the project. In addition to a 30 minute talk about it, we also screened the film to an audience. This took place as part of klingt gut! symposium on sound. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Sky Tech Summit - Listen up: Developments in next generation audio |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | How will next-gen audio further enhance the television experience? What is binaural audio and how might it be implemented? What are the opportunities for new access services? As part of the session, Dr Mariana Lopez talked about improving accessibility of TV and Film for visually impaired people using next generation audio techniques. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Sound design and binaural audio for visually impaired film audiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Guest session for Audio Engineering Society UK. This talk presented the concepts, processes and results linked to the Enhancing Audio Description project (funded by the AHRC), which seeks to provide accessible audio-visual experiences to visually impaired audiences using sound design techniques and spatialisation. Film grammars have been developed throughout film history, but such languages have matured with sighted audiences in mind and assuming that seeing is more important than hearing. We will challenge such assumptions by demonstrating how sound effects, first person narration as well as breaking the rules of sound mixing, can allow us to create accessible versions of films that are true to the filmmaker's conception. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13pabIzz8zI |
| Description | Talk titled 'Enhanced Audio Description - Sound Design, Creativity and Integrated Access' for the Leeds School of Arts, Leeds Beckett University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | This was an online talk and Q/A for the Leeds School of Arts (Leeds Beckett University), there were 40 participants during the live streamed talk, with further views after the event. The talk introduced attendees to the Enhanced Audio Description methods and the work conducted so far, while also introducing the work conducted as part of Enhancing Audio Description II. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=st0i2A47z6Y |
| Description | Talk titled 'Enhanced Audio Description: Creative Accessibility for Film and Television' for York Festival of Ideas |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | The talk was part of the 2022 York Festival of Ideas and introduced participants to the theory and practice behind the Enhanced Audio Description (EAD) methods, while also introducing the future of the project. The talk included audio-visual examples to exemplify our work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2022/calendar/enhanced-audio-description/ |
| Description | The Space & BBC Academy Accessibility Workshop - 'How digital tools can help make arts more accessible' |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | On the 20 April 2017, the PI participated in this event organised by The Space in conjunction with BBC Academy. The event took place in Nottingham. Mariana Lopez discussed in a panel how digital innovations are helping make the arts more accessible. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/the-space-bbc-academy-workshop-nottingham-accessibility-how-digital-t... |
| Description | The language of sound: Creating accessible film experiences for visually impaired audiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Mariana Lopez presented at 'Sound Talking,' a one-day event at the London Science Museum that sought to explore the complex relationships between language and sound, both historically and in the present day. It aimed to identify the perspectives and methodologies of current research in the ever-widening field of sound studies, and to locate productive interactions between disciplines. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | The power of sound: enhancing audio description |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The Principal Investigator was invited to write a blog post for Vocal Eyes' website. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | http://vocaleyes.co.uk/the-power-of-sound-enhancing-audio-description/ |
| Description | Using Binaural Audio to increase accessibility to Film and Television, 142nd International Audio Engineering Society Convention, Tutorial, 20th-23rd May 2017, Berlin |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Mariana Lopez and Gavin Kearney presented a tutorial session as part of the AES Convention in Berlin. The abstract for the presentation is the following: "Audio Description (AD) is a pre-recorded verbal commentary that is added to a film or television programme to make visual elements clearer to visually impaired audiences. One of the disadvantages of AD is that the addition of a layer of verbal commentary means that elements from the original soundtrack are masked and valuable information on the film as well as part of the intended engagement is lost. The Enhancing Audio Description proposes to use binaural audio to reduce the number of verbal descriptions used for accessibility, by using accurately placed sound elements to give audiences information on the position of characters and objects in space as well as information on cinematic elements such as high and low camera angles and shots." |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | Video on Audio Games |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | As part of our research we looked into the sound design of audio games, we then created a short video to present our findings. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOJu8zfXytc |
| Description | Visual Impairment Awareness Training |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | MySight York provided a one-day training for university staff and students. Members of the research team participated in the workshop and the rest of the spaces were offered to members of the university community, which were able to access free training. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | York Festival of Ideas - Seeing with your Ears: Film and Television for Visually Impaired Audiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Since the 1970s Audio Description (AD) has been making visual content accessible to visually impaired people through sound. In film and television a pre-recorded audio commentary provides information that clarifies the narrative, such as descriptions on actions, gestures and places. Although, throughout the years, digital technologies have been used to improve the mode of delivery of AD, the notions behind its design have been mostly unchanged despite significant advancements in the field of digital sound production and postproduction. This interactive talk introduced participants to the history of sound design and accessibility in film and TV and explored the speakers' own research on the use of surround sound rendering, interactive media systems and first person narration to create more engaging and spatially accurate soundtracks. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | http://yorkfestivalofideas.com/2016/talks/seeing-with-ears-film-tv/ |
| Description | York Talks - Research in the Spotlight |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Mariana Lopez introduced the EAD project goals. The talk included a binaural rendering of a film clip. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.york.ac.uk/research/yorktalks/ |