How it works

How audio described cinema works

How captioned cinema works

 How audio described cinema work

The film is described by a prerecorded narrator, and this is added as a separate track to the movie disc. The disc is synced so that the description occurs in between gaps in dialogue and the normal soundtrack so that you don't miss anything. The audio description track is then transmitted via personal headphones that can be adjusted by the wearer. In some cases you can use your own headphones or earbuds.

Unlike captioned screenings, where all of the audience must watch the captions, audio description in cinemas is a personal service to those that choose it. So if a movie is audio described and is playing in a cinema with the access equipment, you can go to any session of that movie.

How captioned cinema works

The captions are prerecorded for the movie and added to a separate disc, like a CD-Rom, that is played simultaneously to the movie.  The system projects the captions onto the screen using a high-powered data projector.  A standard movie print is used.  With this system that is currently used in Australia, all audience members can see the captions. 

Captions are different to foreign language subtitles.  Subtitles translate just the foreign language dialogue of a film into English, where captions translate the dialogue and other sound effects into captions.  Other sound effects may include music and off-screen sound.  Captions provide a more descriptive translation of the movie. 

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