Wed 8th March 12:30 – 13:30. This seminar will be held on Teams.
Abstract
Accessibility to film and television for visually impaired audiences has been traditionally provided through a method called ‘Audio Description’ (AD). AD is a third person commentary which is added to a film and television production to describe the visual layer. However, the addition of a sound element external to the sound design of a production often results in overlaps with key elements of the soundtrack, such as music and sound effects. But what if we could integrate accessibility to a creative production by harnessing the power of sound design? The Enhanced Audio Description (EAD) methods are an alternative to Audio Description, in which a combination of sound effects, audio spatialisation and first-person narration is used to create accessible experiences. This seminar will introduce the core principles of the EAD methods, while also discussing the work carried out so far as part of the AHRC-funded project Enhancing Audio Description II. Future plans and ways forward will also be discussed.
Biography
Professor Mariana López is based at the University of York, where she teaches on an array of modules on sound production and postproduction for film and television. Her research concentrates on two main topics: the use of sound design for accessibility to film and television for visually impaired audiences; and the study of acoustical heritage through an interdisciplinary approach, combining arts and humanities, with audio engineering. Mariana is the Principal Investigator for the AHRC-funded project Enhancing Audio Description II: implementing accessible, personalised and inclusive film and television experiences for visually impaired audiences. She is also currently writing a book on acoustical heritage and historical soundscapes for Routledge.
Prof. Mariana López (https://www.york.ac.uk/arts-creative-technologies/people/mariana-lopez/)