Does the video description alter the video, movie or television program?
Program content or form is not altered. A script is written highlighting the main visual elements of the program. During the subsequent recording, the elements of this script are inserted into the natural pauses within the flow of the original program.
Video descriptions are inserted during the pauses inherent within the flow of the program giving people with visual limitations the information they need to know what is happening on screen. These video descriptions do not provide distraction or otherwise interfere with program viewing by sighted individuals.
What is the function of the video describer?
The describer first views the program noting those places where there are pauses in dialogue or where other audio clues are missing which would provide information about what is occurring on screen. For these intervals the describer composes a script describing these scenes. The script is then read by a narrator and recorded to run concurrently with the program.
Can the video descriptions be enjoyed by blind people of all ages?
Yes. People with visual limitations of all ages are able to enjoy age-specific programming in many fields of interest such as children’s entertainment, science, general culture, and history.
Adults interested in a Spanish language programs containing video descriptions can find a schedule at the Hispanic Television Network (HITN) web site: www.hitn.org
