Title:
Do we need 3D TV audio description guidelines?
Authors:
Joan Greening
Publisher:
RNIB
Year of publication:
2011
Background:
The success of 3D cinema and the launch of 3D televisions and 3D programming in the UK prompted RNIB to hold facilitated focus group discussions with blind and partially sighted people to find out whether they felt 3D visual effects should be incorporated into the AD of a film or television programme. The results of these focus group discussions would then be fed back to the industry and, if necessary, the Ofcom Best Practice Guidelines should be reviewed to reflect the findings.
Key Findings:
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Blind and partially sighted participants expressed the overwhelming opinion was that it was not necessary to incorporate the 3D visual effect into the AD. Reasons given for this included that they felt the existing AD gave them sufficient information to imagine the scene and that 3D is just a visual effect which does not affect the storyline.
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The 3D visual effect came out as a very low priority in the order of preference for what should be audio described in a film or TV programme. The majority of participants generally agreed that the 3D was slightly more important than the reading of the film credits. Some participants felt it was more important to know who the film producer was than to have 3D effects described and put it at the bottom of the priority list.
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Description of the 3D visual effect may be beneficial if you are a blind parent of sighted children enabling you to share their experience and have the ability to censor unsuitable frightening scenes.
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