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Captioned cinema has been in Australia since 2001. Up until 2009 audio described cinema has only been available at festival or one-off events. Thanks to the support of the Federal Department of Health and Ageing, audio described movies are now available in 12 independent cinemas around Australia (these cinemas show captioned movies too). This scheme, 'Helping Older Australians Enjoy the Movies: Accessible Cinema', is helping drive the expansion of the whole accessible cinema program, including the major commercial cinemas
About Accessible Cinema
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.
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.
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.
Which movies & sessions will feature this technology?
BIGSCREEN Cinemas will provide regular 'accessible' screenings every week. The sessions that will be available will be tagged on our session times page, and in our print advertising, with either the OC or AD logos or both. The sessions will also be detailed on this web page.
You can join our e-mailing list to have these session details sent directly to your inbox. Send your request to be included on this list to herveybay@bigscreencinemas.com.au
This Week's Sessions
This week's captioned and audio described movie is
'PRINCE OF PERSIA'. Audio description is available for all 2:10pm & 6:50pm sessions.
Captions will be available on
Sunday, June 20 at 2:10am and
Wednesday, June 23 at 6:50pm.
