Audio description services for the blind and visually impaired.
Voquent provides audio-narrated descriptions for films and other media content to enrich experiences for the blind and partially sighted. We only use human narrators, no synthesized speech here!
Audio description, also known as ‘descriptive audio’ or ‘video description’ serves the visually impaired and blind.
Audio description services make your content accessible and engaging to the one person in every thirty with sight loss. It’s a growing audience.
A video description will typically fit into the natural pauses in the audio. For example in-between speech or during an opening scene.
Without an accurate audio description it is almost impossible for the blind or partially-sighted to comprehend the content fully. Properly engage this audience and you’ll unlock a niche and loyal consumer.
Audio description services aren’t just for TV and films. We provide a video description for corporate, education and sports organisations too.
Producing an accurate audio description isn’t always easy.
Some content has a lot of speech, without a natural space for the narrator to describe the visuals.
If it’s the intention to offer maximum accessibility to the blind and visually impaired the best approach is to ‘pause’ the video. This gives the narrator an opportunity to describe what’s happening. Then the video starts again. However this can make the video much longer.
Maximum accessibility in this case is also more costly, since there will be:
more for the video describer to write
more for the narrator to record
additional video editing work required
Of course, the visually impaired audience will appreciate it. They’ll especially love our human narrators, cast to match the tone of the content.
If budget is tight and maximum accessibility isn’t a priority the audio description will still be able to set the scene and give more context to what is being said.
We love writing and recording video descriptions for
films
tv shows
corporate videos
training films
celebrity interviews
and much more!
Audio description production process
1. Project Specification
The specification of the project includes:
The collection of all project materials such as video files, audio files and necessary documentation.
Documenting the materials: e.g. number of files, file format, duration, and language(s) used in speech
Establishing the customer requirements: e.g. the languages required, the format of delivery and any guidelines for the style/tone of voice you wish to use.
The project specification should be provided to Voquent to quote.
2. Quotation
A Voquent producer will:
review the project specification and request additional information as necessary
issue a quote to the requesting party, normally within 24 hours and in accordance with our standard terms.
3. Script Creation
On receipt of your written order to proceed, we will confirm:
that we are in receipt of all the necessary material and schedule the project in accordance with the quoted timescales.
review / encode video material.
create the time-stamped audio description transcripts, ready for approval.
4. Voice Recording
Once the transcript has been approved, we will record with your chosen voice artist, paying attention to:
The style / tone set out in the brief
Ensuring the voice over syncs up with the relevant sections of the video
5. Post Production and Delivery
We will fully clean and edit the audio description to ensure it syncs accurately with the video and then deliver in your preferred format (typically .wav or .mp3). If video integration is required, we will mix and master the final video, delivering in your preferred format (typically .mov or .mp4).
Timescales
We can create approximately 20-30 minutes of AD transcript per working day.
The turnaround time for the voice recording will depend on the availability of your chosen voice artist, however we would typically allow a a minimum 2-3 working days.
If video editing is required, we may require some additional time, but we will be able to advise you of this upon review of the video file(s).
Producing an accurate audio description isn’t always easy.