Enhancing audio description: accessible filmmaking, sound design and the importance of educating filmmakers

Abstract

The Enhancing Audio Description project explored the design of an alternative to traditional Audio Description for film and television for visually impaired audiences, by maximising the potential of sound design strategies for storytelling. The project’s methodology sits within the field of accessible filmmaking, advocating for the integration of accessibility strategies to creative workflows while also acknowledging their artistic potential. The present article explores the use of the Enhancing Audio Description (EAD) methods by a group of film students and recent graduates in the creation of a short film, while also discussing the process and end result in the context of the lack of inclusion of education on accessibility in filmmaking degrees. The authors discuss how a lack of teaching in the field of accessibility to film students results in a reinforcement of harmful stereotypes that exclude disabled audiences. A greater interest in accessibility sparked at university level might contribute towards a more inclusive film industry.