Audio Description Services: Enhancing Accessibility for All Audiences
Imagine playing a film, closing your eyes and trying to make sense of the story through the dialogue alone.
You would quickly lose track of what’s happening. This is the reality for blind and partially sighted viewers.
Audio Description (AD)
Audio Description (AD) transforms this experience, allowing them to engage fully with visual content by translating on-screen actions into narrated descriptions. It ensures media is accessible and inclusive, bringing stories to life for everyone.
At Knockhundred, we specialise in crafting high-quality Audio Description for media and events, helping you meet and exceed accessibility requirements while engaging a wider audience.
Why Does Audio Description Matter?
Accessibility is not only a moral imperative, it’s a legal requirement. Around the world, governments and broadcasters are adopting stricter regulations to ensure equal access to media. For example:
- UK Standards: Ofcom mandates that at least 10% of broadcast material must include Audio Description. Many broadcasters exceed this – Sky provides AD on 28% of its content, while BBC, ITV and Channel 4 also commit to over 20% of their material.
- Global Progress: Platforms like Netflix are leading the way in making accessibility a priority. With 40% of their subscribers regularly using features like subtitles and Audio Description, the demand for inclusive content is growing rapidly.
And by offering Audio Description in multiple languages, you can connect with international audiences and meet the needs of viewers with diverse accessibility requirements.
Human Voice Expertise
With coverage in over 50 languages, we provide authentic human narration tailored to your content and audience.
AI Voices
For budget-conscious projects, we offer high-quality synthetic voices as an alternative.
How Does Audio Description Work?
Step 1: Script Preparation
An Audio Description writer carefully crafts a script, adhering to industry guidelines. The script prioritises important visual elements while balancing the limited time available between dialogue. Writers must decide what details to include and how to describe them concisely without overwhelming the audience.
Step 2: Voice Recording
Using professional voiceover artists or synthetic AI voices, we record the narration. Our real voices include talents with extensive experience in Audio Description, bringing the perfect tone and emotion to each project.
Step 3: Audio Syncing
We integrate the narration with your media, ensuring perfect timing and seamless transitions. Output can be provided in formats such as WAV, MP3, or MP4, depending on your requirements.
Extended Audio Description
For complex scenes or where there is no space to add suitable Audio Description, we offer extended Audio Description. This involves freezing or manipulating the video to accommodate additional narration, ensuring all critical details are covered. Here is a short example of extended Audio Description.
Applications for Audio Description
Our services extend far beyond traditional film and television. We provide Audio Description for a wide range of materials and events, including:
Media
Films, TV shows, webinars and video guides.
Cultural Events
Ballet, opera, theatre, concerts, dance performances, comedy, circus and outdoor performances.
Educational Resources
Museums, exhibitions, libraries and audio guides.
Sports & Conferences
Live matches, community events and business gatherings.
Special Projects
Audio brochures and marketing materials.
For live events, Audio Description is delivered via headsets or a separate audio channel, ensuring attendees can fully engage with the experience in real time.
Multilingual Audio Description
We offer Audio Description services in nearly 50 languages, including:
English, Hindi, Italian, Mandarin, Punjabi (Indian and Pakistani), Somali, Turkish, Welsh, Cantonese, Danish, Hebrew, Norwegian, Portuguese (European and Brazilian), Dutch, German, Swedish, Bulgarian, Czech, French, Gujarati, Hungarian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Spanish, Ukrainian, Russian, Swahili, Thai, Urdu, Vietnamese.
If you don’t see your required language listed, just let us know – we’re constantly expanding our network of scriptwriters and voice artists.
Why Choose Us?
Creating Audio Description is both an art and a science. Challenges such as short pauses, complex scenes and finding the right tone require skill and experience. At Knockhundred, we provide:
- Expert Scriptwriters: Our writers craft engaging, concise and accurate descriptions that enhance the viewer’s experience.
- Professional Voice Talents: From expressive human voices to advanced AI options, we tailor the narration to suit your project.
- State-of-the-Art Studio: Whether you need WAV, MP3, AIFF, or synced MP4 files, our in-house and partner studios deliver pristine audio quality.
- End-to-End Support: From scriptwriting to delivery, we manage the entire process, ensuring a hassle-free experience for you.
What our customers say
We’ve worked with clients across many industries to create outstanding Audio Description. Here’s what one satisfied client had to say:
“Thank you for your swift response and focused effort in creating the project. Anthos is our first opportunity to work with specialists in this field and I have found every step taken with you straightforward and easy-going. A big thank you! I look forward to working with you again.”
– Nicole, Executive Producer and Director
View Our Recent Projects
We recently created the Audio Description for this beautiful short film. It was unusual as there is no dialogue.
Real voices or AI?
We can provide either. We work in partnership with the (real) voice behind audio descriptions for Marvel, Burger King, Toyota and DHL for example. Despite the famous client list, our rates are very affordable.
Real voices or AI?
Whether you’re creating a short film, a live performance, or a multilingual video guide, we’re here to help. Get in touch today to discuss your project and request demo samples from our voiceover artists.
Let’s work together to ensure your content is accessible, inclusive and engaging for all audiences.
