[blindkid] Fwd: Once a rider, always a rider

Fri Dec 5 05:26:55 UTC 2008

Eric:

If description is an art, as you say, how can one legitimately require 
it? After all, if one requires something in law, one has to have a valid 
standard by which to measure whether or not an entity has complied with 
the law.

That was and is NFB's problem with *mandating* described video; we 
certainly aren't opposed to having it made available. But if it's an 
art, mandating it could present some First Amendment problems. 
(Incidentally, are symphony orchestras in violation of the law because 
they cannot present their output to the deaf?)

In a slightly diferent vein, although I agree with you that well-done 
described video is fairly unobtrusive ("Saving Private Ryan" was quite 
well-done), it's still hard not to cover up sound effects -- sounds 
which, both in life and in movies, are often vital to comprehension by 
the blind.

What *I'd* like to see is descriptions be made available as braille 
booklets that one could read along with the movies rather than as audio 
descriptions. That way, one could encourage braille reading and one 
would avoid completely the hassle of trying to figure out how to fit 
descriptions into DVD menus which, after all, aren't really standard --  
at least not yet. And the sound wouldn't be interfered with. I might 
even grudgingly be in favor of such booklets being available in large 
print. (grin)

Mike Freeman

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "DrV" <icdx at earthlink.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)" 
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 5:22 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Fwd: Once a rider, always a rider

Carrie-> You have a (another) natural talent! Beautiful description! I
imagined my boys on that Harley!

On the more serious side, being able to audiodescribe what is on the 
screen
really is an art.
I have seen/heard very good & very poor descriptions.
Most of the professionally done audiodescriptions for movies have made 
it
more enjoyable & completely tangible for my kids & when done well the
narration naturally blends into the movie & is not really all that 
obvious.
Most of us get pretty good at describing things over time, but I have to
admit it is nice to kick back & enjoy a movie & then just add in my own
commentaries like I would with anyone, sighted or not.
I know this gets debated.
For many movies, the added description is not absolutely critical to
enjoying & getting the gist of the movie, but the added description does
enhance the experience if done well.
It really would not be all that hard to add the audiodescription track
option to DVDs & I would be in favor of just requiring it.
I think this videoclip illustrates this very nicely.
Best wishes,
Eric V

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Carrie Gilmer" <carrie.gilmer at gmail.com>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 11:33
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Fwd: Once a rider, always a rider

>I was thinking as I watched it that without audio description you would
>miss
> much, well everything as there is no dialougue. A man with dark 
> glasses
> and
> a cane walks into a obvious motorcycle harley Davidson store with a 
> woman,
> they go down some stairs he holds her arm but also uses his cane and a
> store
> sales clerk approaches. The woman motions to indicate it is not me 
> here to
> look but him, the store clerk begins to show the man a bike (harley 
> motor
> cycle), he looks at several bikes, walks around using his cane, and 
> uses
> his
> cane to tap one like someone might stereotypically kick a car tire at 
> a
> car
> lot when buying. Then he finds one he likes and he rather dramatically
> hands
> his cane to the store clerk who takes it and the man climbs on the 
> bike,
> he
> looks very happy about trying it like he found the one he wanted. Then 
> the
> next thing you see is it appears a close up of this man driving the 
> bike
> down the road. Then the camera pans out and he is on the bike on a 
> trailer
> being pulled by a car being driven by the woman who gives some visual
> indication expression of okay he is happy now so I am happy kind of 
> thing.
> Then it shows the back of he man wearing a harley leather jacket with 
> the
> words "born to be blind" with two canes crossed like an X and then 
> there
> is
> the words: Lotto millionaires are not like ordinary millionaires.
>
> Like I said it is not perfect...but it is not bad unless I am missing
> something.
>
>
>
> Carrie Gilmer, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> A Division of the National Federation of the Blind
> NFB National Center: 410-659-9314
> Home Phone: 763-784-8590
> carrie.gilmer at gmail.com
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] 
> On
> Behalf Of trising at sbcglobal.net
> Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:52 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Fwd: Once a rider, always a rider
>
> I was thinking the same thing. I did not get it.
>
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