Back when I started streaming, a few months in a game, As Dusk Falls, was released. I played through it then, and wasn't in a great place in all sorts of ways. Now, this game has added a number of new #accessibility features that we're checking out in today's Wallop Wednesday. It's a story-driven game where you, the viewers, decide the direction the story takes by voting in chat. We have #audiodescription and all the things, come hang out in jusst an hour over at https://twitch.tv/zersiax
I uploaded the VOD of me playing Spider-Man 2 for the first time with the new #accessibility mod that adds TTS and #AudioDescription! This is without a doubt the most #blind accessible Spider-Man game yet!
At the weekend I attended a brilliant event at the British Library in central London for blind and partially sighted people themed around portraits. I was excited to go because unusually there was the opportunity to get creative in response to the audio described works.
The workshop was run by artist Karly Allen who obviously had years of experience because her description of the 2 artworks we were introduced to was comprehensive and very natural.
We talked about a portrait of novelist Hilary Mantel by Nick Lord and a marble bust of King George III by Peter turnereli from the British Libry’s collection and were given a tactile drawing of them both which were printed using a Zychem machine which I desperately want to get my hands on now! I found them really pleasant to feel and although I did need the description to make full sense of the diagrams I felt they were very useful.
After the descriptions we were given a small circular frame and some clay along with some tools and Karly talked us through ideas of how we could get creative. I decided to use the various tools to draw into the clay which I’d filled the frame with and smoothed down. It was hard to get started and I experimented a bit and smoothed it out and started again several times. I kept in mind that the frame would be filled with plaster of paris and the clay discarded to make a tactile relief sculpture so whatever I drew would come out backwards. I cheated a bit and didn’t attempt a portrait as working in this way was new to me and my first attempts were awfully confusing! I decided to do an illustration of a flower instead because as I’m totally blind I couldn’t go back and add to the marks I’d made, I just had to go for it in one go, imagining the drawing as I went. I did ask my PA to tell me where there were some gaps so I could ad a couple of details which was helpful. I wasn’t the only person to take this approach.
We had a break for lunch and then went up to see the 2 artworks in the galleries and discuss them further while our sculptures set.
It was so exciting to feel the end result when we returned and we passed our creations around which got us talking to new people. Before the workshop I’d felt nervous about trying to do something creative again after 10 years of being blind and although it was frustrating at first I was relieved to find that we were encouraged to just get stuck in and have a go in any way we felt comfortable. I’ll definitely be returning to the library for future events of this kind! #blind#PartiallySighted#Deafblind#audiodescription#TactileArt#art#creativity#inclusion#libraries#Disability
While packing and traveling to SXSW, I almost forgot to mention that As Dusk Falls , a game I was a consultant for, has been released on PS5 and includes audio descriptions! Cannot wait to play the game in its entirety when I’m back home! Audio descriptions absolutely have a place in gaming, but especially in in narrative driven games where the choices you make matter. Really hope to see more of this in the future :).
The live action for Avatar: The Last Airbender dropped today on @Netflix and I can finally announce that I provided the audio description for the show. ATLA is my favorite show of all time and this was a dream come true!
Also everyone’s commenting on this Google ad, and after seeing it, all I remember is "two faces". Yay. Google camera has face and pet detection? Neato. Now fix the keyboard. If you can talk the talk you can walk the walk.
@talon Just in case you haven't seen it with #AudioDescription, they extended the advert to add in about 40 seconds for said AD. While I think that's cool, I am glad iOS had had this for a few years now on their entire lineup. I know, it's harder for Android because of variations et cetera, but this is why as much as I would love Android if I had no accessibility considerations, iOS still wins for efficiency most of the time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4a92FmcWMM&t=0s
Announcement of a 60-Day Public Comment Period for the Draft Audio Description Specialist Certification Criteria February 1, 2024 through March 31, 2024. Visit link for full details. #AudioDescription#certificationhttps://t.co/lk8sXkjPn9
In Episode 129, Roy Samuelson chats with Hannah Waymouth, and it's a great episode. Hannah discusses her gradual acclimatisation to AD; the amount and type of description; being ahead of the story; and wishing for what she terms "Audio Description Previews" (such as audio introductions).
Using tech is a constant battle with #Accessibility.
I thought I’d watch the new Frasier series on Paramount Plus. I found it OK, started the playback and then tried to start the Audio Description. The advice from Paramount is to click on the bubble in the top right corner. Bit of a fail their straight away as I want the AD because I can’t see elements on screen. Still, I found the top right corner of the screen, but there was nothing there.
Eventually, I turned off Voiceover and asked my wife to turn on the AD. She found the bubble no problem, so another accessibility fail that Voiceover can’t detect it.
However, when she went into the options, there was no AD. It seems Paramount haven’t added an #AudioDescription track to this programme. That’s very disappointing. I suppose it’s the sort of show I could watch without #AD and follow most of the humour, but this is really disappointing. #TV#Paramount
Last night it was announced that As Dusk falls will be coming to PS4 and PS5. Not only that, but it will have audio description! Honored to say that both SuperBlindman and I were consultants for this game 😊.
Temperature didn’t get out of the 30s today so the soup was especially good.
I got caught up on my writing with the writing partners who commented while I was with Mama.
We purchased two more Christmas movies this evening with #AudioDescription. Now we need to sit down and watch them. Maybe we’ll do that while we’re putting up the tree. 🎄
Sleep well and may your dreams be out of this world. 🤗🫶❤️🫂
We got a pot of soup ready to be put in the slow cooker tomorrow. Weather is perfect for homemade veggie soup.
The rest of the yummies hubs ordered for me arrived today so I have more cookies and even some diabetic friendly candy. ❤️
We purchased a bundle of classic Christmas movies tonight through Amazon with #AudioDescription. 🙌🏻 If we could get the original Miracle on 34th Street with audio description, my Christmases would be made until the day I die.
Sleep well and may your dreams take you to the stars. 🤗🫶❤️🫂
Join us tomorrow - Tuesday, November 14 - at 7:30pm ET for ACB's 2023 #AdAwardsGala as we celebrate #AudioDescription with hosts Marilee Talkington and Conchita Hernandez Legorreta, AD Voice Talent Ren Leach, and guests from the arts, entertainment, and sports! Learn more at AdAwardsGala.org.
Watched the first episode of #Spooks last night. When the #audioDescription was recorded in 2002, the describer from Red Bee Media included their own name in the opening credits. Sad that they weren't doing that even a small number of years later, and still dont to this day.