What Is Audio Description?

What Is Audio Description?

A movie or TV series tells its story through both visuals and sound. If the visuals are missing, information is lost that no amount of dialogue can replace. For example, who enters the room, where the scene takes place, or what facial expressions and gestures are being made. Audio description fills exactly this gap. It translates what is visible into spoken language, making the story understandable even without visuals.

An additional audio track alongside the original

The audio description does not replace the film’s original audio; it complements it. On the audio description track, the complete original audio continues to play. A narrator’s voice is added during the pauses between dialogue. Music and sound effects are retained because they are themselves part of the narrative.

The older German term for this (which may still be familiar to many) is “Hörfilm.” It dates back to a time when these versions were produced exclusively for feature films, but it has remained in use as a general term to this day. In addition, device menus also include terms such as “audio description,” “visual description,” or the abbreviation “AD.”

What is described

The narration describes what is necessary to understand the plot. This includes settings and changes of location, who is currently on screen, facial expressions and gestures, as well as actions that take place without words. The opening and closing credits, as well as on-screen text, are also read aloud, because otherwise they would be lost.

How Audio Description Is Created

There’s more to creating an audio track than simply recording dialogue. The film is reviewed scene by scene. The descriptions must fit into the existing gaps and must not drown out the sound. This is typically a team effort, with blind and sighted writers often collaborating on the script.

Script and Dialogue Gaps

First, we determine where there is any space at all. The pauses between lines of dialogue are often only a few seconds long. In fast-paced scenes, they’re completely absent. The text must fit into these gaps without rushing, which is why every phrase is checked for its length.

The involvement of blind authors is crucial in this process. They check whether a description is understandable without the image. This is difficult for sighted people to assess.

Rules

For German-speaking countries, ARD, ZDF, ORF, and SRF—together with the German Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired and several production companies—have agreed on a set of common principles. A key principle of this agreement is that audio description does not explain, evaluate, or interpret. It describes what is visible on screen. Thus, a character is not described as angry; instead, the audio description details what is happening in the scene—such as clenched fists or an abrupt exit.

Four questions serve as a guide: who, where, what, and when. They are answered in every situation that is relevant to the sequence of events. The point of view is also left out; phrases such as “We see” or “The camera pans” do not appear.

Similarly, the description of the action must not give anything away. Anyone who is not immediately recognizable in the scene (e.g., as the perpetrator) must not be named earlier in the audio track. The descriptions are placed during pauses in the dialogue but should, as much as possible, coincide with the action. Linguistically, short sentences are the norm, and the tone depends on the genre.

Another rule concerns the film’s sound itself. Sounds relevant to the plot must not be dubbed over, and the film score must remain audible as a creative element. The fact that these requirements have evolved into a discipline of their own is demonstrated by the German Audio Description Award, which is presented annually for outstanding adaptations.

Recording and Sound Mixing

Once the script is finalized, it is recorded in the studio. The delivery style depends on the genre. A crime thriller, for example, sounds different from a documentary. The narration is then synchronized with the original audio so that both are in balance. During this process, the film audio is lowered beneath the narrator’s voice and then raised again. In technical terms, this value is called the dip value, measured in decibels. The extent to which the volume is lowered depends on the scene. Loud passages with music or action require a greater dip than a quiet scene with a subdued atmosphere.

How the Audio Track Gets to the TV

For the audio description to reach viewers, it must be broadcast simultaneously with the regular audio. In digital television, this is done via a second audio channel, although not every program has one.

A second audio channel in the broadcast signal

The broadcast signal contains two audio tracks side by side. The first track carries the standard film audio, while the second track carries a mix of film audio and audio description. By default, the TV plays the first track; the second track can be selected from the menu.

The same logic applies to cable, satellite, and antenna. Things work a little differently on broadcasters’ media libraries and streaming services. There, the version with audio description is usually offered as a separate audio track in the playback window.

You can usually tell in advance which programs are available. In the program guide and in the media libraries, these programs are marked with a note—often the abbreviation “AD” or the label “audio description.” If there is no such note, the program does not have a second audio track.

Where Audio Description Is Available

On German-language television, this content is primarily provided by public broadcasters, including ARD and ZDF, as well as ORF and SRF. The selection is growing, but it is far from covering every program. Feature films, series, and documentaries are more frequently available than live programming.

In addition to television, audio description is also available in movie theaters, on stage, and during certain sports broadcasts. In the theater, the narration is provided live because a performance is never repeated to the exact second. During soccer games, specially trained reporters describe the action in much greater detail than a standard broadcast, including choreographed displays in the stands and updates on the scoreboard.

Turn Audio Description On and Off

The audio track is not a built-in feature of the program, but rather a setting on the device. If you want to use it, you must turn it on manually.

Using the button on the remote control

Many remote controls have a button for the audio track. It may be labeled "Audio," "Sound," "AD," or a combination of "AD" and "SUBT," or sometimes just an icon. Pressing it once opens the menu of available audio tracks, where you can switch between the original audio and the version with audio description.

The selection often displays several options, such as the original language, a second language version, and the version with audio description. Many devices briefly show which one is currently playing. If you made a mistake, just press the button again to switch back.

Through the TV menu

If the button is missing, you’ll need to go through the TV’s settings. The relevant section is usually called “Accessibility” or, on some devices, “Audio,” “Audio Language,” or “Sound.” There you’ll find a toggle for “Audio Description” or “Audio for the Visually Impaired,” which can be set to “Off” permanently.

This setting applies to all stations. If the description is available only for certain programs, it is enabled here and will be audible only on stations that offer a second audio track.

In media libraries and on streaming services

Apps have their own settings that are independent of the TV's settings. In most cases, the option is located directly within the video you're watching, behind the icon for audio or subtitles. In the app settings, it appears under "Accessibility."

Subtitles, Plain Language, and Audio Description

The broadcasters offer several accessible supplementary features that can easily be confused with one another. These can often be activated in the same menu section, even though they serve different purposes and are aimed at different audiences. Two of them use a separate audio track, while one uses on-screen text.

Subtitles work with text; clear language alters the mix of the existing audio. Audio description adds spoken descriptions.

Common Confusion

Many TVs can also read their own menus aloud. This feature is often called "voice guidance" or "read-aloud function" and is a feature of the device itself, not the program. It announces which menu item is currently selected. It does not describe the content of the movie.

If you turn off the read-aloud feature but still hear a voice describing the image, you've pressed the wrong button. In that case, the audio description is still active and must be turned off separately.