by Susan Glass
Last summer in Las Vegas, ACB’s Audio Description Project sponsored an international conference at which participating audio describers shared and learned about innovations in the profession. This summer, we are focusing our activities on consumers of audio description, which is to say that we are focusing on blind and visually impaired members of ACB. We want to learn from you regarding your audio description needs, concerns, and experiences, and to share with you the AD resources that are already available. Before you read on, consider whether any of the following scenarios and or statements apply to you:
- You are traveling to Minneapolis within a week, and while you’re there, you’d like to learn what audio-described performing arts opportunities are available. How can you find this information?
- You want to learn more about audio-described movies, and how to find theaters in your community that offer them.
- You’d like to know what efforts are being made to make exhibits in art museums and parks accessible via audio description.
- You want the lowdown on audio-described television programming.
- You’d like to find out what happened at last year’s ACB Audio Description conference.
- You’d like to get involved in promoting audio description in your home community.
- You’d like to help ACB promote audio description.
Below are brief summaries of the panel discussions that we are offering on Tuesday afternoon, July 7, 2015. We hope we can entice you to attend.
- Audio Description Project of ACB
- Audio Description Project Director: Dr. Joel Snyder
- Steering Committee Chair: Dan Spoone
- Program Chairs: Jo Lynn Bailey-Page and Susan Glass
Tuesday, July 7
2:45 to 4:15 p.m. AD: Latest and Greatest
Come learn about audio description: Updates in media (TV, film, technology), Telecommunications Act, Department of Justice hearings, arts, and Audio Description Project activities. Panel: Dan Spoone, moderator, Orlando, Fla.; Dr. Joel Snyder, Director of ACB’s Audio Description Project and Audio Description Associates, Inc., Takoma Park, Md.; Carl Richardson, ADA Coordinator for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Boston, Mass.; Eric Bridges, Director of External Relations and Policy, Arlington, Va.
4:30 to 5:45 p.m. AD: Make It Work For You
Learn to navigate the Audio Description Project web site and ADP listserv; get resources to advocate for AD in your community; strengthen the connection between AD consumers and describers through ADP’s mentorship program. Presenters: Dr. Joel Snyder (see biographical entry above); Fred Brack, Triangle Radio Reading Service and Arts Access Foundation describer, Raleigh, N.C.; Susan Glass, freelance writer, associate editor of “The Blind Californian,” and audio description consumer, Saratoga, Calif.; Margie Donovan, ACB Capitol Chapter vice president and advocacy chair, and audio description consumer, Folsom, Calif.; Jo Lynn Bailey-Page, arts management consultant and audio describer, Falls Church, Va.
We hope to see you in Dallas.