You can now add Audio Description to your video

We’re excited to announce a new add-on we’re offering to our clients: audio description! Audio description is a form of narration used to provide information surrounding key visual elements in a video for the benefit of consumers who are blind and visually impaired. But really, anyone can benefit from having audio description in a video!

Allison (left) with her sisters, Mom and Dad.

Adding this service to our work aligns with our core value of service. We’re always looking for new ways to be of service to our clients and their members. It’s also personal for me, as my Dad is blind. He was born with Stargardt’s Disease, a rare genetic eye disease that happens when fatty material builds up on the macula — the small part of the retina needed for sharp, central vision – causing a blind spot to form in the middle of the eye. Vision loss usually starts in childhood and continues through adulthood.

When my Dad was growing up, the tools available to people who were visually impaired were clunky and hard to come by. He had to use a magnifying glass in school to read his textbooks or he needed assistance. There was one magnifier machine he could use in the library. It’s amazing to see what’s available now! He regularly uses Alexa to tell him the time, temperature, listen to audio books, and more. And now, audio description on movies, TV shows, and other media is becoming more common. There’s still more work to be done to make the world accessible to those who are visually impaired, but we are so excited to be try to be a part of the solution!

I have to thank Audible-Visions for starting this conversation within Forever Ready. It’s a new nonprofit organization based in Galena, Illinois. Its founder, Alison, started it to make audio descriptions available in the tri-state area. After meeting with her, I knew it was something we have to start offering to our clients.

If you want to see an example of this, please take a look at (and listen to!) this video below. It’s our brand story now with audio descriptions and it’s a great example of what this could sound like in your organization’s video. And, if you have questions or want to start a conversation about adding AD to your videos, please contact us!