1. AUDIO DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES
MODULE 1
UNIT 7
NINA REVIERS
UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

2. IN THIS UNIT What types of AD guidelines exist?
Why are AD guidelines important?
What topics do AD guidelines cover?
What are the differences between AD guidelines?

3. WHAT IS A GUIDELINE? Recommended course of action.
Streamline the creation processes.
Offer scripting strategies.

4. TYPES OF GUIDELINES Types of guidelines vary according to: Country.
Type of AD.
Purpose and scope.

5. IMPORTANCE OF GUIDELINES
Guidelines support good quality.
Guidelines can be binding.

6. AD GUIDELINE TOPICS What to describe? When to describe?
How to describe?
How to voice?

7. THORNY ISSUES Subjectivity. Film techniques. Colours. Ethnicity.
Sound.
Text on screen.

8. EXAMPLES
ADLAB strategic guidelines for audio description available at

9. EXAMPLES
Ofcom’s “Guidance On Standards for Audio Description”.

10. DIFFERENCES General approach (prescriptive or strategic).
Different strategies.

11. HOW TO DEAL WITH SUBJECTIVITY?
The guidelines of the American Council for the Blind:
“Resist any temptation to convey what you may feel is inferred by them, such as an emotional state.”

12. HOW TO DEAL WITH SUBJECTIVITY?
Ofcom’s “Guidance On Standards for Audio Description”:
“A few well-chosen words can enhance a scene considerably, but they must not reflect the personal view of the describer.”

13. HOW TO DEAL WITH SUBJECTIVITY?
ADLAB strategic guidelines:
“There are a range of possible strategies for describing a narrative event with different gradations in the explicitness of description (...).”

14. HOW TO DEAL WITH SUBJECTIVITY?
ADLAB strategic guidelines:
“A flashback” versus “Back in 1930”
“Her eyes open wide” versus “She is amazed”
Or a combination of these:
“Her eyes open wide in amazement.”

15. AUDIO DESCRIPTION GUIDELINES
MODULE 1
UNIT 7
NINA REVIERS
UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP

16. The preparation of this presentation was supported by ADLAB PRO
(Audio Description: A Laboratory
for the Development of a New Professional Profile),
financed by the European Union
under the Erasmus+ Programme,
Key Action 2 – Strategic Partnerships,
Project number: IT02-KA  

17. The information and views set out in this presentation
are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect
the official opinion of the European Union.
Neither the European Union institutions and bodies
nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made
of the information contained therein.