Scottish movielovers benefit from accessible cinema ( 20/06/2007 )

More screenings, more cinemas, more towns - that's the good news for hard of hearing and visually impaired Scottish cinema goers, thanks to investment from Scottish Screen and The Scottish Arts Council, using National Lottery Good Causes funds.

The agencies are investing £100,000 in providing audio-description and subtitling equipment for 25 cinema screens at locations from Inverness to Gretna. This is a significant increase to the provision already existing in Scotland. The public can access the weekly listings through www.yourlocalcinema.com.

In Scotland, it is estimated that over 37 per cent of the population go to the cinema regularly. People with hearing losses and visual impairments attend far less, but the numbers are expected to increase once 'accessible' shows - those with subtitles and audio description - become more commonplace.

Cinema audio description is a service for visually impaired people. The normal film soundtrack is played through the cinemas surround sound speakers in the usual way, and a recorded narrator describes the action through wireless headphones. There are currently 10,000 audio described shows screened around the UK each month.

Subtitling will allow the cinemas to make films accessible to Scotland’s 758,000 deaf and hard of hearing people. Every month there are around a thousand English language subtitled shows, of mainstream films, around the UK.

The plan is for the services to be introduced within the next six months, opening doors to hundreds of new releases each year. Most blockbuster films - such as Casino Royale, Spiderman 3, The Last King of Scotland and Pirates of the Caribbean 3 - already meet the accessibility standards required to take advantage of the technology.

Delia Henry, Director of RNID Scotland said:

“From Rob Roy to Shallow Grave, every Scot should be proud of going to the cinema. However, since the advent of talkies, the cinema has been a closed shop to deaf and hard of hearing people. RNID Scotland is delighted that a night at the flicks is back on the cards for 758,000 deaf and hard of hearing people and their friends and families.”

RNIB were also supportive of the facilities and RNIB’s Membership Officer, Gozie Joe Adigwe, said:

"This investment from Scottish Screen has been warmly welcomed by RNIB Scotland. Audio description means that a simple act of going to the cinema becomes transformed for people with sight loss. Also, the installation of this technology shows the enthusiasm with which these venues are eager to market directly to this group. Technological advancements should benefit all sectors of society and we are really delighted that people with visual impairment will enjoy the cinema experience like their sighted peers."

Morgan Petrie of Scottish Screen who led the project said:

“Scottish audiences deserve to have the best possible experience at cinemas and the investments allow visual and hearing impaired groups access to this experience and a broader range of films. We hope it will also encourage new audiences to the cinema.”