U K C A
V I E W
A step closer to closed caption shows? An augmented reality solution from the National Theatre looks promising in the delivery of closed caption subtitles for deaf and hard of hearing audiences. The UKCA updates readers on progress.
R
EGULAR
READERS
OF
Cinema
who need them, but potentially for all cinema screenings.
Technology will hopefully recall an
This would massively widen the range of films available to
earlier update on the Technology
deaf customers, and extend greatly their ability to enjoy the
Challenge Fund, launched by the UK
big screen experience with friends and family.
Cinema Association back in October
At the UKCA, we are now at a stage where, by a process
2018. The purpose was to find an affordable and inclusive
of investigation and consideration, we have reduced the 15
solution for the delivery of ‘closed caption’ subtitles for deaf
initial proposals originally received following the launch of
and hard of hearing people.
the Fund down to two preferred options, each of which has
The background to the Technology Challenge Fund is
been awarded a second (and final) phase of funding. While
the fact that there are an estimated 11million people with
both of these rely on some form of eyewear to reveal the
hearing loss across the UK — around one in six of the
subtitles to individual users, they offer somewhat different
population — a figure which is expected to rise to one in five
solutions to the problem, as outlined below.
— or almost 16 million people — by the year 2035. While over the past decade the UK cinema sector has
A look at the options proposed
worked hard to meet the needs of its deaf and hearing-
The proposal from the research agency ScreenLanguage —
impaired audiences — with there now being more than
based in Scotland — is currently at a more conceptual phase
1,500 subtitled screenings in UK cinemas every week — the
than the second of our proposals, and it utilises the potential
delivery of such ‘open caption’ shows, where the subtitles
offered by polarised light to display subtitles on a secondary
are visible to audience members whether they need them
screen when viewed through glasses such as those currently
or not, remains a challenge, particularly for smaller cinema
utilised for ‘passive’ 3D systems.
operators.
Targeted screenings
The better-developed solution, and therefore the more promising at this stage, is that offered by a team at the National Theatre (NT), who have developed a set of specially
The general reluctance of the wider audience to attend
adapted ‘smart caption’ glasses. These were launched by
subtitled screenings means that attendance at these open
the NT in 2018 following a year of testing with audiences
caption shows tend to be significantly lower than for a
who are deaf or hard of hearing. These smart caption
comparable non-subtitled screening, with a consequent
glasses are now in use for 80% of the NT productions at the
financial impact for the operator. It’s a somewhat negative
South Bank theatres in London.
spiral for those cinemas trying to do the right thing.
In technological terms, the NT’s glasses display a
The Technology Fund was established to explore new
synchronised transcript of dialogue and sound directly onto
ways of delivering ‘closed caption” screenings only to those
the lenses of the glasses, giving service users the freedom
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www.cinematech.today
15/02/2020 09:47
