What I Hear, Is What You See…

Descriptive videos becoming more of a reality it seems to be, the services enhances curiosity and accessibility for many. I cannot say it enough, but I truly love watching movies. They are fun and evoke many emotions such as, laughter, sadness, fear, and anger, just to name a few. However, one main drawback for me, being a blind viewer, is the visual aspects. When watching a movie with someone, it is easy for me to fill in the gaps by having my friend or family describe to me what I am not able to see. But, what happens when I am watching a movie by myself? The answer is that I miss out on some crucial parts of the movie. With this said, it is with great appreciation to the companies, such as Hollywood Access Services, who make descriptive videos so that blind/visually impaired individuals can watch movies independently or alongside someone without having to rely on that person’s narration. Descriptive videos offer me a sense of imagination, allowing me to create visual images of what I hear. It is correct when people say that a thousand words can be painted into a picture. For example, like many movie theatre frequenters, I had great anticipation to see “The Hunger Games”. So, when one of my friends said she would attend the movie with me, I jumped at the chance to go with her. In my opinion, “The Hunger Games” is an action filled movie with several visual aspects, and for me, without my friend’s descriptions, I would have been lost. Most recently, I was given the opportunity to view the movie again, but with professional descriptive services from the company Hollywood Access Services. From the clear and precise descriptions of the characters to vivid illustrations of the scenery, the audio track broadened my movie viewing experience. I formulated images of what I thought appeared on the screen and I felt that the descriptions gave me a better understanding of the plot. The only thing is that throughout the viewing, sometimes the audio track and the movie fell out of sync with each other. Solo-DX is the name of their new descriptive product. Specifically, Solo-DX is a MP3 audio file that can be played along with a movie. So, you only need two things to enjoy the descriptive services; the Solo-DX audio track and your movie. In other words, “The Hunger Games” audio file can be played on an iPhone, etc., and the movie can be listened to on a separate device. All in all, I was pleased with the Solo-DX track and commend Hollywood Access Services on their efforts. The Solo-DX is at an affordable price; around two dollars per track. The Solo-DX files are available on iTunes, but “The Hunger Games” wont be available until later this month. Like most files on iTunes, the product can be previewed before purchasing. To learn more about Solo-DX, check out their website at http://www.solo-dx.com