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ROY SAMUELSON, THE VOICE OF HOLLYWOOD

ROY SAMUELSON, THE VOICE OF HOLLYWOOD
By Vic Gerami

Roy Samuelson
October is ‘Blind Awareness Month.’ Many people in the Hollywood Industry, including film and television creators do not even realize that there is a service that films and television shows can offer that enable some estimated 26,000,000 Americans in the blind and sight impaired communities to enjoy their favorite programs. It is called Audio Description!

Roy Samuelson is leading the way as one of the top Audio Description Narrators in film and television today. His resume in this area includes the films Spiderman: Far From Home, Spiderman: Homecoming, Jurassic Park: Forgotten Kingdom, Jordan Peele’s US, First Man, Glass, Get Out, Atomic Blonde, Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and many more. His television Audio Description credits include NCIS, Bosch, Criminal Minds, Lethal Weapon, Marvel’s Runaways and more. In addition to his work in Audio Description Narration, Samuelson has been heard in national commercial television spots for Target, Ford, McDonald’s, State Farm, Direct TV, Quaker and more. He is also one of the main promo voices for LA’s KCRW/PBS Radio.

I was not very familiar with the inner workings of the industry, so I interviewed Roy to find out about his work, the industry and this other aspect of Hollywood.

‘Blind and low vision people are from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, opinions, and tastes’

Modesty aside, how do you describe yourself?
A curious and driven work in progress.

Before we get to specifics, please tell me what you want the readers to know about the blind and sight-impaired people?
People who are blind and low vision are first and foremost people. Blind and low vision people are from diverse backgrounds, perspectives, opinions, and tastes. And as with sighted people, blind and low vision audiences can smell condescension, and are particularly aware when treated as a yes-or-no box to check on an accessibility requirement. As a sighted person, I don’t speak for blind people, but I make sure when I do talk about my audience, it’s from my perspective, which includes the great opportunities for excellence and quality work.

What are the top stereotypes and generalizations about the blind and sight-impaired? How do you manage them in your personal life, as well as your career?
I think the biggest stereotype and generalization is that our blind and low vision audiences can sometimes be treated as if they are a charity, or to be pitied, or healed, or – particularly when specifically, not asking for help, thinking they “need help.” But when I speak with people who are blind or low vision, it’s speaking with another human, and it’s not discounting their disabilities either. I personally have had, and still have, many assumptions and stereotypes, and the more I engage and learn from people who are blind and low vision, I’m grateful to break my own assumptions and reduce generalizations.

‘One interviewer called it “conscious posting’

For those who are not familiar, what is Audio Description?
You hear Audio Description along with a movie or TV show. It narrates the visual intent. It’s like a sports announcer on the radio, giving the play by play of what’s happening on screen.

Audio Description is an audio track that is placed over the completed audio track so a narrator can be heard describing all which a blind person can’t see. The Audio Description is careful not to disrupt or interfere with the dialogue or any important sounds within the scene. Many movie theaters provide special Audio Description headsets for this service. At home, Audio Description can be utilized via special settings options on televisions and computers.

How did you come to be one of the top artists doing this type of work?
My voice over background and training, along with some lucky breaks, led me to this deeply complex world. Each time I’ve narrated a show or movie, I do my best to be a little bit better than I was last time. I’ve narrated over 400 movies and tv shows, and continue to focus on narrating the story, with excellence and quality. I also continue to study and work with some of the best in the business.

What changes have you seen in the industry in the last 10+ years pertaining to Audio Description? How have they effected your work?
Audio Description has evolved from a “it has it or it doesn’t have it” to a more nuanced appreciation of the emotional performance. Audiences have their favorite narrators, and are speaking up about quality, access, and even sound as far as the mix goes. Regardless, as for the narration performance itself, it’s a fine emotional line to dance along with. Too flat, or too much, and it takes the audience out of the emotional sense of the scene. I’ve found that as long as I ride that by focusing on the story, I’m able to give a performance that allows our audience to immerse themselves in the story.

What advice would you give someone who wants to start in this industry?
There are thousands of opportunities. A few simple steps (that are literally win-wins for everyone): when on social media, describe images or videos in the alt text. Instagram, twitter, and facebook provide that with just a few clicks away, and allows blind and low vision followers to understand what you are sharing. It helps you get a sense of why you are posting. One interviewer called it “conscious posting” and that sits really well with me!). This gets you into the mindset of describing visuals. You can also go to YouDescribe and find hundreds of youtube videos that need to be described. Follow along with audio description groups or hashtags. And continue to study – I particularly find cold reading and improv essential for voice over in general, as well as this kind of work.

As one of the most working voice over artists in Descriptive Narration, Samuelson has become an advocate for this service and for the community that his talent is benefiting. He actively engages on-line and on social media with those who rely on his voice to experience their favorite programs. He has become a liaison of sorts between the audience and the Hollywood Industry. For those without sight, Samuelson is as important to a film or television show as are actors like Brad Pitt and Emma Stone.

What change(s), if any, would you want to see within the industry, as well as the community at large to create more and better opportunities for the blind and sight-impaired?
The changes are already happening! One streaming service requires all Audio Description vendors to list the name of the vendor, writer, and narrator. Other streaming platforms are opting in to provide Audio Description above and beyond requirements. Auditions are becoming more common, which tells me that distinguishing quality – either the sound of the narrator, and/or the skills of the narrator, are coming into account. 250 of my imdb credits were removed because I didn’t appear in the visual credits, but I’m hopeful that will change as more narrators are able to list their credits there, as well as the Audio Description Narrators of America. New services coming out are not only providing Audio Description but also in multiple languages. And more producers, directors, distributors, and other decision makers are noticing that ignoring the 26 million American blind and low vision audiences are leaving money on the table.

‘Specifically, on social media, I personally believe providing text descriptions of images, videos, or links, which only takes a few seconds, makes our connection with blind and low vision friends normal’

What can the general public do?
Specifically, on social media, I personally believe providing text descriptions of images, videos, or links, which only takes a few seconds, makes our connection with blind and low vision friends normal. I’d suggest sighted commuters, people who cook, or need a break from staring at screens all day can give Audio Description a try. What is the experience like? How easy is it to turn it on or off? What could be better about it? And making requests that production and services provide Audio Description.

What is RIGHT in the industry?
I believe the more quality and excellence in Audio Description, the ease of accessing it, and the awareness of it are all moving in the right direction. Technology is already here and becoming more streamlined. The gaps are starting to close in in a good way. I was recently nominated for a SOVAS Voice Arts Award in the Narration category – this is the first time an Audio Description Narrator has had that kind of acknowledgement outside of the blind and low vision communities.

Who in Hollywood would you like to work with that you haven’t done so yet?
Oprah. Ang Lee. Jane Campion. Regina King. James Lassiter. Guillermo del Toro. Tom Hanks. Donald Glover. Charlie Brooker. Ben Vereen. Bryan Cranston. Shonda. Can I go on, please?

Any last thoughts?
Follow along with the facebook group “Audio Description Discussion” for lively conversations from audiences, narrators, writers, and decision makers. The Audio Description Project has thousands of listings, access instructions, and more information. Search #KnowYourNarrator and #AudioDescription on Twitter. And I shamelessly suggest visiting RoySamuelson.com.

MORE ABOUT ROY SAMUELSON

“I know that voice!” “That voice is so familiar!” Over billions of ears have heard the voice of Roy Samuelson, a leading and well-respected Hollywood voice-over artist. For over two decades, his deep, soulful and commanding vocal skills have garnered him incredible success behind the microphone, contributing to literally thousands of vocal promos on Los Angeles’ NPR station KCRW. Video Game credits include Nickelodeon’s TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES as ‘Raphael’, XCOM: ENEMY UNKNOWN and FINAL FANTASY: LIGHTNING RETURNS. Notable voice-over television credits include LAST WEEK TONIGHT, LIBRARIANS with John Laroquette and AMERICAN HORROR STORY opposite Jessica Lange. In other television and film projects, he often provides voice matches for top Hollywood stars.

Commercially, Samuelson has voiced Intel Tags during the SUPER BOWL and the ACADEMY AWARDS. Major brands work includes QUAKER, STATE FARM, DIRECT TV, FORD, TARGET, multiple spots for MCDONALDS and countless more. With vocal gifts only a select few possess, he can easily adjust the purpose of his voice – in STAND UP TO CANCER campaigns, he sounds like the warm voice of reason. For RENT A CENTER, he is your best friend. For SKETCHERS, he is your father.

Currently, Samuelson is gaining critical praise and garnering much work in the ever-growing area of Audio Description. Audio Description makes television programs, movies and other visual media accessible to people who are blind and visually impaired. The narrator provides descriptions of key elements without interfering with the audio or dialogue of a program or movie. There is now a push in the entertainment industry to market Audio Description outside of the visually impaired community where fans can listen to their favorite films and television, much like listening to books on tape. Samuelson is leading the charge of this emerging concept. To date, he has recorded narration for over 150 network television episodes and countless dozens of blockbuster films.

Samuelson’s impressive resume of Audio Description includes blockbuster features like VENOM, FIRST MAN, GET OUT, JURASSIC WORLD: FALLEN KINGDOM, SPIDERMAN: HOMECOMING, SKYSCRAPER, EQUALIZER 2, SUPERFLY, PACIFIC RIM, UPRISING, INSIDIOUS: THE LAST KEY, THE MUMMY, THE HATEFUL EIGHT, BABY DRIVER, FATE OF THE FURIOUS, ATOMIC BLONDE, KRAMPUS, STEVE JOBS, EVEREST, SINISER 2, JASON BOURNE, FURY and the IMAX features BACKYARD WILDERNESS, EARTHFLIGHT and BEAUTIFUL PLANET. He has also lent his vocal skills to the narration for such popular television programs as CRIMINAL MINDS, NCIS, LETHAL WEAPON, BLUE BLOODS and more.

Roy Samuelson may not be a name and face whose is easily recognized outside of the Hollywood entertainment industry, but his voice is one that most people have heard over and over. Whether narrating for the visually impaired for a film or series, delivering promos on the radio, adding his voice to scenes on your favorite program, Samuelson’s talent embodies the pinnacle of success in the Hollywood world of voice-over artists.

Audio Description, News

Box Office Pro (Film Journal) article

Box Office Pro (Film Journal) Article

More than 26 million adults in America are blind or have low vision. But despite their inability to see the spectacular images on today’s cinema screens, many still crave an entertaining night out at the movies. And thanks to audio description, they can enjoy hit films along with other moviegoers.

Audio description (A.D.) uses a prerecorded audio track in which a narrator details what’s happening on-screen, including actions, gestures, facial expressions, settings, and costumes. The customer listens on a headset to narration that augments the dialogue, sound effects, and music that the rest of the theater audience is hearing. As of June 2, 2018, all first-run cinemas equipped with digital projection equipment for at least six months are required to make available both audio-description headsets and closed captioning for their visually and hearing-impaired customers, respectively.

Roy Samuelson is one of the industry’s leading voiceover talents; he can be heard on commercials for Quaker, State Farm, Ford, Target, and many other brands, and on promos for the Lifetime, Discovery and Nickelodeon networks and Los Angeles National Public Radio station KCRW. And for the last five years, he’s been a top audio-description artist, supplying the narration for such films as Get Out, Pacific Rim: Uprising, The Hateful Eight, Fate of the Furious, Atomic Blonde, Venom, First Man, Baby Driver, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Glass, Us, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and the current Hobbs & Shaw. Thanks to that work, he’s also become an advocate for audio-description awareness.

“As I’ve connected with the community, I am learning so much about disability and perceptions—my own sighted bias towards people who are blind. And that is changing the entire perception that I have,” Samuelson reflects. “I’m not there yet. This is such a process. I’m really appreciating learning more about how people with blindness live with it, and disability in general. There are a lot of steps being taken right now across the entertainment business, as well as in other areas. It’s really exciting.”

Although Samuelson says that he enjoys hearing from fans of his audio-description work, he knows he’s done a good job if his performance stays in the background. “The biggest focus for me is that the spotlight is on the story. I think a successful narrator is one where she’s able to deliver so that the audience can be a part of the story and keep focused and fully immersed in that story. There are subtle ways to do that, but a lot of it obviously has to do with the writing. And I’ve got so much respect for the describers—that’s what they call the writers of audio description. The narration has to ride the emotion of the story without being overly emoted. It’s exciting to try and find that line.”

The writers, he notes, use different programs that tell them how much time they have in between lines of dialogue or action sequences. Then they have to fit their description of what’s happening on-screen into those pauses. “I always like to use the analogy that a picture’s worth a thousand words. There are 24 to 30 frames a second, and a movie lasts 90 minutes and above. So there are thousands and thousands of images that can be described. The describers really have to focus, like a radio sports announcer, on what are the most important elements that are going to push the plot forward or that people who can’t see might miss in the visuals.”

Samuelson says action films like Hobbs & Shaw are among the most challenging to describe. “Hobbs & Shaw is just back-to-back narration, because it’s all action. The describers did an incredible job of capturing the essence of it, because so much is happening. Sometimes it’s just page after page after page of nonstop action, interspersed with punches and screeches and explosions. If I started thinking about it, I’d just stumble and fail. But [I get into] a zone. And this is, again, a collaboration between the describer doing their job so incredibly well and the director allowing me to sense the feeling of the scene, the intensity of the emotion, and my being able to ride all these different cues happening seemingly simultaneously and still [meet an exact time count].”

Margo Tone, senior manager of operations, audio description/scripting services, at Deluxe Media Inc., confirms how precise this descriptive work is. “The writers are really the foundation—they are the most important part of this. Because if the writer doesn’t know how to describe in between dialogue and capture what’s going on on-screen, while being able to not editorialize, not be condescending to the visually impaired, the voiceover actor won’t know how to read it. But the voice actors are very important, too. All the voice actors that we use are trained, because it’s a cold read. Even people who are experienced dubbing voiceover, we audition them to make sure they can do this read. A cold read is really hard, so the pool of resources that we have are some of the best—they’ve done a lot of the big features that we’ve worked on. You don’t want to be too excited and confuse the listener, but you don’t want to be so monotone that you put people to sleep. When there’s an action scene or something like that, we’ll tell them to do it a little quicker, have a little bit of acceleration to your voice and your tone. It’s definitely a fine line.”

Deluxe has roughly 15 full-time employees and 20 freelancers working in its audio-description division, which encompasses its offices in Los Angeles, London, and Bangalore. “And we also have access to translators all over the world when we get foreign-language A.D.,” Tone adds. “We’ve done quite a bit of French-Parisian, French-Canadian, we’ve done Spanish, German, Japanese; we’ve even done Icelandic. We have access to really any language that is needed.”

Since it began audio-description operations in 2011, Deluxe has transcribed over 1,600 feature films and 700 television shows across streaming platforms. In the past year alone, the company transcribed over 400 feature films.

After the narrator records the audio description, says Tone, “our editor goes in and cleans up the audio, getting rid of mouth sounds, pops, that kind of thing.” Deluxe’s technicians also keep a careful watch to ensure that “what’s on-screen and what’s being described are correct. We want to make sure we are as accurate as possible.”

The final A.D. track, says Chris Reynolds, senior V.P. for localization products and services, is incorporated into auxiliary channels in the digital cinema package that is shipped to cinemas. “Any theater can access it,” he notes.

Tone says the studios sometimes get involved with voice casting. “They want to hear a couple of different narrators to see which one they like. Depending on the genre of the film, we try to match it with the right voice. We have a guy who has a really great low voice, and we give him a lot of the action films. And then some of our female narrators have sweet voices, and we’ll give them romantic comedies or those that are geared toward a younger audience. Every voice actor brings something a little different.”

Tone says she gets great personal gratification out of the work she and her team does. “I went to a conference about four years ago with the Audio Description Project [an initiative of the American Council of the Blind]. There was a blind patron and he was talking about going to see Lincoln, which we did the A.D. for. He said he went with his wife, who is also blind. There’s a scene where a bunch of Lincoln’s troops have been killed and he’s on his horse. So all you hear is clip-clop, clip-clop. And to be able to hear the description of Lincoln’s expression and the emotion that was behind it, he said they were overwhelmed, they were so happy. It means so much to them. Our goal is to give the blind patron the same experience the sighted viewer has. That’s why we make sure we use trained writers, because we want to give people the best experience.”

Tone agrees with Samuelson that action films can be especially challenging. Deluxe did the audio description for the most recent Mad Max, with its many long chase scenes. That meant a lot of descriptive writing for repetitious actions. But, says Tone, “you don’t want to repeat yourself—you want to keep the writing vibrant and let the blind patron get that same feeling, the same experience that a sighted viewer is getting.” One recent and especially demanding film had a first-person point of view, and the A.D. writer had to relay that perspective. “You always have to be ready to change it up a little bit, depending on what’s going on in the feature, while still following those tenets of what A.D. is supposed to do.”

As Tone describes it, some films are talky, and the writer has to struggle to avoid interrupting the dialogue. And sometimes the actors on-screen talk over visual jokes. “So there are certain challenges, but everyone huddles together and says, ‘Hey, look, this is a really difficult scene. What do you think?’ And then everyone gets their two cents about what they think is best. My writers have anywhere from 10 to 16 years’ experience. So they’ve been doing it for a very long time.”

One cinema that has fully embraced the recent legislation mandating audio description and closed captioning is the Prospector Theater in Ridgefield, Connecticut, a unique venue that seeks to create employment opportunities for the physically challenged. Three-quarters of its employees, known as “prospects,” identify as disabled.

Says Ryan Wenke, director of operations, “We’re a nonprofit and we employ people with disabilities, so we operate as if people are going to be using [audio-description] equipment every single day. That’s what really sets us apart from other theaters. If you go to other theaters in the surrounding areas, a lot of the time their staff doesn’t know where the equipment is or how it’s used or it’s not charged. Here, every single time we get a movie, we test the devices in all of our theaters and make sure that the new movie is working. We get customers every single day using it, and every month we actually host a group called Guiding Eyes for the Blind. We have the service animals come in with their owners and they’re all watching movies. So we’re seeing this equipment used all the time, in real time, with those who are blind or visually impaired.”

Wenke says that despite the recent audio-description mandate, more needs to be done—better education and more investment in advancing technology—partly because it’s a smart business move. “These are paying customers too, and why wouldn’t you want as many people as possible coming to your movie theater, especially when you have streaming options like Netflix? You’re not doing yourself any favors by not having this equipment ready. I would love to see tech companies especially continue to advance the technology and not just be like, ‘OK, we made something, we’re good.’ But get feedback and work with us, work with other theaters.”

The Prospector supplies Braille cards with instructions for its audio description headsets, and for first-time users. “We’ll have an usher go into the theater with them and walk them through how to use it,” Wenke says.

Wenke has high praise for the craft that goes into audio description. “The voice acting really makes a big difference. It’s a different kind of voice acting when you’re doing narrative description. … It’s like you’re listening to a good friend describe what’s happening and it’s perfectly timed and not overwhelming. It’s not taking away from the action—they’ll tell you just enough but not too much.

“We encourage people to listen to one of these tracks. It’s like an audiobook. In the past, we’ve done a challenge where we blindfold other prospects who work here and we use the headsets to help them understand what the experience is like for somebody who’s visually impaired or blind. A lot of these movies have come a long way. When I’m in the theater and I’m using the equipment or I’m with somebody who’s using the equipment, they’re laughing at all the same jokes that everybody’s laughing at, they’re getting emotional with everybody else in the theater. One time I walked into a theater during a Guiding Eyes visit just to make sure everything was good, and everybody was laughing at what was happening and they all had headsets on. So, clearly, this technology and the narration are working.”

Wenke says the cinema “should be a medium where everybody has a favorite movie, everybody has a favorite actor. It should be a place where everybody can come together, experience something in the same way. Maybe we’re using different technology and different means to experience the art of the movie, but we want to be inclusive.”

Voice artist Roy Samuelson echoes those sentiments: “There’s another narrator who did one of the Toy Story films, and she said the only fan letter that she got was from a parent who had several children, one of whom was low-vision or blind. She wrote the narrator saying, ‘Thank you for the work that you do. This was the first time my family could watch a movie all together.’ And that’s what we’re doing. This is normalizing the experience of watching movies, being able to engage with others in watching and talking about their favorite moments. It provides access just like sighted people have.”

Audio Description, News

Blind New World article

link to article

BlindNewWorld

Many years ago, I worked The Great Movie Ride in Walt Disney World, where guests would go through movie scenes with audio animatronics. I narrated the scenes as a host – and later, as a gangster who gets blown up. In a sense, this was my first experience with audio description.

For movies and TV shows, audio description (also known as video description) is a special audio track where a narrator voices the visuals relevant to the plot. It’s intended for blind and low-vision audiences to experience the film or TV show by hearing what’s happening on-screen, usually with narration in between lines of dialogue.

It works like a sports announcer on the radio, giving the play-by-play of what’s happening on screen. The narration describes visual elements, such as actions, settings, body language, graphics and subtitles.

I started working in audio description a little more than five years ago, narrating some IMAX and Disney short form titles, like Toy Story of Terror. Since then, I’ve recorded the latest two Spider-Man movies, Hobbs & Shaw, Glass, Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, and several network and streaming series like NCIS, Marvel Runaways, and Amazon’s Bosch.

What Happens Behind the Scenes?
My experience as a narrator is limited to being in a booth recording into a microphone. I watch the TV show or movie on a screen and hear the audio in a headset, and read from a script. The script is written by describers. Those describers take the original film and watch it, noting the essential plot points that are visual. They find the best words that don’t get in the way of the scene, and find the best place in the scene to put those words.

I arrive to the studio, I’m given the audio description script, and we start rolling. I’m reading the script having never seen it before.

While I know the general gist of the movie or TV show, I’m also along for the ride. My goal as a narrator is to get out of the way to not distract the audience from immersing themselves emotionally. In other words, if an audience is aware of me, I’m not serving the story. To serve the story, I need to ride the emotional elements, but not too much or not too little. I also have to keep an eye out for timing issues, reading quickly at some parts, and slowing down on others. And any surprises need to be revealed in a way that a sighted audience person would experience it.

Advocating for Audio Description
I’ve recently been connecting with blind and low-vision audiences and others, through the Facebook group Audio Description Discussion, the Audio Description Project, connecting on Twitter, and advocating for those producers or directors unaware of audio description. For those who aren’t aware, I find they lean in, with curiosity and wonder.

This is a market share of our industry that can reward all those who participate in it, and I do my best to find the positive steps being taken.

Roy Samuelson is a top Hollywood voiceover artist who has been heard in television commercial spots for Quaker, State Farm, Direct TV, Ford, Target, McDonald’s and more. He has been featured in hundreds of spots for Los Angeles’ KCRW-PBS Radio. Currently he is one of the leading voiceover artists leading the industry in Descriptive Narration, enabling members of the blind and visually impaired to enjoy film and television. You can learn more about his work on his website, RoySamuelson.com and follow him on Twitter.

Audio Description, News

Wattpad interview

wattpad interview

(text below)

Victoria G: What inspired you to become a voice actor?

Roy Samuelson: I enjoyed recording on tape as a kid. Once when I was doing an announcement for a performance, I learned about how I could use my voice to be clearer. Enunciation was something I never thought about. That blew my little mind. Then I learned about acting and improv. It all came together with a few different voice over workout groups in Santa Monica. I loved practicing, and stretching, and trying new things.

VG: What was your first voice acting job?

RS: In Disneyworld, I was on the Great Movie Ride. I had a mic and I read off a script. Does that count?

VG: What is your favorite project you have done?

RS: I just finished Audio Description narration for a documentary called “House Of Cardin” – it was filled with subtitles, which the narrator reads. It’s not dubbing, but there does have to be some distinguishing characteristics of the voice, especially when two people are talking to each other. I really enjoyed the challenge of that movie.

VG: What do you love most about Audio Description?

RS: Technically, I love to get in the zone, where the timing of the cues in between dialogue just flows like a dance. I get such satisfaction in being a part of the story like that. I also enjoy learning about better ways to serve our audiences, blind, low vision, or even sighted, and I do my best to make sure all audiences who hear my work are fully immersed in the story.

VG: Do you have any hidden talents?

RS: My superpower is seeing different people’s perspectives of the same thing. And I love to find the good.

VG: What was the hardest voice for you to do?

RS: My own. Hear me out! Most people only hear their own voice inside their head, and it can be jarring to hear one’s own voice on a voicemail greeting or listening back to some kind of audio. We are so used to hearing ourselves from inside our bodies, but everyone else hears us from outside our bodies! So that’s an adjustment that I’ve gotten used to years ago. Then there are words given to me that I have to make my own. Playing a character is fascinating, and I love studying different ways of doing that, following along with the intentions of what’s happening in a story or a scene. But to do my own voice, especially using other people’s words, it’s taken a lot of time and practice to be authentic and still get the story through.

VG: How would you describe yourself in three words?

RS: Curious. Driven. Sincere.

VG: What are your social media handles?

RS: twitter & insta @roysamuelson — facebook is @roysamuelsonbiz

VG: Where do you see yourself in ten years?

RS: My favorite part of this question is looking back at my life from 10 years ago and not even having the imagination to know where I’d be! But there are a few things that I found I was striving for, so I’ll answer like that: I see myself living a life that is filled with good consistency and surprises, growing into more deep and loving relationships with friends and family, and delivering my best work I can when I can. That sounds so esoteric, so I’ll add I’d like to swim with some otters and dolphins.

VG: What are three qualities every voice actor should have?

RS: Ongoing craft development. Human interaction skills. Business sense. (I still work on all three.)

VG: Do you have any advice for an aspiring voice actor?

RS: Yes! Do voice acting. You can use your smart phone and record yourself reading along to something and listen back. Visit social media groups who are focused on the kind of voice actor you want to be. Connect with working voice actors and get the lay of the land from them. Watch where things are headed in different markets. The opportunities are there to grow and it’s up to the person to take action.

VG: What’s next for you?

RS: I’m looking to find pockets of rest in the midst of a few different areas. I’m still working on advocating strongly for Audio Description, and growing that message. And the Audio Description series and movies are a whirlwind of opportunities to help boost that message. I also have a few video games that I’m voicing that I can’t wait to share.

VG: RAPID FIRE QUESTIONS What’s your favorite animated movie?

RS: The Point. The dog Arrow is my zen guide.

VG: What’s your favorite song?

RS: Ke$ha “Woman”. My cousin and I sing it quite loud and she can dance better than I do anyway.

VG: Do you have any pets?

RS: My muttweiler Steve and I had 7 great years together; even though he’s no longer here, he still brings me calm, kindness, and a gentle strength.

VG: Can you play any instruments?

RS: I haven’t picked up a trumpet since 12th grade. I bet I shouldn’t.

VG: Who’s your favorite Ninja Turtle?

RS: I’m partial to Raphael.

VG: What’s your favorite weather?

RS: Snowing outside the window near the fireplace. That summer cool breeze on the hammock in the woods.

VG: What’s your favorite pastime?

RS: Trapeze. I’ve only done that a few times, though, so stargazing.

Audio Description, News

Medium article on Audio Description

https://medium.com/@roysamuelson/audiodescription-239d4b916837

Did You Know Of This Way To Enjoy Movies and TV Shows?

First, let’s listen to this scene of a movie without visuals. That’s how blind and low vision people watch movies, but without Audio Description.

But there’s another way for these audiences to enjoy movies and tv shows. Now, hear that same clip with Audio Description.

an image of text that reads “Blind people watch tv & movies. Here’s how.”

Audio Description (aka video description) is a special audio track where a narrator voices the visuals relevant to the plot.

Audio Description provides access to key visual elements, without interfering with the audio or dialogue (The narration describes visual elements, such as actions, settings, body language, graphics and subtitles). Think of it like a sports announcer on the radio, giving the play by play, but for a movie or tv show, instead of a game.

Audio Description is rapidly growing. More TV programs and films integrate it into their properties, through FCC requirements, or a growing awareness of the market share:

• 26 million adults in America are blind and low vision
• The FCC mandate for Audio Description in television is growing
• Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu follow this lead
• The upcoming Disney+, HBO Max, and Apple’s original content is sure to have access
• Currently there are 400+ episodic shows, on TV and streaming services, that provide Audio Description, not even including feature films

While supporting the blind and low vision community is an integral part of this work, sighted audiences can also enjoy the benefits of Audio Description, particularly when commuting, cooking, giving their eyes a break from staring at a screen, or helping keep track of multiple characters.

Audio Description is intended for blind and low vision audiences so some make a comparison to Closed Captioning, because both provide disability access. There are differences: Closed Captioning is text over the video that spells out audio cues, specifically dialogue. While closed captioning is text only, Audio Description is a fully produced audio track that lives on top of the audio of the tv show or film.

This track needs to fit in perfectly with the existing tv show or movie. The timing, levels (how loud it is, particularly during quiet or loud parts of a show), and the rate (how fast or slow the narrator is) needs to fit in between the dialogue so as not to overlap the characters talking.

This added audio track could not be done without the expertise of amazing Audio Description writers, directors, editors, mix engineers, and a narrator all focused on being a part of the story. It is truly a total team effort!

The narrator for Audio Description could be a synthesized voice, similar to Siri on Apple devices, or “Hey Google” — or Amazon’s Alexa. For Audio Description of informational videos, this is a great way to quickly and easily add Audio Description. But with TV shows and movies, a synthesized voice loses the emotional elements that a professional voice artist can bring. Imagine a happy scene in a movie, but the narrator has a cold, distant read, or a tragic scene, where the narrator reads with a clear cadence and smile. Both of these examples would take you out of the story, and distract you away from the emotional elements.

But an Audio Description narrator performance is more nuanced than that. Many audience members can be distracted by a narrator who might be too connected to the story, which can also prevent the audience from fully immersing themselves.

If you notice the narrator, it’s most likely the narrator isn’t blending into the story. But thankfully, many networks, streaming services, and movies are aware of this, and hire vendors who are sensitive to this nuance of emotion.

For the narrator, the skills of audiobook narration, and acting for the emotional connection are essential for excellence in Audio Description quality. Most scripts are read with no preparation, called a cold read. Specific timing, visual, audio, and pace cues can make or break a studio session due to fast turnaround, so some experience in timing is essential. The quality of the read needs to blend in to the story, so as not to distract the audience. With a narrator’s voice, a blind person can more fully enjoy a film or TV show, and catch essential elements of the producer’s intent.

There are many changes happening with accessibility in the entertainment industry. On the front line, performers with disabilities are getting the opportunities they deserve, and this kind of representation matters. Behind the scenes, disabled writers, directors, music mixers, and many other entertainment roles are getting their fair shot too, and these opportunities are growing with more awareness.

The focus here is on our audiences who are blind and low vision, so here’re a few things you can do:

Share Audio Description with those who may not be aware of it. Learn about accessing Audio Description on cable boxes, tablets and smart phones, and streaming devices. The Audio Description Project has a full list here.

Call or email networks, streaming services, movie companies, and any other media to request them to have Audio Description. Blind and low vision audiences’ voices are heard by tv networks, streaming services, and movie companies. Name shows you specifically would want to have Audio Description, and if you have a favorite narrator, ask for them by name.

A great resource is the Audio Description Project https://www.acb.org/adp/ so take some time to click around and explore the world of Audio Description.

It’s an exciting time to advocate for blind and low vision audience members. How great for you to be an active part of this advocacy!

Want to know about Audio Description Excellence? Check out this Medium article.

After narrating Audio Description on over 400 TV shows and films and counting, Roy actively engages with those involved with this work, from producers and directors, to post production supervisors, vendors, writers, engineers, other advocates, and most importantly the blind and low vision community. He is passionate about this work. Follow him on twitter @roysamuelson and read his alt text on instagram at @roysamuelson and check out his website.

Audio Description, News

Blind Abilities – Creating Audio Description

Creating Audio Description – Behind the Scenes and Between the Lines: A Conversation with an Audio Describer Who Wants to Learn from You, the Listeners – A Blog Post by jeff Thompson

Jeff Thompson:

Creating Audio Description (AD) is an interesting area of work. To be placing information into gaps and moments not necessarily intended for AD yet the art of placement and conciseness is quite the skill.
What got your interests in AD?

Audio Describer:

I have my bachelor’s degree in literature and have been writing creatively for over a decade. I am also a huge TV and film addict. I have always loved how films and TV find unique ways of telling a story. When writing my own creative work, I enjoy writing the description more than anything else. The last year I was in college, I was looking for a job and found an opening with my company for a Captioner position. I sent in my resume and was surprised when my boss contacted me for an interview as an Audio Describer instead. Part of the interview process is a test where we are given clips from 4 different types of shows, and we have 90 minutes to describe each one. My boss told me not to worry if I don’t finish all of them, no one does. He was shocked when I not only finished them, but also had gone back and edited my work a couple times. I was hired a week later. I didn’t even know about Audio Description before that. During the 5 years I’ve been with my company, I’ve become very passionate about accessibility and I love my job. It’s uniquely suited to my skill set and personality.

Jeff Thompson:

I edit audio all the time and I find myself listening for edits or inserts and the mechanics, do you find yourself watching a random movie and thinking about AD?

Audio Describer:

I eat, drink, breathe, and dream about AD. When I’m home, I turn on the TV while I’m cooking, cleaning, etc. And I know that any time I have to look at the screen to understand what’s happening in the program, that’s when I would put AD. When I go to the movies, I look at all the posters to see what studio is releasing it. If it’s a studio we work with, I go home and look up the trailers, so I can strategize how to handle the description for it. I also often think to myself when watching a movie that would be challenging to describe, “Oh, I’m so glad I didn’t have to work on this.” LOL.

Jeff Thompson:

Do you get feedback from a Blind/Visually Impaired (BVI) person(s)?

Audio Describer:

Unfortunately, we don’t get much feedback from the community. Mostly we get feedback from the clients. I find this frustrating because the BVI community is who I’m writing for, not the clients.

Jeff Thompson:

Does the person that does the voice ever give you feedback?

Audio Describer:

We do get some feedback from the voice artists. We take their opinions into consideration, and will sometimes make changes based on them. There are a lot of things to consider on our end though, so we can’t make changes based on their feedback too often. I have to think about the fact that some narrators have trouble saying some things, no matter how much we work with them. We also try to keep some things vague for a reason, usually locations that not everyone would know because not all viewers are from that area. We also have to stick to what the client wants. And during broadcast season, we have a tight mix schedule and can’t waste a lot of time making changes in the mix room.

Jeff Thompson:

Do you write with a tone for each movie or is your descriptions pure narrative and neutral?

Audio Describer:

I wrote for the tone of the film/show/episode. Kids shows, the AD is more simply worded, more youthful and bubbly. Horror movies, the AD is darker and more grotesque. Period pieces and dramas, the AD is more prosaic and emotional. Action movies, the AD is more exciting and punchy.

Jeff Thompson:

How do you see the future in AD, I know it is getting more availability, from your perspective, is AD getting more awareness from the industry?

Audio Describer:

The industry is a lot more aware. We are getting so much more work, especially streaming work. The movie studios could do a better job providing more content, but some of them are providing a lot more than when I first got hired. I’m hoping this uptick is a step in the right direction. We are providing AD for commercials now, 4D theme park experiences, and trailers.

Jeff Thompson:

As a BVI person, I love the seamlessness of watching an AD movie that has just enough AD. Not too much as sometimes an awkward silence says a lot. How tough is it to find that balance?

Audio Describer:

We have several unwritten rules/questions we ask ourselves: Is the visual more important than the dialogue here, thus warranting talk over? How much information does the dialogue give us about what is happening visually? Does the weight of the dialogue warrant no description or a pregnant pause before description starts? Do I think the scene is confusing without clarification through description? I also try to work around sound effects, music changes, and extradiagetic lyrics that I feel convey the emotion of the scene or a character’s feelings and thoughts.

Unfortunately, I don’t always get a say in the final result because we have some clients who want wall to wall description, regardless what we try to tell them.

Jeff Thompson:

Describe your process from start to finish when taking on a new movie/project.

Audio Describer:

For TV shows that I’ve been working on for years, I no longer watch the episode before describing it because I know it well enough to know what to expect. It’s faster that way, and I can also go back and change my description if I get to the end and find I need to fix something. Like if we find out a character isn’t who they said they were in the beginning.

For non-new release movies that will air on TV or a streaming service, I only watch it first if I’ve never seen it. Honestly though, that’s rare when it comes to me. I watch everything.

For new release films, I watch the trailer for the film to get an idea what to expect. I then watch the movie first and makes notes on anything I find that needs to be conveyed in description. I think about how I would describe someone’s appearance, what acting decisions are being made, along with what directorial, narrative, sound design, and cinematic decisions were made.

I then tell my boss which narrators I think would fit the project, but this doesn’t always go my way. Sometimes, I’m out voted by my bosses or the client, or the narrators I want are not available.

We describe films reel by reel, and generally have around 3 people working on the same film, so communication between us is key in order to keep things consistent. We have a database where we can share details and notes as we all work on a project. I then watch the film again as I describe, mapping out places where AD should be and writing what the narrator will read.

Once the description is finished for the film, the script goes to an editor/Post Production Supervisor (PPS). That’s my job title, PPS. Only one PPS works on a film. Our job is to watch the film and make notes, then watch the film again as we edit description. For the editing process, my job is to check for accuracy and consistency, research what something is if I question it, rewrite sentences if they are clunky, too hard to say, or awkward, time out the description for the narrator so the description happens as the action is happening when we can, add description if we feel the visual needs clarification, cut description if we feel it’s unnecessary.

After I have finished editing the script, I print out three copies, one for me, one for the narrator, and one for the audio engineer. We then schedule a mix and book the narrator.

On the day of the mix, I hand the narrator their script, and the audio engineer gets them set up in the sound booth. The audio engineer and I then go into a separate room where the mix board, TVs, and computers are. I communicate with the narrators through an intercom system. They hear my voice through their headphones, and we hear everything they say into the microphone. And I mean we hear everything, page turns, mouth noise, chair squeaks, clothes rustling, them shifting, belching, throat clears, stomach noises, etc. The mic picks it all up, and it’s my job and the audio engineer’s job to keep track of it.

We record reel by reel as the film plays for us and the narrator. I mark my script wherever I want retakes, to check a visual, or to change description. At the same time, the audio engineer also places markers in the ProTools session where he needs to do clean ups, feels a retake is needed, questions the description based upon the visual, or where he needs to go back and change the volume levels on AD based upon the volume of the program audio.

After the recording and all the retakes, we let the narrator go, and the audio engineer and I move description around to put things to picture, get off dialogue, or get off sound effects. The audio engineer then does his cleanups and volume alterations while I attend to other projects.

When he finishes, we then watch the film again, going cue to cue to double check description with the AD track and mark any places where we might need to bring the narrator back for fixes. A QC person then watches the film with AD and makes notes where they feel we might need to bring the narrator back. If we need to bring a narrator back, I then make changes in the script and print 3 copies of the pages we need and record those changes with a narrator.

The AD is then sent to another post house where the Digital Cinema Package (DCP) is wrapped. The film is then screened by the client. If everything goes well, we deliver the final files to the client. If something needs to be fixed our company has to pay $1200 to rewrap the DCP, as well as incur any cost for bringing narrators back.

Jeff Thompson:

Knowing that your work is intended for the BVI community, and that the community is a small percentage of the viewers of movies, it makes me believe that the feedback is hard to come by and the rewards are the fact that you are doing something for people who need AD is your solace or resolve.(?)

Audio Describer:

That’s exactly correct. I always wanted a career where I felt that I was helping people. I love that I am able to provide a service that enriches the community member’s lives.

Jeff Thompson:

How can people get feedback to you or to an AD team?

Audio Describer:

Have the community members contact the companies that provide AD directly. Try to contact the studios directly if you can. Be loud in the media about more accessibility. The negative press that Netflix got over not having AD when they launched Daredevil lit a fire under the butts of a lot of studios.

Now, I have a few questions for you…

What do you consider to be good description versus bad description? For instance, what shows do you feel have good description?

I easily recognize characters voices without having to see their face or being told who is speaking? Do you find that the BVI community also feels this way?

We try to avoid talking about race if it is not plot relevant. Do you feel that this is a mistake?

Does the community wish that AD were available in multiple languages?

Does the community wish that AD were more akin to literary writing? Or are you happy for it to not be like that?

If a film is primarily about a man’s experience, would you rather the narrator be Male? Same question for a movie primarily about a woman’s experience?

Are there any shows in which you would like a different narrator on?

Does it bother you when a show that usually has one narrator has an episode in which another narrator is used?

For films like 50 Shades of Grey, do you feel the description should not hold back based on the content of the story?

Does the amount of staring in description bother you?

Do you feel that using a larger vocabulary in description is good/bad?

We would love to hear your responses to these questions. Submit your response to us by email.

Contact:

Thank you for listening!
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