| Date | |
|---|---|
| Author | Mia Blakeney |
Last week marked Deaf Awareness Week in the UK, highlighting the importance of supporting the more than 10 million deaf or hard of hearing individuals, including 50,000 children, across the country. Regrettably, many deaf individuals still encounter negative experiences at work, school, or in their daily routines, which can lead to feelings of isolation.
Last year we shared the strides the film and cinema industry has taken to accommodate hard of hearing audiences. Films like Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves and Disney's Eternals have led the charge by offering captioned screenings and featuring diverse characters, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe's first deaf superhero. You can read more here.
We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the cinematic experience, regardless of their circumstances and therefore DCM is proud to continue supporting accessibility initiatives.
Here are a few of the things we have launched in the last 12 months:
1. Improving cinema accessibility with streamlined Open Caption processes
Firstly, we've implemented significant changes to our Digital Cinema Packages (DCPs), streamlining the process for brands to supply ads with Open Captions (OCAP). With DCM's transition to the new industry format known as SMPTE, we can now embed open captions into the advert, allowing them to be automatically activated and deactivated based on the showing schedule. Additionally, DCM is now integrated with Point-of-Sale data from Exhibitor ticketing systems, enabling us to schedule and track admissions delivery of screenings with captions. These changes have vastly improved processes, making them quicker, simpler, and more accessible for everyone, thereby enhancing the cinema experience for audiences.
2. Making captions a standard requirement for all Cinema advertising
As part of this transition, we have made adding captions a standard requirement, shifting from an opt-in to an opt-out approach.
3. Reducing production times for improved adaptability
DCM has recently cut down production clearance time from 48 hours to 24 hours. This enhanced flexibility provides creative teams with more time to prepare cinema advertisements, ensuring they are accessible to those with impaired hearing. Our teams consistently advise clients that cinema files can be repurposed from TV, leading to better efficiencies.
During Deaf Awareness Week, we saw a significant increase in the number of ads with captions. It is our hope that eventually, all brands will provide DCM with Captioned content throughout the year as standard practice. This change comes at no additional cost to the campaign, yet the impact it has on hard of hearing patrons cannot be underestimated.
These efforts underscore DCMs commitment to accessibility and inclusivity within the cinema industry. We are dedicated to continuously improving and ensuring that everyone can enjoy the magic of the movies.