Request for help: Temple video

[Adam Rushforth]

Hello All,

Almost a year ago, there was some discussion about how nice it would be to have video description for the temple videos. I called the Provo temple a couple of weeks ago to see if they would consider creating an audio descriptive track. The temple recorder made a few calls and learned that the church is currently translating the video into 10 languages a year and that if they were to do an audio descriptive track it would be quite some time before they got to it. I have decided to go a step further.  I am in the process of writing a letter to my temple presidency asking them to consider creating an audio description track in the temple video.

Could you please help me with the following?

1.      Do any of you know how much this type of project would cost and how long it would take to produce a professional quality audio descriptive track for the temple videos and to have it available in all endowment rooms in the United States? It is my understanding that the Mount Timpanogos temple just approved a $4 million dollar renovation of their four endowment rooms, which averages $1 million per endowment room. I would suspect that providing audio description for all of the temples in the United States of America would be less than that, but have no actual data to back up that opinion.

2.      I ask each of you who would benefit from audio description or know of someone who would benefit from an audio description for the temple video to join me by writing your temple president to request an audio descriptive track for the temple videos. If every temple president throughout the country received a letter asking for an audio descriptive track, then I believe it would happen.

There are several individuals that I know of who will be sending a letter to their temple president at the same time I am. I will be sending my letter on April 22, 2015 and hope many others will join me as well.

Some have asked me to send them a copy of my letter when it is finished so they can use it as a template. I would be happy to share it with others if you feel it would be helpful.

Many thanks,

Adam Rushforth

 

[Kyle Woodruff]

As a sidenote to this discussion. One, my recommendation is have Bruce Newbold, who is already a church narrator, and is already The narrator for almost every Temple open house video be the person who describes. Two. Can you post your letter to this list?

Sent from my iPhone

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[Sandy England]

Adam,

It would be nice to see what you are saying in your letter.  This way we can support what you are saying plus add on to it.  One thing I want to say here, that is when there is letters we might want to be careful how we word things and say things.  If we come across as just complaining without suggestions I’m thinking the brothers of the church will not take it in the matter we want.  Thank you for doing this.

I do think others have tried this however if all of us grouped together there is strength in numbers.

Sandy England  

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[Aaron Cannon]

Hi Adam and all.

I think this is a great idea and will definitely participate. As for
your first question, I don't see the cost of adding description
exceeding the cost of adding an additional language. I believe, when
they add an additional language, all they do is create an audio track,
and translate some written materials. In this case, all they would
need to do is create another audio track. That's the beauty of what
we're asking. Creating a track with description shouldn't require any
additional infrastructure beyond what they already have for
alternative languages.

However, in our various letters, I think it would be a good idea to
provide an example of what audio description sounds like. Perhaps a
link to a representative Youtube video? Perhaps one of the church
videos recently done by Greg?

Aaron

[Greg Kearney]

I have done a fair amount of work in this. The issue extends beyond just the temple films. It included the recent rage at the church of making films with no dialog as well. The recent Easter movie being an example. As A result I wrote software to do this very thing. I have offered through Christopher Phillips to produce the descriptive video track at no cost for the church.

Here are a couple of points. The cost for doing this is remarkably low. It does not involve modification to existing temple facilities or processes. What descriptive video is, in this case, in a new audio track, think of it like a new language but without the issues of translation. When the blind patron would come to the temple he would simply ask for this "language" to be run for that session. He would be given earphone the same as say a Spanish speaking patron is now.

As for narrators this is where things get tricky. In the United Kingdom where descriptive video is more common there have been concerns expressed that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish the descriptions from the dialog of the film. In the case of the temple endowment movie this is even more critical. The dialog is the endowment the descriptions are not and so we are going to need to be very clear which is which. Further descriptions should never impart emotion or commentary of any kind and synthetic voices insure that will not happen. It is for this reason that I have suggested using synthetic speech to record the descriptions. This is not as distracting as one might first think. You can see an example at: https://youtu.be/P0TYTI-6ZVQ

Of course great care would need to be taken with the temple movie to insure the very best quality. Once the described english track is made up it can be sent out to the temples in the English speaking world. If needed descriptive tracks in other languages could also be made.


Commonwealth Braille & Talking Book Cooperative
Greg Kearney, General Manager
#320, 185-911 Yates Street
Victoria, BC V8V 4Y9
CANADA
Email: in...@cbtbc.org

U.S. Address
21908 Almaden Av.
Cupertino, CA 95014
UNITED STATES
Email: gkea...@gmail.com

> On Apr 5, 2015, at 10:06 PM, Adam Rushforth <ad...@rushforth.org> wrote:
>

[Kyle Woodruff]

Personally I have never had a problem distinguishing description from dialogue. I think a synthetic voice would take away from the spirit of it.

Sent from my iPhone

[Kyle Woodruff]

I think the biggest issue Adam is referring to is what exactly would be described, and fitting it between any pauses in dialogue if there are any.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Apr 6, 2015, at 10:59 AM, Greg Kearney <gkea...@gmail.com> wrote:
>

[Greg Kearney]

Making sure that the descriptions are accurate and do not step on the dialog of the film are always the hardest part of descriptive video in any even even more so n the case of the temple movie. For example there are visual aspects of the movie which communicate bits of information which are not spoken or even suggested in the dialog of the movie. Those items must be described even if it means leaving out other portions.

One approach to take if one did not want to use synthetic voices, which have become very good by the way, it to make up a test version to get the descriptions and timing just right and then go back in with a human narrator to record the final versions of the descriptions. This would give us the opportunity to perfect the wording to communicate exactly what is on the screen before committing to an expensive human narration.

That said it is almost impossible for a human narrator not to impart emotional meaning to descriptions which is something we avoid with machine narration. That along with keeping the descriptions clearly separate from the endowment dialog. Also the costs are quite a bit less.

Commonwealth Braille & Talking Book Cooperative
Greg Kearney, General Manager
#320, 185-911 Yates Street
Victoria, BC V8V 4Y9
CANADA
Email: in...@cbtbc.org

U.S. Address
21908 Almaden Av.
Cupertino, CA 95014
UNITED STATES
Email: gkea...@gmail.com

[Karl Smith]

I would think with the very long pauses in the new temple films description should be easier than in some other films. What is your opinion?

Karl

[Greg Kearney]

They will help clearly.

Sent from my iPhone

Greg Kearney

[Adam Rushforth]

I appreciate everyone's feedback on my questions. Thank you for letting me know that no additional equipment would be needed to implement the audio track throughout the temple endowment rooms. I especially appreciate the suggestion of Bruce Newbold as the narrator. I personally find a human voice easier to follow when done well, though I do appreciate the synthetic voice when a human voice is not an option.

As requested, I will post my letter to this list when I complete it next week.

Many thanks,
Adam

[Sandy England]

Adam,
Just a idea that my husband and I were talking about last night.
They have special sessions in the Temple for the deaf, for the Navajo and etc. Why not ask for the blind? This way someone could talk and tell us htings that are going on in the film. Just a thought!

Sandy England

[Greg Kearney]

Sandy;

A couple of issues that I see with that. First off in the case of the deaf or other language users there is generally a community of those using those languages and cultures, yes the deaf have a distinct culture due to their language.

This is not the case with the blind who by nature of their disability and lack of a distinctive "blind culture" generally attend the temple with sighted friends or family unless they happen to live close to a temple or within public transportation of one. So it's going to be harder to get a group together.

Second is the need to standardize the descriptions. The endowment is one of the few places in our faith where delivery must be done word perfect. I could see an issue with having people describe different visuals in different ways or omitting facts that they do not see as critical. Also the skills needed to provide descriptions while not speaking over the dialog of the film are not trivial indeed.

Commonwealth Braille & Talking Book Cooperative
Greg Kearney, General Manager
#320, 185-911 Yates Street
Victoria, BC V8V 4Y9
CANADA
Email: in...@cbtbc.org

U.S. Address
21908 Almaden Av.
Cupertino, CA 95014
UNITED STATES
Email: gkea...@gmail.com

[Sandy England]

You are right and let me tell you something I just learned. The church is low on funds and those things which we think they can afford had been in the budget for some time. Fast offerings are on a all time low for the church. They are cutting back and when you are on a Mission you see this first hand. We had two Branches closed while we were there and etc. I hope I don't get in trouble by saying all of this. But I think it is public knowledge. Senior couples are at a low also.

Sandy

[Greg Kearney]

Which is why I have offered to do the work of production of a described version at no cost.

Sent from my iPhone

Greg Kearney