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FEEDBACK
Second Soundtracks for the
Sightless and Visually Impaired
Dear Editor:
The June issue of Boxoffice carried a
letter from Marty Klein of Woodstock, NY,
wherein he requested that movies be rated
for the sightless and visually impaired.
IK
ASHLY has been the world's leading authority in
What should be implemented is a special
second soundtrack that would include
a narrative to cover those visual sequences
in which there are only sound effects and
music.
Although the hearing impaired can also
be privy to this unique narrative track, this
in a sense could enhance the enjoyment of
thefilm. It would be like sitting atafootball
crossover
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or baseball game and hearing the sports
announcer over the radio calling the plays
and the color.
When Klein speaks of catering to an
additional audience, according to your information
"there are some five million
Americans without sight; another 20 million
Americans are visually impaired."
Coming up with a second soundtrack specifically
to describe the body movements,
expressions and actions of those "silent"
moments will no longer make any motion
picture "off limits." And as you also noted,
there will no longer have to be "that someone
sitting in an auditorium describing,
even in low tones, the action on screen to
a friend (which could) disturb other moviegoers".
Sometimes, while dialogue is taking
place, there are visuals equally important
to the story line. In these instances a narrative
can also easily be worked in during the
dialogue.
These unique narrative second
soundtracks must be inventively carried
out in order to properly service the millions
who have yet to enjoy the same complete
pleasures of "watching" motion pictures.
In
1990, President Bush signed and put
into law the "Americans with Disabilities
Act" (ADA), giving rights to the hearing and
visually impaired. Currently, only the hearing
impaired have a special "hearing system"
when they go to the cinema. Now, the
sightless and visually impaired can be
given a new interest in going back to the
movies again.
Catering to both the hearing and visually
impaired would also be a major milestone
in motion pictures. The added cost of this
unique narrative soundtrack would more
than be offset by the increase in millions of
dollars in "extra" boxoffice grosses for the
producers and studios. Eventually, the second
soundtrack could be utilized for all TV
movies-of-the-week and pre-recorded television
programs.
The next move is up to the technical
sound engineers to make room on the
soundtrack. It can be done. The question
now is, how soon?
Respectfully,
Barnard Sackett
CEO/Pres. Super-V Corp.
Los Angeles, CA
Ashly Audio Inc., 100 Fernwood Ave. Rochester. NY 14621
lull Free (800) 828-6308, Telephone (716) 544-5191, FAX (716) 266-4589^m
10 Boxoffice
Response No 443