I’m wondering if anyone can help enlighten me on this? Are there any copyright or legal issues with someone creating their own description script of a film and creating and recording an audio description track that can be used for blind and visually impaired people to listen to alongside the film?
To be clear they would already have to own the film or access to it through their regular streaming platform subscriptions. If just an audio description track was created and distributed for their use for accessibility and educational purposes are their any legal issues attached to this?
1 person likes this
Yes, there could be because you are basically making a boot-leg copy of a protected work and adding your own audio commentary. Closed captions and/or an audio track for the blind is typically required by production companies and/or theaters to provide for patrons with disabilities—the ADA Title III Ruling. So, I’d check with a lawyer first before doing anything and then reach out to streaming companies. Per the ADA ruling, they may already have audio track options in place that are available per request.
Thanks for the info and will definitely reach out to an entertainment lawyer then. I wouldn’t be putting this over the film and offering the film as well, just the audio track that an app would sync with the film playing on their TV and this would not be for profit. Unfortunately there is a huge amount of films with no AD available and I want to push for making more films accessible to the visually impaired. I run a group on Facebook for blind horror fans and for example there is no AD available for films like original poltergeist, most of the Halloween films, most of the nightmare on elm streets and Friday the 13ths and to a horror fan these are cult classic films that they are unable to fully enjoy. Really appreciate you’re feedback and I’ll do some more digging.