Beijing – China Communications University (CUC) is at the forefront of innovative public welfare projects aimed at promoting entertainment inclusivity and accessibility.
The initiative, called Guangming Cinema, or Bright Cinema in English, focuses on producing films that are specifically designed and described for visually impaired individuals.
By creatively combining visual scene descriptions with dialogue and sound effects descriptions, Guangming Cinema aims to change the film experience, making it accessible to a wider audience.
Traditionally, films rely heavily on visual elements such as incredible gestures, intricate set designs, and visual storytelling. Recognizing this gap, the Guangming Cinema Initiative is trying to create a solution that includes information as well as entertaining.
Audio descriptions are narrative techniques that provide spoken language commentary on the visual elements of the film, give viewers context and enhance overall understanding of the storyline. With built-in audio descriptions, visually impaired audiences can engage in the film in a manner similar to the counterparts seen. The initiative focuses on carefully selected words that visually portray the actions, emotions and environments drawn on screen.
Iranian journalist and representative of the Tehran Times, I toured the media section of CUC with other foreigners on March 19th as part of a media exchange programme hosted by the China International Press and Communications Centre (CIPCC).
Silent Screams: Professor Minsuu said the pain of exclusion facing people with visual impairments is motivated by CUC and that Professor Guinemai has the privilege of interviewing gun and cuni.
“Previously, I understand that so many blind and disabled people have difficulties while traveling. That’s not the most painful thing. Mentally, I don’t have the ability to access or reach many things, such as watching movies and reading books.
She said films for visually impaired people are presented in several languages.
“We already use many Chinese film copies or productions not only in English, but also in Spanish, French, Japanese, etc. Students have more experience in producing, but most importantly, they can help the blind people. Of course, we are not limited to those techniques,” she said.
The CUC professor emphasized that Chinese universities are willing to work with other countries by sharing the technology for creating films tailored for visually impaired audiences.
“Within China, we want to provide more help to both people and countries. We know there are a lot of blind people all over the world facing the same problems and situations. So we are already beginning to connect to some of the countries last year. We are already in contacting either Europe or East Asia to begin cooperation within the same project.
She added: “The whole process still exists and we hope to reach a kind of consensus by the end of this year, not only agreeing on paper, but also practical things we can propose to help more blind and visually impaired.”
Since its launch in 2017, Guangming Cinema has produced 520 audio-description films for the visually impaired.
The Guangming Cinema initiative embodies a major leap to enable visually impaired people to enjoy the film in a meaningful way. It recognizes the power of storytelling and the ability to unite individuals from different paths of life. As this project progresses, we may observe significant changes within the film industry. The story is fundamentally universal and shows that it is worth sharing and experiencing for all.