Describing Approaches on ‘Name Supers’ in Documentary Program for Audio Description Production

Abstract

The Research on “Describing Approaches on ‘Name Supers’ in Documentary Program for Audio Description Production” aims to compile guidelines and techniques for describing ‘name supers’ in documentary program for audio description production. The research has examined four television documentary programs, totaling 15 episodes, from Thai PBS station.

The research found that the describing approach of name supers used in these documentary programs is mixed between descriptive and narrative style. The describing techniques are adding, deleting, remaining and reforming text. In addition, there is no details of any text or language design in describing style. The description of name supers can be placed during audio pauses—either before or after—and also during dialogues. If describing over audio, the original audio would be dipped, but still allow the viewer to hear the original audio in the background. The name supers are not necessarily described every time they appear on screen. If the original program or the audio description has already mentioned the name super of characters, audio description will be repeated no more than three times per episode for each person or may not be re-described at all. Describing the name super of characters at their first appearance is more important than any other time.