On November 14, 2023, the evocative Fellini Hall in Cinecittà (Rome, Italy) hosted AUDECON, the International Conference on Audio Description. Promoted and organized by Artis-Project (Italy) in collaboration with CulturAbile, MovieReading and Cinecittà, AUDECON managed to catalyze a qualified audience around the three planned sessions: academic research and new perspectives on audiodescription, a round table of associations of blind people, and a round table of audiovisual experts. The conference officially started at 9 am with the introduction by Saveria Arma (also known as Vera Arma), CEO of Artis-Project, followed by institutional greetings from by Marco Marcacci Balestrazzi (Cinecittà), Erica Battaglia (Municipality of Rome) and Dr. Maurizio Molinari (European Parliament). All three encompassed adequate representation of the matter in its different aspects. The first session, focused on academic research and moderated by Professor Vincenza Minutella (University of Turin), featured prominent speakers such as Professor Pilar Orero (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona), Professor Elisa Perego (University of Pavia), Dr. Joel Snyder (Audio Description Associates), and Professor María Valero Gisbert (University of Parma).
The second panel let associations of blind people emphasize their own requests at stake, in compliance with the principle "nothing about us, without us"; this session gathered representatives to discuss issues, ideas and proposals to be "inherited" by the third session. The session, moderated by journalist Chiara Gargioli, hosted high-profile speakers such as: Giuliano Frittelli (Unione Italiana dei Ciechi e degli Ipovedenti), Laura Raffaeli (Blindsight Project O.D.V.), Rosanna D’amato and Claudio Bruno (Accessible Culture Group), Matteo Castelnuovo (Aniridia Italia APS), Marco Bongi (A.P.R.I. O.D.V. Turin), Stefania Leone and Pietro Turco (Ass. Disabili Visivi) and Daniela Bottegoni (Museo Tattile Statale Omero). The associations highlighted not only the importance of audio description but also the need to comply with Law 220/2016, ensuring the full enforceability of the right of people with sensory disabilities to properly enjoy subtitles and audio descriptions in cinemas, television, and other platforms. Legislative compliance is not enough: years after Law decrees, in Italy, it is necessary to give substance to Cinema Law, correcting distorted interpretations that still prevent movies from being fully accessible, wasting efforts and public resources.
The third and final panel, moderated by journalist Ilaria Ravarino, was dedicated to the audiovisual industry, an interesting discussion among industry representatives. Maria Chiara Andriello (Rai Accessibilità), Carla Cioffi (#TIMVISION), Lorenzo Lalle (01Distribution), Giulio Mezzanotte (ANICA), Marco Andriano and Arianna Ortelli (Novis Games), Marco Morucci (Tuscia Film Fest), Giovanna De Apollonia and Elena Rocco (Radio Magica), and Stefano Urbanetti (director) had the opportunity to discuss and develop the requests and observations made in the previous panel by the blind organisations representatives.
This is what AUDECON is intended to be: the research of shared solutions, through proposals and ideas, engaging with other parties to achieve a common goal. We are confident that AUDECON was a very important first step to ensure that the situation can soon improve.
During the breaks between the various panels, videos used to promote the event on social platforms were shared, from informative (first video and second video) to more popular contents produced by blind influencer like Instagram stars Videociecato and Orbi et Orbi.
There were plenty of opportunities to conduct interviews with those who participated in the various panels, which will soon be available to the general public, in addition to trying out the MovieReading application, right at the entrance of the hall where a dedicated station had been set up.
After a lunch break, the day continued in the afternoon with Dr. Joel Snyder's exclusive masterclass for AUDECON; an incredible opportunity for participants to gain a deeper understanding of the fundamentals of audio description and its importance in accessibility for the visually impaired. The masterclass offered an engaging journey through the fundamentals developed by Dr. Snyder throughout his distinguished career.
From concepts of visual literacy to the history of audio description, each stage of the workshop provided a clear and in-depth perspective on how to actively see, develop concentration skills, and master the art of describing what is seen in a vivid, concise, and objective manner. Dr. Snyder's teachings were not limited to theory but were accompanied by practical exercises that allowed participants to put into practice what they had just learned. The goal was clear: to provide concrete tools for the creation of audio description projects! Participants had the opportunity to interact directly with Dr. Snyder, ask questions, and deepen their understanding of the importance of audio description. At the end of the lesson, a special moment was dedicated to the presentation of the Italian translation (curated by Saveria Arma) of Dr. Joel Snyder's book, "The Visual Made Verbal," released with the title "Immagini In Parole."
The masterclass concluded with the presentation of certificates autographed by Joel Snyder. A personal and human touch to the day, which helped to underline the importance of a concrete and individual-centered approach.
"We are very pleased with this first edition of AUDECON. An incredible result in terms of audience and quality of contents. Thanks to its hands-on approach and the research of common solutions to shared problems, we are working to make AUDECON an awaited appointment for all operators in this exciting area of post-production." (Saveria Arma, Artis-Project)
The event was sponsored by Roma Capitale (Department of Culture), Regione Lazio, ANEC, ANICA, Italian Union of the Blind and Partially Sighted (UICI) in its National and Rome sections, European Blind Union (EBU), and Audio Description Associates, LLC.
See you at the next edition!
E-mail: info@audecon.it Whatsapp: 0761/1916425 Website: https://www.audecon.it/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/audecon.event Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/audecon.event/.