Category: Let's talk
Here's a blindness-specific question for you. One of the common myths the public have about us is that we never go to movies and we can't enjoy TV. Are any of you like this? I've also run into people who can only stand to watch things like documentaries on TV because they are full of dialogue. Yeah, I admit a lot of the sci-fi shows I've seen can be frustrating because they are visual in a lot of places, but that's when I use my imagination. Yeah, I admit I mostly like oder shows and not much that's current, but that's probably becasue I'm either choosing to be out of hte loop or just plain old. So do any of you just not like movies or TV at all?
That's not the case with me. I admit I might not get as much out of it as I would if I could see it, but I can still enjoy what dialogue there is. Sometimes if it's a movie my mom and I both like, we will watch it together, and she will tell me what's going on when there's no dialogue. I like older movies in dvs better than new dvs movies, because they're in black and white, so there isn't as much visual description about this or that being a lighter or darker color. I'm only interested in the kind of description that tells what the person is doing, not the color of their outfit or their hair style. True there's more dialogue in documentaries, but they're usually boring, or they are to me anyway.
wonderwoman
It's very rare that I watch television, but when I do, it's usually game shows. There are very few Tv programs that interest me. On top of that, I hardly have the time to sit in front of the TV. However, I do love a lot of movies. I believe you don't have to be sighted to enjoy movies or television.
Chet
neither do I, I listen to soap operas, but there is a lot of dialogue in them. I just can't get into game shows. The only way a game show could really interest me or get me excited would be if my mom was on, and she was winning a lot of money, lol. Of course, I'd be interested in it if she were on, even if she wasn't winning any money.
wonderwoman
yeah, actually I'm a bit weird because i just can't watch films, I think it's partly because of the lack of dialogue, and because I have a really low boredom fresh hold and I can't sit still for a long time if I feel that my mind isn't being stimulated. The only films I'll very occasionaaly watch are films that involve crime, because if they're are violent scenes, I find i can better picture what's going on because I can follow the context of the story. I don't watch a lot of TV, only documentaries, quizes, news and current affairs, and some crime and psychological dramas, but not often because I don't have a TV of my own when I'm at university, but anyway I find a lot of TV boring.
I like DVS videos and movies with audio description. I'm lucky to live in a city with three theaters that have installed the technology to allow blind patrons use the DVS service. Plus we have an organization that provides live description to movies and live events.
About TV, I have found that I am losing interest in it but don't know if it's because I can no longer enjoy it visually or if my tastes are just changing. I did enjoy watching it more when I could see.
I recently heard that ABC is planning to provide Spanish subtitles for all shows. This pisses me off because why can't they spend the money to provide audio description. The people in this country who need to have shows dubbed in Spanish or closed captioning in Spanish are, for the most part, choosing not to learn English well enough to get much out of English TV. But none of us choose to be blind and should have the same right to enjoy TV.
I don't watch a whole lot of TV, but that's more due to a lack of time than a problem with TV in general. There's usually two or three things in a week that I want to tune in to, and they don't seem to follow any pattern. They're as likely to be a history special or documentary as something completely trashy. I'll settle in for a night of chick-flicks with the mates, or pull a scifi marathon with the brother. Both of these tend to the visual side of things, and I tend to get some minimalist commentary for both without ever having to ask for it. Something along the lines of: "A just shot B in the leg", or, "A and B have sexual tention like whoa!" If I tended to watch movies by myself, which I don't, it would probably bug me not to have it, but I don't think it would stop me blundering my way through action movies.
I like watching movies and I can most of the time get along with following the dialogue but if I get lost then I will ask someone. If I am watching a movie by myself then I will try to just put together what happened with the part that was visual with the rest of the movie. Hope that made sense.
Hi Cat lover, I don't blame you. If they started having audio subtitles in Spanish everywhere, and everything was repeated over again in Spanish, yuk! I think rather than everything being redone in spanish, they should learn English.
wonderwoman
I don't really have a problem with captioning in Spanish, but I do think they should have more discription available like they do with closed captioning. I know they don't have closed captioning for every sshow, but I know that they have more of that than audio discription. As for shows without audio discription, I don't really watch much TV unless there's a lot of dialog going on. So most of the stuff I watch are some sit coms, reality and talk shows (depending on the topic), and those commedy shows with the different skits, and some cartoons. But if I can't follow it or understand right away what's going on, I usually won't have the patience or interest to keep watching it.
Leilani
I admit I'm fairly ignorant on the subject, but right now there are just a handful of companies doing audio description. I know the DVS Foundation or whatever they're called from WGBH in Boston either has or used to have government funding. I have also heard of an outfit called WeSeeTV, which mainly describes movies and shows broadcast on TV, but not sure how they get their funding. Part of the problem with DVS is that there are people who love it and would encourage it in more programming, and others who think there are more important things that should be aduio described, such as weather alerts. Personally, I like it if it's there adn I have access to it, but if It's not I'll just use my imagination. I don't ahve all kinds of sighted folk around who will describe movies or TV shows, so I'm pretty much on my own and I'm OK with that.
I have been to see all 3 of the LOTR films, as I'm familiar with the story,and I enjoyed them all. However,I do know some miserable feckers, who never darken the cimema door and I do know 1 fella who sold his TV, a might selfish as he's married. For me there is nothing more annoying than audio description, it stops people from using that most powerful of tools, their imagination.
well I don't think my tv is set up for it, and wouldn't work with it even if we had stations that carried it. Well, it would come in handy, but if it doesn't get to the point where everything is described, at least I'm use to it.
wonderwoman
Can't say as I'm use to DVS, but every now and then it's nice. However, as for movies and tv in general. I can't say that either me or my husband are into tv, and that's from personal tastes then vision probs as my husband is completely sighted. Movies we like, my husband likes them more then me, but again it's a matter of tastes. It has nothing to do with the lack of description or dialog; imaginations are great, but more with the fact I'd rather be designing software or Web sites then sitting in front of the tv. LOL.
Good point Witchcraft Tv is bubble gum for the eyes.