Stagetext Verbatim Captioning

 

The Stagetext Captioning Process

Since 2000 most Theatre Captioning in the UK follows the model created by Stagetext:

• The theatre gives the script to a Captioner to prepare a file for output along with a video of the show to made accessible.
• The Captioner prepares a file, stripping out stage directions and any other extraneous information which is not useful to the client audience, re-formats to show with the name of the character speaking the line and, as far as possible, format lines to reflect the rhythms and intonation of the actors’ speech. They then add descriptions of music and sound effects.
• They then visit the theatre, watch the show, check with the DSM for script updates, and then re-edit their output file accordingly.
• On the day of the advertised Captioned Performance, Caption Units are installed in the theatre, commonly one either side of the stage, the outputting lap-top is connected and the system is tested.
• The Captioner arrives, the audience fill the auditorium, and thus the show is Captioned.

 

The Stagetext model is designed to offer d/Deaf access to as many different shows as possible across the whole of the UK. Usually, only one or two shows in a run are Captioned, and these shows are advertised as Captioned by Theatres on the Access page of their webs-site, easily identifiable by a CAP icon:

 

 

For over 20 years this model has proved itself a fantastic method to provide high-quality verbatim access – literally thousands of shows have been watched by hundreds of thousands of deaf, deafened and hard-of-hearing audience members who otherwise would not have the opportunity to experience and enjoy some great theatre.

 

Digital 4 in partnership with Signblazer Ltd is proud to have supplied all Stagetext Caption Units and Captioning software since the See-A-Voice Project in 2009.