[accessibleimage] Access all areas: cinemas to install subtitling & audio description equipment

Belfast Telegraph, Northern Ireland
Sunday, June 19, 2005

Access all areas: 8 cinemas to install subtitling & audio description equipment

By Colin McAlpin

EVERYBODY can now enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters, thanks to a new 
scheme launched by the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission.

Eight cinemas throughout Northern Ireland have been awarded £70,000 by the 
Belfast-based NIFTC to install special subtitling and audio description equipment as 
part of an innovative Cinema Access Programme which enables deaf, hard of hearing, 
blind and partially sighted people to keep up with the stars.

And the scheme has been given the thumbs up.

Says David McIlroy, the Lisburn double gold medal winner at the recent Deaf Olympics: "Subtitles moving in sync with the film convey dialogue and describe action sounds ... it's encouraging to see local cinemas taking advantage of the NIFTC funding. 

"It really does provide access for all."

The cinemas taking part include Queen's Film Theatre, Iveagh Movie Studio in 
Banbridge, Newry Omniplex, Lisburn Omniplex, Enniskillen Omniplex, 
Carrickfergus Omniplex, IMC Ballymena, and Village Cinemas at the Odyssey.

All of the cinemas will screen at least one film a week, though patrons are 
already hoping to see screenings on a more frequent basis.

Explains Newry film fan, Tom Quigley, a big fan of comedies: "The new head-sets make the films a lot more accessible and give users more independence. 

"It means we're not constantly annoying our friends trying to find out what's 
going on. It also makes going to the pictures more enjoyable for them.

"I go to the Newry cinema's special screenings on Tuesdays at 6.30pm, but I'd 
like to see the service extended to more films and more frequent screenings.

"It's a terrific start and it's good to see cinemas acknowledging that there is a 
wider market out there."

In Belfast, one particular group happy to see the scheme in operation is from 
the Blind Centre.

Lee McQuade, the Centre's Youth Service Officer, takes 20 young people between seven and 25-years-old to screenings each week. 

This week they were at Yorkgate enjoying the latest Batman film.


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