Experimental audio description as a means of enhancing the cinematic experience of sighted viewers

The article reports on a study aimed at assessing the benefits of experimental AD for sighted persons. The study involved sighted participants in two experimental groups, the AD and the control one, who were asked to watch a movie clip with or without experimental audio description (AD) and fill in a questionnaire concerning the cognitive (e.g. memory retention) and experiential (e.g. emotional engagement) assessment. In addition, the AD group was asked to provide the overall evaluation of the quality of the AD. The results show statistically significant differences between the AD participants and the control group in both the cognitive and the experiential assessment, indicating that experimental AD enhanced the cinematic experience of sighted viewers. Moreover, the AD participants expressed their overall positive opinion of this type of AD. It is therefore suggested, in line with the functionalist approach to AD, that alternative AD styles may ensure not just accessibility, but also greater social inclusion of persons with sight loss by making AD more enjoyable and beneficial for sighted persons. The study also opens up a discussion on more creative types of AD, in which the human input may outweigh the possibilities offered by generative artificial intelligence.