About

Audio description (AD) (also called standard audio description) is a pre-recorded audio track that includes spoken or computer-generated narration of visual details, where the narration occurs during natural pauses.

Before you start

• Video must be in "Ready" status (transcoded)
• Video must be 60 seconds or more in length
• Your account must have Content Lab enabled
• Your account must have an active REACH profile enabled with relevant catalog item(s)

Order audio description

1. Open Content Lab. For instructions, see Access Content Lab in your Kaltura application.
2. Click Audio description.
   
3. Click + Select a service and select Audio description.
   

   

   The Order Audio Description screen displays. 

   

4. Complete the following fields:
   • Unit – This option only appears in the event that different REACH profiles (budgets) are configured for each unit in your account. The selected unit will be charged for the audio description request.
   • Service type - Select Machine or Professional. Defaults to Machine if both are available. Options that are unavailable are greyed out. If you choose Professional, one optional field displays - Instructions.
   • Source language - Select the video's original language from the drop-down menu. Audio descriptions will be generated in that language. The options in the menu are dependent on your REACH plan.
   • Vendor - Select the vendor from the drop-down menu. Corresponding turnaround time and catalog item name are also shown. The options are dependent on your REACH plan.
5. Click Submit.
   A confirmation message displays.

Click the X at the top right to close the message. Your audio description order appears in the "In Progress" area of the AD & EAD screen and is labeled as "Pending". When the audio description is ready, it is automatically added to the video.

Add instructions for professional audio descriptions

If you select Professional as the service type, you can use the Instructions field to share terminology or guidance specific to the media with professional reviewers.

You can:

• Type your own instructions in the Instructions field.
• Click a preset tag to populate the Instructions field, then select one of the suggested completions.
• Click a preset tag to populate the Instructions field, then edit or complete the text manually instead of selecting a suggested completion.

Preset tags are grouped into the following categories:

• Terminology & names – Define acronyms, speaker names, proper names, and consistent terminology.
• Style & tone – Match video's tone, keep descriptions concise, use objective language, maintain consistent narration
• Description priorities – Prioritize visual information, Describe on-screen text, gestures, facial expressions, and scene changes, include non-speech elements, identify speakers when needed.
• Timing & audio – Use available natural pauses, preserve important dialogue, preserve important sound effects, prioritize descriptions when time is limited.

View orders 

Navigate back to the Content Lab's main menu. The number of requests are displayed in the Audio description box. 

Click on the Audio description box to open the AD & EAD screen. 

Status types

The following statuses are available for captions requests:

• Pending - when generating new request
• Pending for Moderation - requests in approval queue
• Rejected - requests that were rejected on moderation. This status must include reject reason.
• Processing - sent to the vendor and vendor received request (you cannot cancel a request when the status is Processing)
• Completed - when captions were received from the vendor
• Error - an error was sent from the vendor
• Aborted

Additional tasks

Click the three dots to the right of the request and choose from the available options depending on status type:

• View order details - available for all statuses
• Cancel order request - only available for Pending



• Download - only available for Ready

View order details

In the three-dot menu, select View order details. 

The Order details screen displays. 

Cancel order request

1. Click Cancel order request. Note, any action items associated with the request will be canceled. A confirmation message displays.
    
2. Click Cancel request.
   If you try to cancel a request that's already in progress, a message displays: The request is already in progress, therefore cannot be canceled.