Updated: October 9, 2026
What audio description is
Captions make video accessible to people who cannot hear the audio. Audio description does the same for people who cannot see the picture. It is a narration track that describes the important visual information in a video (actions, on-screen text, settings, who is on screen, facial expressions that matter to the story) during natural pauses in the dialogue.
For a blind or low-vision viewer, a brand film without description can be confusing. They hear music, maybe a voiceover, and then a long stretch where something clearly happens on screen but nothing explains it. A product name that appears only as on-screen text, a phone number shown on an end card, a person's name in a lower third: all of it is lost. Audio description fills those gaps.
This guide explains when audio description is needed, how a describer writes the script, the standard and extended formats, how it is delivered, and how to plan for it before the edit locks so it does not become an expensive afterthought.
Who needs it and why it matters
Many organizations use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 at level AA as their accessibility target. At that level, prerecorded video with meaningful visual content is expected to have audio description, in addition to captions. Universities, public agencies, healthcare providers and large companies often write this target into their procurement and content policies, and some face legal requirements around accessibility. If your organization has an accessibility policy, check what it says about video before you start production.
Beyond compliance, description simply makes your message reach more people. Miami has a large older population, and low vision becomes more common with age. A described version of your video makes it usable for viewers who would otherwise miss half the story.
Audio description sits alongside captions in a full accessibility package. Our guide to captions, subtitles and transcripts covers the text side.
How a description script is written
A describer watches the final cut and writes short descriptions to fit the gaps in dialogue and voiceover. Good description follows a few principles:
- Describe what matters to the story. Not every detail, only what a viewer needs to follow the message.
- Read on-screen text. Names in lower thirds, product names, statistics in graphics, the call to action on the end card.
- Stay objective. Describe what is seen ("She smiles and shakes his hand"), not an interpretation ("She is delighted").
- Use present tense and plain language. Short sentences that fit the pauses.
- Do not talk over dialogue. Descriptions fit into natural gaps so the original audio stays clear.
The script is then recorded by a human voice talent or produced with synthetic speech, depending on the budget, the brand and the client's preference. Human narration usually sounds warmer and fits brand films better. Synthetic voices can work for large libraries of training or internal videos. The recording is mixed with the original soundtrack, with the program audio dipped slightly under each description.
Standard and extended description
| Format | How it works | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Standard description | Descriptions fit into existing pauses; the video runs at its normal length | Videos with natural breaks in dialogue and music |
| Extended description | The video pauses so a longer description can play, then continues | Dense videos with constant talking and important visuals, usually on web players that support it |
Many corporate videos are packed with voiceover from start to finish, leaving almost no gaps. In that case standard description cannot fit everything, and you either need extended description or a re-edit with a little more breathing room.
Plan for description before the edit locks
The cheapest way to make a video accessible is to think about it during the edit, not after. A few choices make description easier and better:
- Leave small pauses. A second or two of music between voiceover lines gives the describer space.
- Say key information out loud. If the voiceover already mentions the product name, website and the speaker's name, the describer has less to add.
- Avoid text-only messages. Statements that appear only as on-screen text are the hardest to describe in a tight edit.
- Keep the timing stable. Description is timed to picture, so changes after picture lock mean rewriting and re-recording parts of the track.
This also helps if you make cut-downs. A 15-second social version has very little room for description, so the important information should be spoken. Our guide to cut-downs and versioning covers how short versions are built from the master.
Delivering the described version
Audio description can be delivered in several ways, and the right one depends on where the video will play:
- A separate described video file. The simplest option: a second version of the video with description mixed into the soundtrack. You publish both and link them clearly.
- An alternate audio track. Some players and streaming platforms let viewers switch audio tracks. The described mix is delivered as its own track.
- A text description file. Some web players can read a timed text track of descriptions using the viewer's screen reader or a synthetic voice.
- A broadcast deliverable. For TV, description is delivered according to the broadcaster's specifications, often as a separate audio stream.
Check what your website, video platform or broadcaster supports before choosing. Delivery specs are part of the final package, as described in our guide to export and delivery specs.
Reviewing a description track
Treat the description script like any other piece of copy that carries your brand. Ask for the script in writing with timecodes before it is recorded, and have someone who knows the product check names, terms and pronunciation. Then listen to the full described mix once with your eyes closed. If you can follow the story and catch every name, number and call to action, the track is doing its job. If possible, ask a blind or low-vision colleague or tester to review it too, because they will notice gaps that sighted reviewers miss.
Spanish and bilingual description
For Miami audiences, a Spanish version of a video needs Spanish description too. That means a separate description script written for the Spanish edit, not a translation of the English script, because pauses and on-screen text may differ. If you are already making a Spanish version, add description to the same plan. Our guide to making the Spanish version of a video explains how the versions are organized.
Accessible video from our Miami post team
We add audio description, captions and transcripts to brand films, training videos, public sector content and event recaps for Miami organizations. When we edit the video ourselves, we plan for description from the first cut, so the final version needs fewer compromises. When you bring us an existing video, we write the description script, record it with a voice that fits your brand, mix it and deliver files that work on your platform, in English, Spanish or both.
If you have an accessibility requirement coming up, or a library of videos to make accessible, send us the details. Learn more about our team, read other post-production guides on our blog or contact us to get started.