In the October 2019 petition update on open captions in movie theaters, we have articles, blog posts, videos, a theater spotlight, and more.
(Above: Family wins D.E.A.F. bundle package at DeafNation Expo. tinyurl.com/oc4allshirt)
Articles and Blog Posts
A widely shared article was published in the Washington Post on September 20, 2019: "For the deaf and hard of hearing, movies are often out of reach. That could change."
The Post article spurred blogger Katherine Bouton to write “Moviegoer’s Lament.”
Video Showcase
Two videos were posted recently about open captioning:
- Deaf YouTuber Rogan Shannon posted a video about captioning in movie theaters.
- A frustrated deaf moviegoer posted a video on Facebook about his experience with closed caption equipment.
Theater Spotlight
Reading Cinemas Town Square in San Diego, California has shown open captioned (OC) movies since 2016. They started with once a month, went to twice a month, and now offer OC every weekend.
Other Items of Interest
Hearing people who love closed captioning matter, because theoretically, if hearing users of closed captioning are comfortable with closed captioning, they will accept open captions in movie theaters and may even prefer open captions in movie theaters.
The website Medium.com published a widely shared article in January 2019, “Why Gen Z Loves Closed Captioning.” That article spurred TVLine.com to do one. TVLine.com’s article has two polls with viewable results. The first asks if the viewer watches TV with closed captioning; the second asks why the viewer uses closed captioning. Top reason? Mumbling actors!
Captioning Helps Attention Deficit Disorder
Captioning helps some people with attention deficit disorder (ADD), as seen by these comments. Do you know someone with ADD or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) who could benefit from open captions? Tell them about this petition!
"I’m signing because I have 2 children one with autism and the other with adhd and they both highly Benifit from this wonderful accommodation. I also have friends who are dear or have hearing loss or currently losing their hearing. Please make a difference in someone’s life. Try to put yourself in their shoes. Help everyone and change the world."
"I'm Hard of Hearing and rely on captions. My hearing but ADHD and/or Autistic family members also benefit from the captions."
"Yes, this needs to happen! Way too many communities rely on subtitles to not have theaters without them. Growing up, I learned Spanish first and subtitles really helped me learn English. They also help with my ADHD to actually pay attention and concentrate on the movie so I can enjoy it more thoroughly. Stop discriminating against people just it's inconvenient to you!"
Opening Weekend Denials
A common problem is denials of requests for open captioned screenings of movies on opening weekends. Opening weekends are important because most people head to theaters for new releases then; after opening weekends, attendance usually drops. So, theaters make the most money on new releases the weekend they open. To maximize sales, theaters will usually schedule multiple screenings for new releases on opening weekend. Known denials:
- Joker: Regal UA Breckinridge 12 stadium in Little Rock, Arkansas