SAG-AFTRA continues its commitment to making both SAG Awards® For Your Consideration (FYC) screeners and the 30th Annual SAG Awards broadcast on Netflix as accessible as possible to everyone.
The union requires studios provide accessible FYC digital screeners during the final phase of voting with either closed captioning (CC) or subtitles for those who are deaf and hard of hearing (SDH), and audio description (AD) for those who are blind and low vision, where you can hear the action happening on the screen between the dialogue — it’s like turning an FYC screener into an audiobook!
Digital screeners will be available to eligible voting members starting on Wednesday, Jan. 17, when SAG Awards voting opens.
The Netflix live broadcast of the 30th annual ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 24, will also feature closed captioning and live audio description.
Both of these powerful tools are designed to help make films, television and streaming shows more accessible to our members and the wider public with disabilities.
WHAT IS CLOSED CAPTIONING? Closed captioning is a real-time transcript of what is being said onscreen for those who are deaf and hard of hearing. SAG-AFTRA has required that SAG Awards FYC digital screeners feature closed captioning since the 24th Annual SAG Awards.
WHAT IS AUDIO DESCRIPTION? Audio description is off-camera narration that describes the onscreen action happening between the dialogue, as well as describes character facial expressions and other visual details to enhance the viewing experience for those people on the blindness spectrum. SAG-AFTRA has required that SAG Awards FYC digital screeners feature audio description since the 28th Annual SAG Awards.
HOW TO ACCESS THESE FEATURES: When voting opens on Jan. 17, SAG Awards will have a website page at sagawards.org/accessibility with information from the different streaming services on how to access their closed captioning and audio description services.