Vue Cinemas (formerly Warner Village Cinemas) has announced a major order for DTS-CSS Cinema Subtitling Systems to provide captioning and audio description functionality.
The 22 DTS-CSS units being purchased by Vue are an initial order for the chain, with 14 of these being partially funded by the UK Film Council. In February, the Film Council announced that as part of its £500,000 National Lottery funded Cinema Access Programme, 78 cinemas across the UK would be equipped with captioning and audio-description equipment. The aim of this initiative is to enable thousands more people with hearing or sight loss to enjoy films at the cinema, including the latest blockbusters and specialized films.
The ease of installation and operation, plus the mobility of the DTS-CSS system, were key factors in Vue 's decision to install this product on its UK screens.
Commenting for Vue, Mark Reader, Projection Manager UK, stated, "DTS have provided cinemas across the world with sound processors that produce excellence in digital surround sound. Vue are delighted that the DTS-CSS system has been installed at selected cinemas. The system is easy to operate and will enhance the quality of the cinema experience for our customers with visual and hearing disabilities."
These installations will further increase DTS' leadership in the market for access technology in cinemas. By mid-summer this year, over 100 screens will use DTS systems to deliver open captions for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences, and audio description for blind and partially sighted patrons. This growing installation base has been supported by more than 130 films that have been released to date with DTS-CSS from major UK film distributors.
Since the initial trials began December 2001, the rapid take-up of DTS-CSS captioning and audio description reflects an industry-wide collaborative approach to the issue of access, which is being addressed by distributors, exhibitors, disability working groups and DTS. Commenting on the success of the initiative, DTS Europe's Business Development Director for CSS and Pre-Show, David Pope, confirms the significance of that spirit of cooperation, "Throughout the development and introduction of CSS DTS have worked very closely with both the cinema trade and various representative bodies for these under-served audiences in order to ensure that we got it right from the outset. The expansion of cinema installations and film releases with our technology achieves everyone's objectives of making movie-going available for all audiences."
