A pilot program at the The Tull Family Theater in Sewickley aims to improve moviegoing for its patrons, especially those who are hard of hearing.
Beginning Wednesday, and continuing weekly throughout the summer, captions will appear on the bottom of the screen of each movie shown that day.
The program, called Open Caption Wednesdays, is “an ideal way to improve the cinematic experience for those who are hard of hearing or simply don’t want to miss a single word,” according to a release.
“To the best of our knowledge, The Tull Family Theater is the only one in the state — perhaps even across the country — dedicating a full day each week to Open Caption screenings of every film showing on all screens,” said Executive Director Carolina Pais-Barreto Thor.
Films showing on the inaugural day of the program include “In the Heights,” “12 Mighty Orphans” and“F9: The Fast Saga.”
In the case of “In the Heights” and other musical movies, captioning includes both dialogue and song lyrics, said Karen Ferrick-Roman, director of communications and education for the theater.
“Independent theaters and art houses tend to have an older audience, and that is certainly true for The Tull,” Thor said. “We are thinking of our elders and trying to enhance the experience for our demographic.”
“Auditory issues affect all ages, yet the National Institute on Aging reports that one in three adults between the ages of 65 and 74 has hearing loss and nearly half of those 75 or older have difficulty hearing — even if they don’t admit it,” according to information on the theater website. “Census data shows the Greater Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area is home to nearly 475,00 people over age 65 — a greater percentage of elders per capita than both the state (10% higher) and the nation (25% higher).”
Capture the nuances
“Our international students and residents appreciate the clarity that closed captions offer,” Thor said. “As a nonnative English speaker, I have always appreciated open captions because they capture the nuances that are so easily missed in rapid dialogue.”
That holds true for all movie viewers, she added, when dialogue is muted or sound quality is not ideal.
The program will run through August, with continuation after that depending on audience response and funding.
No special software or other equipment is needed to offer captions, Thor said.
“Most new releases come with the closed-caption option embedded in the film, just like TV,” she said. “It just needs to be turned on.”
The theater already has received positive response from literacy groups, schools, hearing loss organizations and individual patrons who have been informed of the captioning program, Thor said.
While assistive listening devices for the hard of hearing and audio description devices for the visually impaired remain available daily at no cost, Open Caption Wednesdays go beyond ADA requirements to create a stronger communal experience, the release said.
“Everyone will be better able to enjoy the movie together,” Thor said.
The theater’s sensory friendly screenings — a tailored cinematic experience geared toward youth with autism and special needs — also is expected to return this summer.
Founded in 2011, the theater at 418 Walnut St. is home to a film-based arts organization that offers a wide range of films and genres including new releases, classics, documentaries, educational and foreign films and art, music, opera and stage plays on screen. It also offers free programming to underserved populations and senior citizens.
Information on movie times and ticket prices is available at thetullfamilytheater.org.
