We receive accessible listings directly from cinema head offices. Listings are updated as soon as we are notified of shows. We take great care to ensure the listings are timely and accurate but can take NO RESPONSIBILITY for postponed or cancelled shows. If cinemas inform us of changes, we will tell you via this website. If they don't inform us, we can't inform you.
Many cinemas schedules are "SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTIFICATION". Sometimes the files necessary for a subtitled or described film are not available, or are not delivered to the cinema on time.
The only way to be 100% sure is to check with the ACTUAL cinema before you plan a visit (contact details here). But DOUBLE check, preferably with a manager. We recommend that you should always request confirmation that a show is definitely on.
We cannot provide cinema tickets. Please contact your cinema directly for these. For suggestions, corrections or just to contact us please use our Feedback page.
We always welcome feedback – good or bad. It all helps to improve the ‘accessible’ cinema situation. We forward feedback to cinemas head offices and will forward any reply to you.
Unfortunately we cannot ‘force’ a cinema to enable people with less than perfect hearing or vision to enjoy their services, or a film distributor to ensure that their films are subtitled, we can only ask them to. And we do, constantly. It’s our job to create awareness of the problem, suggest solutions, and to empower people to do something about it.
We recommend that people contact cinemas in their local area and request better access for people with sensory impairments. If they have not already done so, request that they become ‘accessible’, by installing a digital subtitle & audio description system. Over 175 cinemas in the UK and Ireland have already installed such a system. Most popular films are available with digital subtitle / description 'files' and cinemas with this facility can screen these films regularly.
Full
details of shows nationwide can be found here:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com
Contact
details of cinemas can be found here:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/cinema.chains.html
If a cinema has already installed such a system, then request that they make proper use of it by screening REGULAR subtitled shows at SENSIBLE times. If you feel they are not doing enough, then we suggest that you round up some friends and complain to the actual cinema manager!
Cinemas that have a system can simply overlay subtitles onto most of the latest films. The system can be turned on and off - similar to teletext subtitles on TV, or DVD subtitles, so the screen can be used for non-subtitled shows too. The system is usually installed in only ONE screen of a multi-screen cinema building, and therefore does not interfere too much with ‘normal’ non-subtitled shows.
The system can also broadcast audio description, for visually impaired people. The on-screen action is described in detail through personal headphones. This feature has no affect on an audience’s enjoyment of a film and can be left ‘on’ all of the time. Every show can be an audio described show.
Informing cinemas in your local area of the need for accessible cinema makes them aware of it, and reminds them what they should be aiming for - access to their services for people with sensory impairments. If many people made an effort to do this it would really help the situation. It’s often the case that although cinema head offices are fully aware of access issues, many cinemas, run on a local level, are not.
For cinemas that have a digital subtitle/ description system, a good choice of dates and times is necessary to enable more people to catch accessible shows. Most people have work or school to attend to, and many cannot just drop everything to fit into a cinemas schedule. People cannot be expected to take the time out to attend one or two subtitled shows at unsuitable times.
Some cinemas may be concerned that subtitled shows will have a low turnout. They are right - compared to the size of the 'general public' audience, the number of hearing or visually impaired people in each town is small. Most people take a friend or family member to the cinema, which increases the audience, but it's still not a huge figure.
But audience figures for most morning or afternoon normal cinema shows are very low anyway, and cinemas are used to fairly empty houses. Overall around a third of cinema seats remain empty, so low attendance for subtitled shows should not make much difference.
We
believe that cinemas should view the subtitled shows as they view disabled ramps,
lifts, wheelchair spaces, loop systems etc. - NOT there to make a profit, but
to enable people in their communities, who need a little extra help, to enjoy
the service that cinemas provide.
If a cinema needs more info, direct them to our website - there's info on digital
systems available, government grants available, where to purchase and more.
Many articles on the subject are available to read here:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/press.html
NEWS:
Many more 'accessible' cinemas could be on the way...
Many 'leisure' industries including TV, video, music, photo, and video games have 'gone digital', and the cinema industry is going digital too. Thanks to UK film distributors, most popular cinema releases are now available with digital subtitle and audio description 'files'.
Contact
details of film distributors can be found here:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/distributor.list.html
To date over 175 cinemas have digital 'readers' to synchronize these files with the film reel, enabling subtitles to be overlaid on the cinema screen, and a separate, narrated soundtrack (audio description) to be broadcast through wireless headphones.
And thanks to the UK Film Council, new digital projection equipment is currently being installed in over 200 cinemas in the UK. Over 100 cinemas in Ireland will be 'going digital' too. All of these digital systems have built-in subtitle 'readers'. As long as a digital film is supplied with subtitle 'files', it can be screened with subtitles. Audio description facilities can be configured too.
It is hoped that the 'access' features of these digital projectors will be utilised, to enable hearing and visually impaired people to enjoy digital cinema, but there's no guarantee that it will happen. We urge organisations, groups and individuals to create total awareness of this 'access' issue, to ensure it is addressed as soon as possible. Please contact digitally-equipped cinemas in your area and request that they utilise the built in 'access' features of digital projectors.
You
can find a full list of upcoming digitally-equipped cinemas here:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/ukfc.arts.alliance.list.html
Note: Cinemas with subtitle & audio description facilities are added to
our locations database as soon as they begin to schedule accessible shows. Locations
database here: http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/locations.html
Accessible cinema has been a quiet revolution for sensory impaired people, thanks to the cinema and film distribution industries, technology companies, organisations representing disabled people, and the people themselves - thousands aired their views when informed of the UK Film Council's proposal to fund 50% of the cost of cinema equipment.
Organised nationwide campaigning and publicity of accessible shows helped to bring it all together and ensure it always stayed on the agenda of the many bodies involved.
Spread
the word: free information cards:
http://www.yourlocalcinema.com/spread.the.word.html
Your
Local Cinema .com
the one stop shop for UK accessible cinema!
The
website: http://www.yourlocalcinema.com
Email: subtitles@yourlocalcinema.com
Spread the word: free information cards here!