App to change film experience for visually impaired

A Turkish cellphone operator has introduced a new mobile app it claims is a first in the world in helping the visually impaired enjoy films in cinemas. The "Audio Depiction" app provides an audio track for the film the audience is watching and in the track, a narrator provides a depiction of scenes without conversation or sound as well as depicting objects, environment et cetera in any given scene.

The app, developed in cooperation with a nongovernmental organization, was first introduced in "Kiss of Life," a Turkish film that debuted earlier this month. The system will be integrated with upcoming films and the service will be available in all cinemas across Turkey.

Users simply launch the app before the screening of a film and plug in their earphones. The audio track within the app automatically synchronizes with the film. The app automatically stops during the film's breaks or in case of a technical error in the screening of the film.

Speaking at a press conference about the app, Burak Sevilengül, vice president for marketing at the cellphone operator, said the idea was conceived at a dinner last year when he met two visually-impaired people who told him about their dream of watching films in cinema without missing any details critical to the plot. He said they sought to improve the film-going experience of the visually impaired and wanted to promote social inclusion. He said they expect the free app to be used by 800,000 visually impaired citizens in Turkey by 2016.