Media Access


Access!

Do you need captions, audio description, transcripts, or other accessibility for your film, podcast, or marketing materials? Reach out to me and tell me what you’re working on. Scroll on down to read more about my work here.

In addition to creating documentary film and audio, Cheryl provides high-quality media accessibility. Accessible media is key to promoting civic engagement and equity, and for enjoying entertainment. Check out her article, “Audio Description as a Tool for Equity.” And hop over to “What Ignoring the Disability Community Costs Hollywood” on The Cutaway, an article by Kerry McLaughlin featuring an interview with Cheryl and other disabled media artists.

Find Cheryl’s captioning credits Google Doc here.

Find Cheryl’s Audio Description credits Google Doc here.

Services

  • Closed and Open Captions
  • Subtitles (Spanish and English)
  • Podcast transcription
  • Audio Description for film and gallery exhibitions
  • Image descriptions for web, accessible documents, and social media
  • Pre-production through post-production consultations helping you plan for and deliver beautiful, accessible content

Cheryl’s been providing transcription for over 25 years. She’s studied language acquisition, linguistics, literacy development, and anti-racist activism, which all contribute to high-quality, culturally responsive work. You can find her transcription work on Disability Visibility Podcast, Off-Kilter Podcast from The Century Foundation (and formerly by Center for American Progress Action Fund), Bitch Media’s two podcasts (Backtalk and Popaganda), most of DisTopia’s My Dearest Friends Project, and of course, her own podcast, Pigeonhole.

You haven’t watched any of Cheryl’s films on PBS, but her captions have been broadcast there! She focuses on captions and subtitles for streaming and DVD for independent filmmakers and grassroots organizers, including many titles in the New Day Films collection.

After 40 hours of training with blind and non-blind Audio Description instructors from Audio Description Training Retreats and 14 hours on blind-centered audio description for dance with Krishna Washburn of Dark Room Ballet, Cheryl has written, narrated, and produced independent documentaries and disability dance films, including some in the New Day Films collection, films screened at Superfest Disability Film Festival, for Kinetic Light, and for Simon Fraser University’s The Pandemic is a Portal online exhibition. Audio Description scripts are typically written collaboration with filmmakers and artists. She always collaborates with paid blind and low vision quality control specialists to review and revise her scripts before recording. She is a member of the Social Audio Description collective. Find her credits on the Audio Description Network Alliance.

If you’ve noticed all the blog posts on this site are audio recorded, the reason is access! Audio provides a different way into the content for people who don’t use screen readers, or maybe they do but want to hear my voice reading for a change of pace.

Contact me!

Please fill out this Google Form to tell me more about your project today or contact cheryl at StoryMinders dot com to discuss rates and availability.

Why have high-quality, human-made transcripts, captions, and image descriptions?

My primary goal is to support d/Deaf, hard of hearing, blind and low vision, and disabled audiences, but there are more reasons!

  • Captions and transcripts
    • Have recognized support for learning a different language and developing literacy skills in your own or a different language
    • Are fabulous for researchers and others who want to cite or quote your audio or video content
    • Can be ideal for assisting in the editing process as you create your podcast or video
    • Will boost SEO
  • Image descriptions
    • Give access to graphics and photos for people who have unreliable Internet connections
    • Offer audiences insight into details of an image they might not have noticed
    • Will boost SEO

This is the kind of work that guides my access practice: Here, artist Christine Sun Kim rewrites closed captions in short film in ASL and captions called “Closer Captions.”

Video on YouTube has open and closed captions. The text transcript and video description can be found online as well.