Alex and Lee discuss their 2025 experiences at Sundance and Slamdance film festivals, including a recap of the movies they saw there. They also chat about the aspects of film festivals they appreciate in terms of accessibility, as well as identifying areas of continued growth they would like to see. If you have any questions or comments about anyth…

Alex and Lee chat with JC O’Connell, who performs live audio description for many performing arts events in the Los Angeles/Orange County area. In our conversation, JC discusses her process and preparing for the unexpected. If you live in the LA/OC area and would like to get in touch with JC, please e-mail her at [email protected] If you wou…

Alex and Lee chat with Dr. Joel Snyder, known as the pioneer of audio description. He is also the president of Audio Description Associates LLC and founder/senior consultant of the Audio Description Project. He has a wealth of knowledge and experience, which he shares in this insightful conversation. Visit the Audio Description Project here: https:…

Alex and Lee chat with Roy Samuelson, an audio description performer, voice actor, speaker, coach, and author of the book, A Voice Actor's Guide to Audio Description Performance: Crafting Immersive Entertainment Experiences for Blind Audiences. In our discussion, Roy highlights what makes for a good audio description performance and chronicles his …

Alex and Lee host the 2nd Annual Audio Description Roundtable. This year we are featuring the audio describers behind Anora, Dune Part Two, and The Substance. If you would like to reach us, feel free to e-mail us at [email protected] and be sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe on YouTube to @darkroomfilmcast. Check out the Blind Ca…

Listen to an excerpt from the Succeed Without Sight Summit interview Alex did while at the Sundance Film Festival, hosted by Kristen Smedley. If you would like to reach us, feel free to e-mail us at [email protected] and be sure to follow us on Instagram and subscribe on YouTube to @darkroomfilmcast. Check out the Blind Can Film Festival h…

Alex and Lee sit down for a chat with visually impaired writer, Marc Muszynski, who has worked on shows such as “Dexter” and “Polly Pocket”. Marc chronicles his journey with visual impairment and talks about his experience in the writers' room. Check out the Honest trailer for “Frozen” here: https://youtu.be/Zb5IH57SorQ?si=llA9Qhz6hGn_PCFH If you w…

Alex and Lee present their top 10 films of 2024. We want to take a moment to acknowledge the devastation and losses people are experiencing during the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. our hearts are with the city of Los Angeles and everyone affected by this natural disaster. For anyone looking for fire recovery resources, please visit: http://recover…

Happy New Year! As we look ahead to 2025, Alex and Lee share their most anticipated films of the year and some fun life updates. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail us at [email protected]. Also, be sure to follow us on Instagram and YouTube at @darkroomfilmcast. Lee’s award-winning short film, Audio Description: https://y…

Alex and Lee sit down with Rhys Lloyd, the Studio Head of Descriptive Video Works to discuss everything that goes into creating live audio description for the 2024 Summer Olympics, Paralympics, and Saturday Night Live, which has AD for the full season for the very first time! Contact Rhys Lloyd: [email protected] Contact Descriptive Video Works: inf…

We sit down with Nefertiti Matos Olivares, a band audio description narrator, writer, and advocate. She has done live audio description for the Academy Awards for the last two years among other notable projects. Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes …

Alex and Lee sit down with the team behind the world-class audio description of The Mandalorian (and the rest of the Mando-verse), which includes AD writer Justin Sohl and narrator Nicol Zanzarella. The Mandalorian and the rest of the Mando-verse is now streaming on Disney+. Huge thanks to Justin, Nicol, Disney, Deluxe, and LucasFilm! Find Nicol at…

In honor of Venom: The Last Dance's release, Alex and Lee debate the best and worst of the 9 Spider-Man Films! Email us and let us know what you think of the Spider-Man films! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for…

Alex and Lee welcome filmmakers , Aaron Sauerland and Dustin Little, to the show to discuss their upcoming short film “In Case Of Fear”. We also recap our favorite horror films of 2024 so far. If you would like to partner with Aaron and Dustin on “In Case Of Fear” which will have audio description, you can contribute to their campaign here: http://…

For this episode, Alex and Lee take a detour from the film world to discuss the video game landscape with Ross Minor, a blind accessibility consultant. Ross has played a huge role in advancing accessibility for video games within the blind and low vision communities and he discusses his experiences with us. TRIGGER WARNING: There are discussions of…

Alex and Lee chat with Tristan Snyder, blind audio describer and sound engineer. In our discussion, Tristan talks about his journey into the world of audio description and sound engineering and the way he navigates this being blind. Tristan’s website: https://ear2earsound.com Find video versions of Tristan’s audiobooks here: https://dcmp.org Questi…

Lee and Alex discuss the accessibility and history of movie trailers with special guest Kensuke Nakamura. He discusses his process when making audio described trailers. NOTE: This episode resulted in the Alien Romulus trailer getting described by Kensuke, you can find it, along with his other trailers. at the link below. Kensuke's Audio Described t…

Alex and Lee give their reactions to the 2024 Oscars ceremony and winners and review DUNE: PART 2. Please follow us on Instagram and YouTube at @darkroomfilmcast and if you have any questions or comments, we would love to hear from you! You can email us at [email protected]. Check out the Blind Can Film Festival hosted by our sponsor, Ben …

Now that the Oscars are over, Alex and Lee look ahead to the rest of the year and discuss their most anticipated films for the remainder of 2024. *** Please note: this episode was recorded prior to the release of “Dune: Part 2”. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American…

Alex and Lee continue their celebration of the accessible world of Disney with part 2 focusing on Disney animated films. They review the latest Disney animated feature “Wish” and share their favorite animated movies from the Disney cannon. Image Description: The words "The Dark Room" are in the classic 90s Disney Home Video white Font sitting over …

Watch the video version of this episode here! Alex and Lee are pleased to present this special panel presentation, featuring audio description writers and narrators who worked on 7 of the 10 Oscar-nominated Best Picture films. In their conversation, they celebrate the works of these wonderful individuals who made these films accessible and highligh…

Alex and Lee are joined by returning guest Jamie Gagnon to discuss Alex and Jamie's trip to Sundance 2024, the slate of films they saw, and the overall festival's accessibility. Watch the Thelma Post-Screening Q&A! (minor spoilers) Watch Jamie's newest horror shorts here! Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Descriptio…

Alex and Lee reflect on the films of 2023. They reveal their favorite audio description tracks and movies of the year! Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscribe …

Alex and Lee chat with Ashley Eakin, a disabled director and writer, who has worked on projects for Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+. Ashley recounts her journey into Hollywood, and what navigating her disability has looked like, as well as how her experiences have influenced her storytelling. She also discusses her experiences utilizing audio descr…

Lee and Alex chat with Michele Spitz, a speaker, philanthropist, audio, describer, and grant provider for filmmakers. In this episode, Michele discusses her journey into the audio description world, and the way she has been able to advance accessibility for blind and low vision viewers. Michele Spitz's Woman of Her Word website: https://www.womanof…

Happy Halloween! To celebrate spooky season, Alex and Lee chat with Rein Brooks, audio description writer for “Birth/Rebirth”, “The Royal Hotel”, and other films. We discuss your favorite horror films and the unique challenges of writing audio description for the horror genre. Note: When Rein discusses The Walking Dead description he is referring t…

In this part 2 episode, Alex continues recounting his experience at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and discusses the ways the film festival was accessible as well as areas where there is room for growth. Audio Description Project: https://adp.acb.org/ Questions? Email us at [email protected] Find transcripts of our episodes…

Alex had the amazing opportunity to attend the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and he is back to discuss his experience on this episode. In part one, Alex shares his thoughts on the movies he saw at TIFF and which ones he anticipates being part of the awards season conversations. Audio Description Project: https://adp.acb.org/ Questions?…

Alex and Lee welcome back friend and blind movie critic John Stark on the show to rank Christopher Nolan's entire filmography so far. In this second part, we review and rank Nolan's second six films from Inception through Oppenheimer. For a video version of this episode check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwfrdRkUMGDNwgL…

Alex and Lee welcome friend and blind movie critic John Stark on the show to rank Christopher Nolan's entire filmography so far. In this first part, we review and rank Nolan's first six films chronologically, Insomnia through The Dark Knight. For a video version of this episode check out our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwfrdRk…

Alex and Lee chat with Kurt Yeager, a disabled actor whose credits include “Sons Of Anarchy”, “NCIS”, and “The Beanie Bubble”. in our conversation, Kurt discusses the accident that caused his disability, his philosophy on representation and navigating Hollywood, and the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes. If you would like to help the industry professionals…

Join Lee and Alex for a conversation with Liz Gutman, an audio description content creator. In this episode, Liz discusses her process of writing audio description, what inspired her to get into this field, and more. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for…

Alex and Lee discuss their favorite films, audio description tracks, and performances of 2023 so far. Support the showBy Alex Howard and Lee Pugsley

Lee and Alex talk about the positives and negatives of at-home movie and TV viewing from a legally blind perspective. We discuss the accessibility of the major streaming services, devices, and physical media. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Bli…

Alex and Lee celebrate Disney accessibility with a focus on live-action films. They review the recent adaptation of “The Little Mermaid”, rank the live-action remakes, and share some favorite nostalgic classics. Image Description: The words "The Dark Room" are in the classic 90s Disney Home Video white Font sitting over the iconic light blue Disney…

Lee and Alex are guest speakers at an "Accessibility in Cinema" class at DePaul University. Listen in! Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscribe to our YouTube C…

Alex and Lee welcome special guest, Jamie Gagnon, Script Coordinator for the television series, 9-1-1. In our conversation, Jamie discusses his short films, making audio description tracks for them, and the current Writers Guild of America Strike. Jamie's Accessible Shorts Playlist on Vimeo & YouTube! Jamie's AD short, Ax-essibility. A great WGA St…

Alex and Lee discuss their movie sin lists: the classic films they have never seen and recount their most memorable movie-going experiences. Alex's Article about the AFI List: https://www.allsensesgo.com/classic-cinema/ Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council …

Lee and Alex discuss what it's like going to the movie theater as a legally blind patron. What we like, using audio description devices and how it can be improved. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episode…

Lee and Alex discuss their most anticipated films for the rest of 2023 and their brief thoughts on John Wick Chapter 4. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscribe…

A conversation with Aaron Sauerland, script supervisor of the Oscar nominated film "Marcel the Shell with Shoes On." Listen to Aaron discuss his on set experiences and opinions on disability representation in the industry as well as audio description. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for an…

Alex and Lee discuss several topics related to the Oscars and give their Oscar predictions. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! Sup…

Alex and Lee discuss their favorite movies of 2022 and how expectations and audio description impacted their experience. Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscrib…

Welcome to The Dark Room! Listen and learn about our background, eyesight and love of cinema! Questions? Email us at [email protected] Search for Audio Description availability for any title on the American Council for the Blind's Website! Find transcripts of our episodes on our hosting site, Buzzsprout! Subscribe to our YouTube Channel! S…

Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen almost went on a blind date once. But that near-miss romance eventually turned into a decades long friendship where they’ve traveled the world, helped each other in their careers, hosted NYE coverage on CNN together and now get to commiserate over being fathers late in life. Sources https://people.com/tv/anderson-coop…

When Nick Kroll was running auditions for his college improv group, a young John Mulaney showed up and has been in Kroll's life ever since. LINKS: https://www.nickiswift.com/373495/the-truth-about-john-mulaney-and-nick-krolls-friendship/ https://time.com/4675663/nick-kroll-john-mulaney-spirits-awards-interview/ https://www.buzzfeed.com/annehelenpet…

Andy Kaufman & Bob Zmuda's friendship showed that two friends dedicated to a singular vision can shake the world's concept of reality and truth, in this case, with hilarious results. LINKS Andy Kaufman on SNL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yxp23Gkvn9g Andy Kaufman Elvis Impression: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kpBzUQHYtM Andy Kaufman and Jerr…

Dave Grohl & Taylor Hawkins were bandmates and best friends. Taylor's death in the spring of 2022 had a profound effect on Grohl, who shared his grief with the world through cathartic memorial concerts for Hawkins at Wembley Stadium and The Forum featuring friends and family also processing grief. LINKS: https://www.thethings.com/dave-grohl-and-tay…

We asked the Chat GPT AI a bunch of questions about friendship for humans and robots. Here's what it said. FOLLOW US: Brian Wohl: Twitter: http://twitter.com/brianwohl Instagram: http://instagram.com/brianwohl Facebook: http://facebook.com/brianwohl Marc Muszynski: Twitter: http://twitter.com/marcmuszynski Instagram: http://instagram.com/marcmuszyn…

Christina Ricci & Gaby Hoffman bonded while filming "Now And Then" and have kept their friendship going for 27 years. LINKS: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/06/christina-ricci-gaby-hoffmann-reunited-awards-insider https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/walking-and-talking-with-gaby-hoffman-as-an-actress-vanity-is-your-enemy/2016/03/24/e…