I attended a pre-screening of Heartbreak High at the invitation of Vision Australia, which partnered with Netflix for the event.

The purpose of the screening was to showcase episode one of Season 3 with audio description. Audio description is available to users across streaming platforms, as well as through headsets in cinemas, live theatre, galleries and sporting events.

In screen media, it provides a descriptive layer for people who are vision-impaired or legally blind, playing alongside the dialogue and soundtrack.

As part of a conscious effort to say yes to more opportunities this year, I decided this was one worth taking. As both a writer and a Netflix enjoyer, it was an amazing event to attend, and I knew it would make for a valuable content opportunity too.

I brought two friends with me, and both said they enjoyed the experience.

The event included pre-drinks and mingling, speeches from both Netflix and Vision Australia, and a client sharing their experience with audio description. It was emphasised throughout the evening that these accommodations are essential in creating a more inclusive viewing experience for everyone.

As someone who has gradually lost more vision over time, and therefore relies on audio description more and more, I wholeheartedly agree.

Like many things in the human experience, when you lose access to something you may once have had, you notice. For me, that includes audio description, among other things. As a long-time Netflix user, I remember what it was like when the platform’s library did not offer audio description. 

Watching this episode, I found the audio description clear and effective, and I never felt left out of any important information.

One aspect of the screening that surprised me was that the audio-described track was played openly in the cinema. Usually, audio description in cinemas is delivered through a separate headset. 

Here, however, the audio-described version played directly on the big screen for everyone in the room. That also meant people who may not usually opt in had the chance to experience what it is like.

After the screening, I asked my friends what they thought of both the episode and the audio description component. Both responded positively, saying they were “excited” and that the event was “insightful” because it allowed them to experience something in a different way.

I can confidently say I agree. I’m looking forward to watching the rest of season 3, and I hope I get to experience more opportunities like this in the future.

Featured image: Alex Bartley (right) and the audio description pre-screening of Heartbreak High. Photos: Alex Bartley

As a writer, you often seek ways to improve, find inspiration when stuck, learn from your peers, and so on. Every writer’s journey is personal. However, it is often argued that reading and writing are permanently linked.

The question, “Does reading inform the creative writing process?” piqued my interest.

Nautica Blue is a chronic hobbyist, professional student, self-published author, and soon-to-be medical professional. She is 25, Black and Puerto Rican.

Blue has self-published two books, with a third set for release at the end of summer.

“I read because I love to immerse myself in the heads of other writers and in the worlds they create,” she said. “Reading a new book is like living another life.” 

She explained that the genres she reads most are dystopian, fantasy, and romance, while also dabbling in thrillers, horror, and the occasional children’s book.

“Often I jump between reading and writing because of the inspiration I gather through my reading. It’s nearly impossible for me to read a story and not see some element in the plot, world-building, or character that inspires an idea in my head.”

Her pull towards writing began young. The first full story she wrote was a one-page piece in fourth grade, followed by a deeply personal short story in seventh grade. By high school, she was working on and publishing her first book.

She explained reading made her gravitate towards becoming a writer, with books such as Geronimo Stilton and Legend by Marie Lu proving especially important in that journey.

For Blue, the relationship between writing and reading involves engaging with the genre she wishes to write in. 

When reading, she often makes mental notes of details that spark inspiration, from world-building to character traits. These are the kinds of elements that may eventually find their way into her own story planning. 

At the same time, she made it clear that she reads to draw inspiration from different styles rather than to change her own author’s voice.

Featured image: A laptop and book on a counter. Photo: Alex Bartley