Take 1's Ryan Hennessey explains how a love for creative writing and film is a great basis for becoming an audio describer
By Contributor
Published: August 16, 2022 Updated: August 17, 2022
Take 1's Ryan Hennessey explains how a love for creative writing and film is a great basis for becoming an audio describer
target=_blank title=Share on LinkedIn class=share-linkedin>
Ryan Hennessey, audio describer at Take 1 Talk us through a day in your role: As an audio describer, I help create the audio description track which makes TV shows and films accessible to visually impaired audiences. I'm responsible for writing the script for a narrator to describe what's happening on the screen in the gaps between the dialogue.
I work with anything from animated short films, social media content and episodic TV, through to lengthier crime documentaries and full Hollywood films. It can take anywhere from 30 minutes to script a short advert, through to an entire day for a film. The time involved also depends on the genre horror movies have much less dialogue than a drama, pacing is important, and you have to carefully choose which information is critical to support the story.
I usually start by watching the media all the way though, marking out where I'll add in the audio descriptions. The first watch helps me pick out exactly what I need to describe for the listener. Then I watch it again, this time creating the audio descriptions as I go. After I've written the script, it gets sent off to be recorded, and I review the final audio before delivering it to the client.
How did you get started in the media industry? When I finished my A-levels, my brother had just started a role at Take 1 in a similar department. I'd decided I wanted to start working rather than go to university, and he suggested getting in touch with Take 1. They brought me onboard for work experience, where I worked in a few different departments. The audio description department was relatively new at the time, and I enjoyed the work and found that audio description fit nicely with my interest in creative writing and film.
After my work experience, they offered me a position - and I've been here for four years now! They have such a varied offering, so it was a good way to find my niche in the industry.
What training did you have before entering the industry? Before entering the industry, I'd taken my GCSEs and A levels. My GCSE in media studies and my A-Level in English language gave me a good starting point for the role, and I enjoy writing, which is what made audio describing a good fit, as there's so much room for creativity when writing scripts.
Most of my training came directly from Take 1. When I joined the department, it was still relatively new, and I was trained by two audio describers - I shadowed their work, learning about different types of media and getting used to the writing style. They trained me on the software and eventually I had enough experience to write on my own.
Why do you enjoy working in the industry? I have a passion for TV and film, and obviously creative writing. It's interesting having to balance what's happening on screen, selecting the most important visual information, and also making the descriptions interesting for any visually impaired viewers - we want the content to be just as enjoyable with audio descriptions as it is without them.
You also have to work around time constraints, getting the right amount of information and context into the often-small gaps in dialogue. And with film - you have to think a lot about set up, and how to convey minute but important details without giving too much away.
The audio description sector is expanding, which is such a positive thing - it feels good to be a part of a growing access service which helps more audiences engage with TV and film. It's rewarding to be a part of that process, and I'd like to eventually be able to train and mentor new employees in the department.
What piece of advice would you offer someone looking to explore a role similar to yours? Getting the hang of the role is really about practice, and you learn by experience. The more you write, the easier it gets to pick out which details are important. If you have an interest in media and you like being creative, it's a great avenue to go down, and it's rewarding to do.
It's a growing industry too - UK broadcasters must provide audio descriptions for at least 10 per cent of their programmes and Ofcom is preparing to present recommendations to the government for quotas for streaming platforms and on-demand services. There's a big drive to increase that number, which I support - there's a whole demographic of people using this type of service as an aid, helping them better enjoy visual media.
Most recent headlines
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
27/11/2025
LONDON Vizrt has added several AI-driven advanced features offering improved speed, intelligence and accuracy in the newest version of its media asset managemen...
27/11/2025
Prime Video has launched AI-powered video season recaps in a beta version for select English-language Prime Original series in the U.S., a move Amazon is callin...
27/11/2025
27 Nov 2025
GSMA brings M360 Eurasia 2026 to Samarkand in partnership with VEON...
27/11/2025
Tahar Rahim and Izuka Hoyle star in the gripping six-part Sky Original from Acad...
27/11/2025
Thursday 27 November 2025
Sky Arts Reveals the Nation's Greatest Basslines - and Queen Reign Supreme
The UK's most iconic basslines have been revealed...
27/11/2025
Back to All News
Stranger Things 5': Prepare for One Last Adventure With O...
27/11/2025
The media industry has a paradox at its core. It's an industry built on light, color and imagination, yet behind the scenes, it's powered by one of the ...
27/11/2025
Rating reflects rating progress across areas including policies, diversity & inclusion, health & safety and Net Zero leadership
Winchester, UK, 27 November 202...
27/11/2025
What are the industry standards for Retail Media? Kathryn explains that certification is based on the IAB Europe Retail Media Measurement Standards and the IAB ...
27/11/2025
World champion boxer and Irish sporting icon Katie Taylor will be in studio this...
27/11/2025
Roblox, one of the world's most popular online gaming platforms for primary ...
27/11/2025
Black Friday is leveling up. Get ready to score one of the biggest deals of the season - 50% off the first three months of a new GeForce NOW Ultimate membership...
26/11/2025
SVG Sit-Down: Prime Video EP Mike Muriano Previews Massive Black Friday Slate Fe...
26/11/2025
A cinematic snow sculpture at the 1995 Sundance Film Festival. Photo by Randall Michelson...
26/11/2025
Book podcasts are booming. On Spotify, you'll find everything from celebrity book clubs to deep dives with bestselling authors. And in markets where audiobo...
26/11/2025
Mumbai, November 24, 2025: In a first-of-its-kind initiative, JioStar, in collab...
26/11/2025
LONDON Factual content producer ITN Productions has launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins....
26/11/2025
MIAMI TelevisaUnivision said it struck a new multiyear distribution agreement with YouTube TV that includes distribution of TelevisaUnivision's U.S. network...
26/11/2025
OpenDrives, Inc., a leader in software-defined data storage and data services, today announced the launch of the Atlas Corporate Creative Solution. This new Atl...
26/11/2025
Disguise, the industry-leading company powering the world's biggest live performances, is partnering with pioneering LED wall manufacturer DVS to give atten...
26/11/2025
HighField AI, the pioneer in agentic and multimodal automation for broadcast and media production, today announced the expansion of its global channel partner n...
26/11/2025
As high-stakes Premier League fixtures approach and additional premium content launches, with MONO positioning themselves to dominate Thailand's sports stre...
26/11/2025
Hosting a wide variety of events from high-intensity NHL games to complex live music concerts and major entertainment productions, Montreal's 21,000 capacit...
26/11/2025
Vizrt, the leader in live production technology revolutionizing viewer engagement and experience, releases AI-driven advances focusing on speed, intelligence, a...
26/11/2025
ITN Productions, an award-winning factual content producer, today launched a new low-latency IP gallery for news bulletins. Responsible for delivering a leading...
26/11/2025
Ikegami reports ongoing advances throughout 2025 in developing and delivering coordinated television production solutions that maximize quality, versatility and...
26/11/2025
Following the Nov. 21 blackout of NBCUniversal channels on Fubo, the two sides have traded barbs about their inability to reach a new carriage deal....
26/11/2025
LONDON As TV sports rights become increasingly important for both broadcasters and streamers, Ampere Analysis predicts global investment in the genre will surpa...
26/11/2025
LOS ANGELES Vubiquity said it has achieved the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Media & Entertainment Competency as part of the AWS Partner Network (APN). This designa...
26/11/2025
WASHINGTON The Federal Communications Commission's Enforcement Bureau said it has entered into a consent decree with Comcast calling for the cable company t...
26/11/2025
Berklee Named to the Hollywood Reporters Top Music Schools List The publication highlights the college's screen scoring program, industry partnerships, and ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Animated Series Love Through a Prism' Casts New Light on ...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
NALIP Unveils Fifth Cohort of Director Incubator
Social Impact
26 November 2025
United States
Link copied to clipboard
The National Assoc...
26/11/2025
YouView Achieves Greenly Gold Certification for SustainabilityNov 26, 2025
YouView is proud to announce a Gold Certification award from Greenly for our perform...
26/11/2025
Back to All News
Netflix Deepens Partnership with Taiwan's 62nd Golden Hors...
25/11/2025
Tracy Bonareri Onchoke, an investigative journalist from Kenya is the winner of the Thomson Foundation's Young Journalist Award 2025.
The 26-year-old-sele...
25/11/2025
SVG All-Stars: Blayke Scheer, Senior Director, Creative Content, YES NetworkThe Indiana alum has turned storytelling into an artform for more than two decadesBy...
25/11/2025
Op-Ed: With FCC's C-Band Auction on the Horizon, Broadcasters Need Proven, C...
25/11/2025
Analysis: Is Baller League really the future of sport? By Callum McCarthy, Editor-at-Large
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:10
Print This Story
With KSI on...
25/11/2025
Platinum Whitepaper: The Growth of Broadcast in the World of Major Large Scale E...
25/11/2025
SVG Summit 2025 Preview: SVG Women's Sports WorkshopBy Samantha Gabay
Tuesday, November 25, 2025 - 10:27 am
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlig...
25/11/2025
SVG New Sponsor Spotlight: CacheFly's Matt Levine on the Evolving Role of th...
25/11/2025
Peacock's EA SPORTS Madden NFL Cast Levels Up on Thanksgiving With SkyCam as...
25/11/2025
Mathias Broe attends the 2025 Sundance Film Festival premiere of Sauna at Library Center Theatre. (Photo by Michael Hurcomb/Shutterstock for Sundance Film Fes...
25/11/2025
The best playlists, podcasts, and audiobooks bring a little extra magic to your daily routine. With new features and offerings, Spotify Premium delivers even mo...
25/11/2025
Comprehensive new research confirms what we already knew: Australian music fans love the quality, quantity, and access they have to new and local music on strea...
25/11/2025
Applicable Products
Objectives The purpose of this application note is to give a brief background on 5G (NR) wireless communication an explain the reason a SN...
25/11/2025
Nielsen will now measure both Lionsgate's FAST channel MovieSphere and Movie...
Take 1's Ryan Hennessey explains how a love for creative writing and film is a great basis for becoming an audio describer
