Technology helps deaf or blind enjoy movies

When her sense of hearing started to go, Florence Halbright also lost one of her passions in life - American movies. She could only watch foreign films because they were subtitled.
Now because of the innovative Motion Picture Access (MoPix) technology that is designated to enable the deaf, blind or hard-of-hearing to take part in the movie-going process, Halbright will once again be able to watch American films.
“I couldn’t hear what they were saying,” she said of going to theaters without this equipment. “But with this (system), I would come back.”
Halbright was referring to DVS Theatrical Systems, the audio headsets that narrate the film and the Rear Window Captioning Systems, which offer captioning of the actual dialogue on a hand-held Plexiglas screen with a plastic base that can be put on top of cup holders.
“I use headphones [to watch] television and I thought it was great,” said Fred Wiener, who was at the College Point Multiplex to test out the new equipment. “It was very effective. It didn’t create a problem with my hearing aid, either.”
The audio headsets don’t just narrate what’s going on. “They match the nature of the film,” said Brian Callahan of National Amusements, which operates Multiplex and Cinema de Lux theatres. “If it’s a drama, they use broader vocabulary, or if it’s a serious part, the narration will speed up.”
The College Point theater is not the first in the area to install MoPix; Jamaica Multiplex Cinemas also introduced it recently, as did theaters in Brooklyn, the Bronx and Holtsville.
MoPix was developed by the Media Access Group at WGBH, a Boston public broadcasting station. It is working at theaters throughout New Jersey and in 10 other states.
College Point Multiplex Cinemas will designate one of its screens for MoPix. The times and movies that will be available with these new devices can be accessed via the website nationalamusements.com.