What Is Closed Captioning in Movie Theaters and How Does It Work

There’s a particularly enjoyable feeling that comes from experiencing a great movie in a theater. That said, we don’t know how frustrating it is for people with hearing issues who want to enjoy the large screen but are unable to understand what’s being said. With the availability of closed captions in movie theaters, this problem is solved effectively!

Note: With Simon Says, you can automatically add captions to your videos with the use of AI-powered technology. All it takes is a few clicks and the software will turn your audio into text to use for captions.

Why movies need closed captions

Closed captions are a text version of the spoken words and other key audio elements in a movie. Not only do they make movies accessible to those who are deaf or hard-of-hearing, they also help others who struggle to understand the speakers. Non-native speakers might use closed captions in movie theaters to keep up with the speed and nuance of spoken dialogue. No matter who is watching, closed captions often provide extra context and help enrich the story for all viewers

Types of movie theater closed captions

There are three types of closed captions commonly used in movie theaters:

1. Mirror Captions

Captions of the movie are played at the back of the cinema. You are given a mirror that you can store in your cup holder. You are directed to adjust the mirror in a way that enables you to see the captions in your mirror. As you watch the movie, the closed captions are reflected the right way around in your mirror.

2. Closed Captioning Smart Glasses

A pair of wide-tinted glasses are provided to you that is attached to a box with several wires. These glasses enable you to read the captions in a display at the bottom of the glasses. You wear the box around your neck. There are some disadvantages of these heavily wired glasses.

3. Closed caption stands

A flexible long pole by your side that is attached to a small rectangular screen is provided to you. This screen is small enough that you can effortlessly insert it into your cup holder. The screen displays the captions for you, and you can also easily adjust the flexible pole to your liking.

Learn more about closed captions

The best option for cinemas to provide people with hearing disabilities is to implement open captions in the movie itself. This way, the captions are displayed directly on the screen, and no one has any problem understanding the movie.

If you want to make your videos readily accessible to all viewers, Simon Says provides flexible and easy-to-use options for adding captions and subtitles. With just a few clicks you can add burned in (open) captions to videos, all within your favorite non-linear editor.

Check out our captioning extensions for a quick and simple way to upgrade your video production.