First Public Working Draft: Dubbing and Audio description Profiles of TTML2

The Timed Text Working Group has published a First Public Working Draft of Dubbing and Audio description Profiles of TTML2. This specification defines DAPT, a TTML-based file format for the exchange of timed text content in dubbing and audio description workflows as typically applied when localizing or making accessible versions of videos.

Those workflows begin with transcription, allow for translation and fine tuning, known as adaptation, to result in scripts that can be used to generate audio renderings, either by recording a human voice or by using text to speech.

Those audio recordings can be associated with the scripts directly, as can mixing instructions so that an alternative audio track incorporating the recordings can be generated, either prior to distribution or in the player directly.

If the scripts are distributed to players they can be used to provide an alternative, non-audio, representation, for example on a Braille display.

DAPT is intended to meet the requirements defined in DAPT-REQS and builds on work done initially in the Audio Description Community Group.