Signed Language(s) Interpretation

For any language that is used in an audio or audiovisual commission, it should be interpreted in order to provide access for deaf BSL users. The interpretation should be either in British Sign Language (BSL) or another signed language. An artist who is commissioned to create an audio or audiovisual piece of work should consult a (British) Sign Language interpreter directly to interpret the commission. This ensures that the interpreter has a comprehensive knowledge of the lexicon used in the commission, including nuances, and instances when what is said is not meant to be intelligible at all. The interpreter MUST be registered with the National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People (NRCPD) or another national equivalent. The interpreter should be booked as far in advance as possible, ideally even over three months in advance – they book up extremely quickly. Make sure to also set money aside for travel costs of getting the interpreter to and from the venue if you are hiring them for an event they have to travel to. If the live event is over an hour, two interpreters must be hired, otherwise the quality of interpretation decreases dramatically due to fatigue. The interpreter(s) can advise on this, as it depends on the type of event. Lectures and other long talks with specialist material are guaranteed to need two interpreters, since the pace can be very fast and the material is complex. When hiring an interpreter for a commission, the artist should consider if, how, and why the interpreter should be specifically interwoven with the work instead of being an add-on, primarily for accessibility of the commission, and also for artistic reasons. Accessibility should always be prioritised in this instance – if it isn’t accessible, it isn’t complete. More detailed information about best practice when working with interpreters can be found on the Association of Sign Language Interpreters website and the National Union of British Sign Language Interpreters website, including Interpreter Fee Guidance. You can use the NRCPD site to search for interpreters and captioners throughout the UK. >> This link takes you to a search for English/BSL interpreters in Dundee.