HISTORY OF CAPTIONS

2000

• September - Creative Access just designated a "Pennsylvania Keystone Of Accessibility" First-time award from PA Council on the Arts'. Creative Access was nominated for the award by Steven Florio, President, PA Society for the Advancement of the Deaf.

• Deaf Oregonians file a law suit for all theaters to incorporate RWC; very controversial and costly. GCC Plymouth Meeting Mall stopped showing OC movies for over six months (replaced that with occasional RWC last year). That has changed and GCC is screening OC and RWC regularly thanks to Brian Callahan, GCC advocate for deaf and hard of hearing movie lovers.
Note: Open Captioning is still the most cost effective technology! Approximately $7,000 for the prototype and $800 or less per copy). However, again, Creative Access supports all types of captioning.

• A few movie theaters have committed to having a 'DEDICATED THEATER' -- dedicating one theater (often one out of 10 to 20 or more screens under one roof) solely for the purpose of showing OC movies, 365 days a year!

• UNITED ARTISTS RESPONDS to Creative Access-led public protests. Eight OC current title movies screened at UA Riverview on Columbus Blvd. between June and September, 2000 (BUT, ONLY ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAYS. WE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR 'WEEKEND' MOVIE CHOICES) Captioned movies continue regularly at General Cinemas in Plymouth Meeting, Franklin Mills, and Regal Theaters in Doylestown and Lancaster, PA.

1999

• NO OPEN CAPTIONED MOVIES SHOWN IN PHILADELPHIA or Bucks, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware Counties

• New technology known as RWC (Rear Window Captioning) introduced in a few theaters. Approximately 15 units are available per screening, requiring people to arrive 3o to 45 minutes early to be sure and get a unit for that show. RWC units are still cost-prohibitive for theaters to purchase in large numbers. This makes the Open Captioned format still the cheapest, easiest, most desired way to go for most people with hearing loss, although Creative Access takes the position that both captioning technologies at this point are acceptable...as long as it is continuous. Some people like RWC, some don't.

1998

• FIRST OC movies show in regular movie chains across America. Still now only 6 or 8 prints to go around for the whole country. Cities fighting for access.

1996-97

• END of paying $300 to screen a single OC movie one time.

1995

• Coalition (Creative Access, NAD, AG Bell, SHHH, NVRC and others) goes to Washington and Hollywood for meetings with producers, movie studio and theater owners.

1993-94

• NAD (National Association of the Deaf) initiated Movie Access Committee and names Carol Finkle chair. Finkle initiates first coalition of Deaf and hard of hearing organizations to meet with MPAA and NATO.

1992-93

• Only way to see an OC movie was for a Deaf organization to pay $300 for one screening. Tripod Captioned Films was the only organization connected to Hollywood and had sole distribution control of OC American films. Only one or two prints available for the whole nation.

1992-93

• National Petition to MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) and NATO (National Association of Theater Owners) began by Creative Access in Phila. First meetings with regional manger of United Artists theaters began.