In recent years, accessibility in the audiovisual industry has gained greater relevance, driving initiatives that enhance diversity and inclusion. Among the proposed solutions, the figure of the accessibility coordinator has emerged as a new department and professional role that «ensures the participation of people with disabilities behind the screen, their non-stereotypical representation on screen, and the consideration of accessibility from the production and exhibition phases, acting as a bridge between the creative team and the accessibility team.»
To learn about this proposal, and since we have been asked about it several times, we will now compare it with inclusive cinema.
The Access Coordinator Model
Access coordination is a model that is primarily promoted from various academic and university fields. It consists of a specialized professional whose main task is to ensure that an audiovisual production meets certain accessibility standards. Their role is to supervise and advise on the representation, participation, and planning of accessible measures within the production process. This allows both accessibility companies and people with disabilities to have better conditions to perform their work.
The model suggests that audio description, for example, «should be considered from the production process of a work through collaboration between the creative team and the accessibility team. This figure is responsible for coordinating and supervising the necessary measures to ensure that both the production and the reception of the work are accessible to all those who wish to use audio description.»
From this quote, it can be understood that, while their function helps meet certain regulatory requirements, the access coordinator does not replace accessibility companies, but rather adds specialized personnel to the production team. Their work focuses on supervision and advice, without assuming full responsibility for technical adjustments.
Additionally, the access coordinator does not address certain essential aspects of accessibility. For example, this model does not consider accessibility from the scriptwriting stage, but rather at a later phase of production, limiting its impact within the creation and distribution of audiovisual works.
Advantages of the Access Coordinator:
- Ensures the implementation of specific measures such as subtitling and audio description.
- Provides a clear reference within the production and promotes the participation of people with disabilities.
- Facilitates the incorporation of accessibility in production companies with no previous experience in this field.
- Contributes to a broader understanding of accessibility within the audiovisual sector.
- Highlights existing barriers in the current model and promotes greater awareness.
Challenges of the Access Coordinator:
- May create dependency on an external role without transforming the internal structure of production.
- Continues to treat accessibility as an additional requirement rather than integrating it into the creative process by qualified professionals.
- The incorporation of a new professional role may complicate accessibility in low-budget productions.
- Collaboration between filmmakers and access coordinators can create challenges in decision-making.
- The diversity and specificity within the disability sector and the different systems of alternative communication present additional challenges for this role.
Accessibility as a Shared Responsibility
Unlike the access coordinator model, the inclusive cinema model emerges from the audiovisual industry itself. As a production company, we defend accessibility as a fundamental principle shared by all members of a production team. We believe that accessibility should not be seen as an isolated task or an addition assigned to a specific profile, but as an integral process that begins from the very moment an audiovisual project is conceived. This approach requires a real commitment and active collaboration among all professionals involved, from scriptwriting to distribution.
The integral approach to accessibility at Mi Cine Inclusivo seeks not only to adapt works but also to position accessibility as a transversal axis throughout the entire creative and production process. This includes raising awareness and training the team members, so that each stage—from script development to post-production and distribution—naturally considers accessibility needs without needing to modify the work later.
Differences Between Inclusive Cinema and the Access Coordinator
Rather than relying on an access coordinator to oversee specific technical aspects, this approach promotes that all team members—from the director to the editor, the screenwriter, and production designers—are trained to incorporate necessary accessibility measures at every stage of the project. This ensures that accessibility is not just an addition but a fundamental part of the narrative and aesthetic of the work.
Additionally, by shifting the mindset of the creation and distribution teams, we promote continuous and natural learning about the collaboration and participation of people with disabilities both in front of and behind the camera. This active integration process not only fosters more inclusive interactions but also enriches the project with diverse perspectives and skills. In this way, each production becomes a tangible reflection of how accessibility is lived organically throughout all stages of the creative process.
Advantages of Inclusive Cinema:
- Allows for accessibility to be planned from the beginning, avoiding later modifications.
- Promotes a structural change within the industry by training professionals in accessibility.
- Reduces long-term costs by eliminating the need for external intermediaries.
- Ensures direct collaboration with accessibility teams from the start of the project.
- Aligns with the principles of universal design and the demands of disability communities.
- The change in perspective allows any project to be developed in an autonomous and inclusive manner.
Challenges of Inclusive Cinema:
- Requires specific training within the audiovisual sector.
- Involves a profound transformation in the way content is produced.
- May take longer to implement if there is no real commitment within the industry.
Where Should the Industry Be Heading?
The debate is not about the need for accessibility, but about how to incorporate it. While the access coordinator model may be useful in certain contexts, the true structural change occurs when accessibility stops being an add-on and becomes a fundamental pillar of the creative process.
Mi Cine Inclusivo’s inclusive cinema ecosystem seeks exactly this: to train professionals with a comprehensive view of accessibility, including aspects that the access coordinator model does not address in depth.
Accessibility in cinema should not be seen as an external obligation, but as a principle that transforms the industry from its core. Achieving this depends on the involvement of all professionals.
If you want to learn more about this approach, explore the resources of Mi Cine Inclusivo or participate in our initiatives to make cinema a truly accessible space for everyone.
