The Guideline of Scriptwriting for Sign-Presented TV Programme for the Audience with Hearing Impairment

Abstract

Combining the writer’s technical know-how with reviewing the relevant literatures and interviewing the professional scriptwriters, this article is aimed to propose the guideline of scriptwriting for signed-presented TV programme for the audience with hearing impairment. The main area of investigation is the feature of signed-presented TV programme which is the one that is presented to the audience with the full-screen sign language, the extra voice over, and the captions throughout the length of the show. By these essentials components, the people with hearing impairment are equal to the mass audience regarding the accessibility of information. To this end, the scriptwriter is suggested to acknowledge the ability and limitation in communication of the people in this group in order to effectively visualize and present the programme concerning the content selection and the use of language.

          Dealing with audience with hearing impairment, this article proposes five steps of scriptwriting techniques. The first step is ‘planning’ which should be under the concept of equality between people who are disabled and those who are not. The second step is ‘researching’ which is dealt with the selection of content that is applicable and useful for their living. The next one is ‘writing synopsis.’ The sequence of story has to be well organized and not to be complicated. The fourth step is ‘writing shooting script.’ Visual communication is the prioritization that scriptwriter should pay attention to. Moreover, sign language must be free from any interference. The final step is ‘rewriting’ meaning that the scriptwriter should seek for advices from the people with hearing impairment or having them as a script editor. The script will, therefore, be practicable for media production. Additionally, the use of language should be in semi-formal style representing concise format with to-the-point and easy-to-understand sentences in chronological arrangement.