Recommended Practices

Accessibility: Reports, Toolkits, Guides and More

• A Toolkit for Inclusion & Accessibility: Changing the Narrative of Disability in Documentary Film (FWD-Doc) — Toolkit with a lens to best practices, not just compliance.

• Accessibility Checklist (FEAW) — Aid for organizations identify areas for growth in film event accessibility.

• Accessibility Guide 2024 (Underground Music Showcase) — Full accessibility guide for events.

• Accessibility In Cinemas: How Wheelchair Friendly Are Cinemas? Reflections By A Wheelchair User

• The Audio Description Project — Provides a wealth of information about audio description, including a list of audio-described films.

• The Accessible Filmmaking Guide (Dr. Pablo Romero-Fresco of University of Roehampton; Dr Louise Fryer of BBC and UCL) — A comprehensive resource on accessible and inclusive filmmaking practices and processes.

• Inclusive Cinema Project (BFI Film Audience Network) — Accessibility service recommendations, guides, research, and training information.

• Inclusive Event Design (Google) — Supports creating inclusive and accessible events for attendees who request accommodations, and those who may not due to perceived stigma.

• How To Make Your Website Accessible — Guide for gamers and has many resources for filmmakers.

• Accessibility in Gaming Resource Guide (Jennifer Kretchmer)

• Checking PDFs for Accessibility — Quick guide for checking accessibility of PDFs.

Consultants and Services for Accessibility and Inclusion

• DisCourse — A consulting and coaching group dedicated to helping businesses, educational institutions, and nonprofit organizations craft comprehensive strategies of accessibility and inclusion. DisCourse helps multiple types of communities create standards of accessibility that move beyond ADA compliance. This work is informed by findings and experiences associated with DisArt and its public programming.

• FEAW Vendor Database — An expanding list of great film access vendors.

• LaVant Consulting — A social impact communications firm that offers cutting-edge corporate development and content marketing for brands and nonprofits.

Employing Disabled Creatives

• Share opportunities with FWD-Doc — Share job opportunities, speaker/panelist opportunities, consultant requests, or other career or funding-related opportunities with our members by sending details about the opportunities to hello@fwd-doc.org. We are currently creating talent and expert databases, and we look forward to announcing them in due course.

  • When sharing an opportunity, please include:

    • Clear and accessible job descriptions and contact info

    • A summary of commitment to accessibility and inclusion from the company or production

    • Information about whom to contact to request accommodations from the company or production.

• Yes I Can Unity Through Music and Education — Provides creatives with disabilities customized training and employment services to acquire necessary skills to assist them in securing careers within the entertainment industry earning a competitive wage.

Accessibility in Production

Production Accessibility Coordinators

• IndieVisible — Provide production accessibility coordinator services, captioning, audio description, subtitles, and consulting on accessibility and web accessibility.

• FEAW Vendor Database — An expanding list of great film access vendors.

Budgeting for Accessibility

• Inevitable Foundation — Provide accessibility budget templates, calculators, and consulting to companies on budgeting for accessibility.

For Film Institutions and Exhibitors

• Case Study on Reeling Film Festival + Accessibility Report

• Full Spectrum Feature's Access Reframed Educational Webinars

• Film Event Accessibility Working Group Vendor Database

• Independent Cinema Office’s Guide To Subtitling and Audio Description

• Inclusive Cinema: Guides To Subtitling, BSL and Audio Description services (UK)

• Independent Cinema Office: 5 ways to make your venue more accessible for D/deaf people

• Welcoming blind and partially sighted people to your venues

How To Talk About Disability

• The National Center on Disability and Journalism Style Guide.

• What Ignoring the Disability Community Costs Hollywood

• Media Representation of Disabled People: A Critical Analysis

• United Nations: Disability and the Media

• How to Talk about Autism Respectfully

• There is No Justice Without Disability

Disability Justice

• 10 Principles of Disability Justice by Sins Invalid

• History of Disability Justice

• What Is Disability Justice?

• The Accessibility Advantage (Disability Economics)

• Accessibility Beyond and Behind the Screen