H&V Library

You are here: Home / Technology / Open Captions

Open Captions: Yes, Access!

By Johanna Wonderly, California H&V

Going to the movies is one of those simple pleasures so many families love—snuggling into those big recliner seats, popcorn in hand, escaping into a story on the big screen. For my family, it’s always been a little more complicated. I have four Hard of Hearing children, and while we love movies, we’ve often left the theater feeling frustrated. The “accessible” devices—those heavy captioning glasses or cupholder screens—frequently don’t work. They’d lose sync with the film, block part of the screen, or be uncomfortable to wear. Multiply that by four, and more often than not, I spent the entire movie adjusting devices or out in the hall replacing them and trying to help my kids understand what was going on—we all missed much of the film in the process. It wasn’t fun. It wasn’t relaxing. And it definitely wasn’t equal access as the Americans with Disabilities Act requires.

Children watching movie at a movie theater
The next generation: enjoying films with access.

A few years ago, everything changed. For my daughter’s birthday, we reached out to our local Regal Cinema and asked if they could offer The Super Mario Bros. Movie with open captions. These are captions displayed directly on the screen, visible to everyone. Regal has a policy: if you have a group of 10 or more, you can email their headquarters and request an open caption showing. So, we did. We invited friends and booked 20 seats for the birthday party. For the first time, every one of my kids could enjoy the movie without struggling to follow along. And me? I got to be just a mom at the movies. Not tech support. Just a mom, laughing alongside her kids. The group movie was such a hit that I organized more screenings for family-friendly films, and the turnout grew. Sometimes, 30 or 40 people would show up. Our family found something special; we weren’t alone in wanting it. Eventually, our local Regal closed, but by then, other parents began asking for open captions at theaters nearby. Managers who had never tried it before said, “Why not?” Since then, we’ve had open caption showings at drive-in theaters, IMAX—you name it. All it takes is someone asking the question, and someone else willing to give it a shot.

Bigger Changes, Statewide

In 2023, a statewide advocacy group, California Open Captions, formed and began meeting with theater managers and legislators, pushing for regular open caption screenings—not just by request, but as part of the regular schedule. Cinemark responded by offering open caption (OC) showings at select locations. That meant families like ours could just go to the movies without needing to organize a big group or send emails in advance. States like New York, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, and Colorado continue to work on legislation or improved theater policies.

Locally, we’ve kept at it. We still plan special events; our largest was this summer with over 45 people. Our smaller local theater now offers an OC movie every day. (And not just mornings or late nights during the week; sometimes the only offerings available.) That’s 25 people who get to be fully included every single day.

One of the biggest hurdles now is simply finding these OC showings. Most theater websites don’t make it easy. There’s no filter or button to show only OC screenings, which means you have to dig through listings or call the box office. So, we created Sacramento Open Captions, a Facebook page and email list that shares weekly updates about which local theaters are offering OC showings. Every Tuesday, when most theaters post their new schedules, we send out a list. And it’s working, attendance is up, and theaters are seeing that this isn’t just a niche request. It matters.

Want to Bring Open Captions to Your Area?

You don’t have to be part of an organization or plan a huge event. Sometimes all it takes is one email, one question, one “let’s try.” See the simple template to request captions below. If you’ve ever walked out of a theater thinking, “There must be a better way,” there is. And chances are, your local theater is just waiting for someone to ask.

And, when you do attend a movie with open captions, let a manager know you appreciate it and will return.  ~

Helpful Resources:

More Content

Search Web Site