International Digital Centre Awarded People's Choice Award By ACB

Audio Description department recognized by American Council of the Blind for work on Netflix series Wednesday

New York, NY, November 15th— IDC’s Audio Description department was honored to receive the 2023 Audio Description People’s Choice Award at the ACB’s AD Awards Gala. 

The prize went to the description track for the smash-hit Netflix series “Wednesday,” which was a true collaboration between IDC’s bicoastal studios: written by Liz Gutman and produced by Eric Wickstrom in New York City, and voiced by Frankie Corzo and mixed by Luke Thompson in Los Angeles. 

The series was one of five finalists that were chosen through an open nomination process. As the ACB put it, the award is “a unique opportunity for fans to get involved by showing their support for the audio description they love the most.” 

“The People’s Choice Award is particularly meaningful to us,” said Gutman. “Any recognition of our work is appreciated; but when the award comes directly from our audience, that really shows that we’re on the right track.” 

The award is also noteworthy because of the unusual creative approach that Wickstrom and Corzo took in the recording step. Recounted Wickstrom, “the tone of the show is famously very dry and witty; we wanted the narration to reflect that. Frankie has an audiobook background, and I told her to really lean into the performance.” 

The result is a delightfully wry delivery which weaves its way into the narrative, bucking the historical trend of audio description tracks that aim for a more neutral tone. One viewer tweeted that they felt like they were listening to Morticia describing her daughter’s journey. 

Said Wickstrom, “It was a new approach. Certainly something less traditional. We were thrilled with the audience’s response.”

The People’s Choice Award – IDC’s second award from the ACB, following their 2021 Achievement in Media Award – stems from IDC’s continuing commitment to elevate and evolve all aspects of Audio Description. Concluded Wickstrom, “AD users aren’t shy in telling us where they want the craft to go. All we have to do is listen and then help lead the way.”