Max to stream “Barbie” with ASL; Video game “Harmonium” features Deaf character
Here are two Deaf News briefs.
Max to stream “Barbie” with ASL interpreter option
Warner Bros. and streaming service Max announced that the hit film “Barbie” will be available on Max next Friday, December 15 and that it will have an option to have an ASL interpreter appear on the screen. The interpreter is Leila Hanaumi, who is Deaf. The announcement said Barbie with ASL will be displayed as a unique title in-app. Max said it would host a special community screening on December 14 in Los Angeles where Margot Robbie, the star of Barbie, and Hanaumi will provide a post-screening conversation.
Lately, there have been more and more films that offer an ASL interpretation option. In April, Disney+ released an ASL option for Ant-Man with Jac Cook doing the interpretation.
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Video game “Harmonium” features Deaf character
The second Deaf News brief is that there is an upcoming video/computer game that features a 10-year-old Deaf Filipina-American girl named Melody Macato who can create a special type of music. The company behind the game is The Odd Gentlemen. Here is a clip of a trailer that shows some nice ASL animations.
[Clip] Credit: YouTube/The Odd Gentlemen
The game has all music in visual form. The game hasn’t been released but when it is, it will be available on Xbox, PC, and Netflix Games on smartphones.
The actress playing Melody is a Deaf performer, Harmony Baniaga. The co-creator/co-writer is Matt Daigle, known for his comic, “That Deaf Guy.” A third Deaf person involved with the game is Morgan Baker, a game accessibility specialist.
That’s the two Deaf News briefs for today. If you’d like more information about either Barbie or Harmonium, there are links in the transcript.
Harmonium:
https://www.theoddgentlemen.com/