Open Caption FAQ
What is Open Caption Finder?
Open Caption Finder is a free tool available on iOS, Android, and the web at www.opencaptionfinder.com that helps you find open caption movie showtimes near you, or anywhere in the United States.
What are open captions?
Open captions (OC) are the on-screen display of dialogue and other important sounds (for example, “wind blowing”) as well as identification of who is speaking.
How are open captions different from closed captions or captioning devices?
Open captions are displayed directly on the screen for everybody in the auditorium to see.
Closed captions require certain devices (for example, a cupholder device, glasses, etc.) and can only be viewed by the person using the device.
How are open captions different from subtitles?
Open captions are intended to make a film’s dialogue and other sounds accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles generally translate dialogue from one language to another.
For example, Markus Schleinzer’s Rose is entirely in German with English subtitles. Joachim Trier’s Sentimental Value, on the other hand, has both Norwegian and English dialogue.
Subtitled screening
A standard subtitled screening would display English subtitles for the Norwegian dialogue.
Open caption screening
An open caption screening would also display captions for the English dialogue as well as other important sounds.
Open Caption Finder would thus list OC showtimes for Sentimental Value, but not standard subtitled screenings for Rose.
Do you include foreign films?
If they have open captions, yes! Subtitles don’t guarantee the entire film is captioned, so we can’t count a subtitled screening as an open caption screening.
What is Open Caption Finder’s coverage?
The United States.
How far in advance do you list open caption movie showtimes?
Open Caption Finder displays open caption showtimes over the next seven days. Theaters release their schedules at different times, so additional showtimes may be added throughout the week.
Can you request an open caption showtime for me?
Unfortunately, we can’t request specific OC showtimes for anyone. But we do track demand.
How do I report a missing or incorrect open caption showtime?
Please provide as much information as you can, including the theater, location, date, movie, and showtime.
On the mobile app (iOS or Android), click the ‘Tell Us’ button at the bottom, then click either ‘Missing OC’ or ‘Incorrect OC.’
What if I just have a general question or feedback for Open Caption Finder?
Email us at hello@opencaptionfinder.com!
How do I buy tickets for a showtime I find on Open Caption Finder?
If you’re on mobile (iOS or Android), click the ‘Get Tickets’ button. If you’re on our web app, click the showtime. You’ll be directed to the theater’s ticketing page or website, where you’ll be able to buy tickets directly or find more information about purchasing tickets.
Is Open Caption Finder free?
Yes! Open Caption Finder is completely free to use.
Do I need an account to use Open Caption Finder?
No! No account or registration is needed. We want this resource to be as easy to use as possible.
How can I get my open caption showtimes listed?
How can I support Open Caption Finder?
The easiest way to support Open Caption Finder (OCF) is to spread the word! Share OCF with friends, family, and communities who might find it useful. You can also help us keep OCF useful by reporting missing or incorrect open caption showtimes.
We’re working on more ways to support OCF in the future, so stay tuned!