Making ultra accessible TV: the story behind Mixmups with Ultra Access™

by Brock Horning | May 2025

Released earlier this year, Mixmups with Ultra Access is the first update to accessible TV for decades. Using ‘object-based media’, the pre-school show goes beyond subtitles, audio descriptions and other traditional accessibility features to tailor the experience to individual needs.

Mixmups creator Rebecca Atkinson already knew she’d be breaking new ground when she conceived and developed the animated show for 3 to 5 year olds. The executive producer had thought hard about the representation of disabilities in the programme, and now wanted children with different abilities to comfortably access the storytelling. How could they overcome the many and varied challenges?

Some streamers won’t allow audio descriptors and subtitles at the same time. Media with British Sign Language is often given the ‘graveyard slot’ as viewers can’t choose whether to turn it on or off. The traditional accessibility options themselves only fulfill a small proportion of requirements. Rebecca Atkinson had the vision for a new way of doing things.

The opening menu for Mixmups with Ultra Access™. Any combination of these features can be turned on.

The inspiration came from watching Netflix series, You vs Wild. The choose-your-own-adventure style series let viewers make decisions for Bear Grylls on his expedition and directly influence the narrative. Atkinson wondered whether the same technology could allow viewers to expand access features and adapt their experience of the show.

By separating all the elements and features of traditional TV – picture, music, special effects, audio descriptions, subtitles, BSL – viewers could pick ‘n’ mix to their requirements. A new kind of accessible TV could emerge.

In BBC R&D terms, the pick ‘n’ mix analogy is called ‘object-based media’. This is where the media is separated into different objects that can be swapped in and out at will. Unique combinations of objects can tailor and personalize the content for individual viewers. The opportunities held within object-based media have not been missed by the industry. Ofcom published a specific report in 2021, and a working group of broadcasters was set up to explore the possibilities – but it needed a genuine reason to leap into existence.

A still from Mixmups with Ultra Access™ with simpler visuals

The concept worked, but producing a use case or reason to embrace this innovation remained elusive. That is, until Rebecca Atkinson collaborated with Stornaway.io to create Ultra Access. Commissioned by Paramount and delivered by 5’s kids platform Milkshake, these episodes increase the options for accessible TV.

Background music can be turned down to make the dialogue more accessible. Makaton is available, alongside British Sign Language. The visuals can be simplified to focus on characters without needing to process additional visual information. This ground-breaking concept has already transformed the possibilities for children and their carers.

Each episode of Mixmups with Ultra Access is built with over 200 individual modular objects called Story Islands. These are set up in Stornaway’s flowchart-style dashboard called the Story Map. The Story Islands can be moved around and connected through clickable buttons or hotspots. An in-built game engine sets up what the viewer should see next based on the self-selected preferences.

Preference selection screen from Mixmups with Ultra Access™

All ten episodes were based on a single template to create a seamless workflow. Given Stornaway Co-Founder Ru Howe’s background working with natural history producers at the BBC, the emphasis on smooth workflows with huge pieces of media is not surprising. This is why Stornaway lends itself so beautifully to TV and traditional video production companies with native Adobe integrations built in.

At the BBC, Ru regularly encountered a silo between creators and the technology meant to serve them. He found that if a concept felt too hard or too complicated, no one wanted to go near it. But when the technology meets the needs of the creators – when these siloes are removed – innovation becomes so much more possible.

And that’s just what Stornaway has allowed Mixmups to do.