Voice Over

Thinking more about what kind of v/o and how much one can use in the context of a movie - both on the screen and how represented on the page

Some of my more favorites:

Goodfellas

Clockwork Orange (and in Kubrick's work - helps us to like an unlikeable character)

Election (2 V/Os from different characters - nice contrast)

Clueless (what she says, versus what we see)

Memento (sometimes too much, sometimes beautiful; ending I like a lot; film noir tone)

Sunset Boulevard (jokes, etc. a particular perspective and a twist)

beginning of Magnolia (scientific investigation)

1st act of Fight Club (one of the best v/o's ever; romantic comedy turns dark; plus social commentary)

end of Psycho (or is this internal monologue v. v/o - v/o is disembodied)

a lot of film noir (takes us into the world of the dark character)

TWILIGHT ZONE - the voice of Serling/god.  Just at beginning and end.

And in my own work, I created an ironic v/o for GIRL.  I think I gave you a few pages of that.

Some of you probably like:

American Beauty --  I particularly like the ending.

And interesting:

Little Children 

And  

MY SO -CALLED LIFE 

did a lot with what we see vs. what is said (perspective of 16 year old)

And a lot of documentaries make use of V/O to draw you in to the world of the filmmaker and yes, to skip over boring parts.

To me, V/O works best when:

The voiceover works in opposition to what we see.  Esp. extreme oppositions.

The voiceover helps us to like an unlikeable character. IE we're drawn into the world of a criminal.

and yes, adds to tone (but usually beginning and ending or only structural points)

sunset boulevard - unexpected perspective, false "god" perspective, etc. a twist.

Usually LESS is better. A line. . . And/or as introduction, conclusion.

Not so good 

V/O tells us what we just saw or are about to see. Repetitious. Mostly movies SHOW don't tell.

Relation to Character

The character who has a v/o KNOWS or thinks he knows.

Lack of V/O means uncertainty.

Watch a v/o scene you like.  How would it be represented on the page?  What makes it work? What is the relation to your own work?

how would you PARODY a particular film that uses v/o? That means there are distinct rules.

DT