Voice Over
Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 10:06PM 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
