Voice-over narration in movies is used to complement the film’s action and help guide viewers through the storyline as well as reveal important details that might otherwise go unnoticed or unknown. Here are some of the different ways that voice-over narration is used in film.

Voice-Over Narration to Fill In Gaps

Sometimes, voice-over narration is used to explain gaps between scenes that were not included in the final production because they would have demanded too much time and resources to film. They can also be used to explain a setting, backstory, flashback or a flashforward sequence.

Voice-Over Narration to Set the Tone

Narrative voices can also be used to establish the tone of the film, conveying to the audience whether it is a light-hearted comedy, a dark and sinister thriller, an educational story, or another type of theme. They can also be used to elicit specific emotions in movie goers. For example, narrative voices using fast-paced speech and nervous laughter in a scene can elicit feelings of anxiety while voices using high pitched exclamations can elicit joy and excitement when there is no actual dialogue present in the scene.

Voice-Over Narration to Provide Perspective

Using first-person narration, movie watchers are able to get deep inside the personal thoughts and reactions of the main character to different events, allowing for greater emotional insight and ultimately impacting the relatability of a character.

In his 1998 cult classic Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, director Terry Gilliam describes the voice-over narration by Johnny Depp’s character Raoul Duke as “essential.” The film was based on Hunter S. Thompson’s novel of the same name, and Gilliam wanted to preserve Thompson’s language (source). The best way to accomplish that was to actually use it in a voice-over narration, which also allowed Gilliam a way to reveal another side to Depp’s frazzled character, the calm and composed Duke.

Watch a clip below:

“Somewhere Around Barstow – Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1/10) Movie CLIP (1998) HD” by Movieclips

For more examples of movies with effective uses of voice-over narration, check out this article on tasteofcinema.com.

If you are looking for professional voice-over narration experts for your next production, check out our online Nevada Production Directory for voice-over actors or drop by our office and pick up a free printed directory!

If you are a voice-over actor and are not yet listed in our Nevada Production Directory, you can learn more about how to sign up for the NPD here.

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