Music & Audio
Find out how to use off-screen voice-overs to define the tone of a story
The use of off-screen voice-overs to add an extra layer of meaning to what you see on the screen is common practice in audiovisuals. With voice-overs, screenwriters and directors can change their story’s tone and add elements that highlight the narrative.
As an option, a voice-over can create a new atmosphere, structure a story, guide the script. It also serves as a way to engage the audience in the story.
To write good voice-overs, we have compiled a series of excellent examples of audiovisual work that use this technique, and that will undoubtedly inspire you:
American Beauty (Dir. Sam Mendes, 1999)
This is a classic example of how the narration can keep the viewer engaged and fill in the story’s gaps. The movie begins with the protagonist telling us he is dead, and we see the sequence of events that lead him to his death. Through this narration, we learn about the protagonist's past, his circumstances, and the people around him.
In this case, the off-screen voice-over allows the audience to become deeply engaged in the story and learn the facts, culminating in the final twist. American Beauty is an example of off-screen narration that directs the story.
