voiceovers in movies

musicismylife78musicismylife78 Posts: 6,116
edited February 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
I am a movie fanatic. And it seems, just about every movie, every tv show I see, voiceovers are abundant. It usually is done when the camera is set up behind one character, over the shoulder of one character and in front of the other.

It always seems that the actor we cant see, is the one who gets the voiceover.

Why is this? Why is it so common?
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • roarroar Posts: 1,116
    because you can tell a hell of a lot of story in the VO.

    and when it's done over the shoulder, you get a perspective of seeing through the eyes of the character...and getting the reaction shots of those around you.

    are you watching Citizen Kane or something?
  • i guess i didnt explain it well enough.

    i am not talking about a voiceover that says "then me and johnny went down to the lake for a swim, I was nervous and scared"

    I meant what I described in my original post.

    what i am talking about is a shot of two people talking. One person we can shown in full view, the other we only see the back of their head. you can clearly see and hear that the person we see, who is facing us is talking legitimately. however it is clear as well the person whose back is turned to us isnt saying the things we think. hard to explain.

    this happens in every movie. rent a movie. turn on the tv. its bound to be on the screen

    my question is why is this so common. why cant they just have the diologue as is?
  • soulsingingsoulsinging Posts: 13,202
    i guess i didnt explain it well enough.

    i am not talking about a voiceover that says "then me and johnny went down to the lake for a swim, I was nervous and scared"

    I meant what I described in my original post.

    what i am talking about is a shot of two people talking. One person we can shown in full view, the other we only see the back of their head. you can clearly see and hear that the person we see, who is facing us is talking legitimately. however it is clear as well the person whose back is turned to us isnt saying the things we think. hard to explain.

    this happens in every movie. rent a movie. turn on the tv. its bound to be on the screen

    my question is why is this so common. why cant they just have the diologue as is?

    that didnt help. i still have no clue what you're talking about. perhaps you ought to provide an example. becos i look at my bookcase full of dvd's and tv shows and cannot think of one scene where anything like what you describe happens.
  • roarroar Posts: 1,116
    my question is why is this so common. why cant they just have the diologue as is?

    ...because that would be boring.

    I'm still not quite sure what you're asking, but here's my stab at an answer...

    Every camera angle is chosen to deliver information, create an impact, and give the editor options on how to tell the story. Over-the-shoulder shots (if that's what you're talking about) give you a different perspective and you can get many different effects from it when storytelling. One reason to use it is because it gets audiences a little more interested in what's being said and who's saying it. It can be done on purpose to keep the person a mystery because we naturally want to see faces and when denied them we get a little more interested.

    And it's one of the many cutaways used in a big dialogue scene.
    If they used just one static shot during the whole conversation or just back and forth tight shots on whoever is speaking it gets boring...plus, you never see the reaction of the person who is listening. (which is VERY important to see.)
  • cant think of a specific scene.

    but heres another stab at it.

    its the scene i described above and one persons voice the person we can see, the person the camera picks up, is heard clearly, their voice matches their mouth and their sound matches what they are saying. its heard as if you were there.

    the second person, back to camera or seen sideways, there voice doesnt match up. Its like they arent saying those words right there. its like it was dubbed in in post production. Its as if their dialogue and voice was added later.
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    cant think of a specific scene.

    but heres another stab at it.

    its the scene i described above and one persons voice the person we can see, the person the camera picks up, is heard clearly, their voice matches their mouth and their sound matches what they are saying. its heard as if you were there.

    the second person, back to camera or seen sideways, there voice doesnt match up. Its like they arent saying those words right there. its like it was dubbed in in post production. Its as if their dialogue and voice was added later.

    I know what your talking about. here is the reason, most movies, over 30 or 40% of the dialogue is re-recorded on the studio in Voice Overs, because the on set dialogue is just completley un-usable, due to noises on the set, cars that drive bye outside the window or on the next street. or just the cranes for the camera and such. the scene's where you can tell someone is speaking (over the shoulder scenes ) and it dont one hundred percent match up with the actors mouth movements, is just the director not making sure the edit is the best it can be.

    in the bonus featuers for star wars episode 2 or 3, they talk about how over 90% of the dialogue had to be re-recorded, just because the on set noise made damn near every scene un-usable for the sound dept.

    hope this helps.
    Peace, Love.


    "To question your government is not unpatriotic --
    to not question your government is unpatriotic."
    -- Sen. Chuck Hagel
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