Screenwriting : Narration scripts by Rome Mubarak

For the most part, a narrator is treated like any other speaking character but their dialogue would normally be delivered as (V.O.)

The narrator may never be seen or they may be a later version of a character we do see and you may refer to them as the character name or NARRATOR when delivering their dialogue.

Ok thanks Pierre Langenegger everything I have been reading sort of "shuns" the voice over/narrator approach to film despite great films like Forrest Gump and Shawshank Redemption making it big with its usage.

Claude, yes. An announcer, say at a sporting event who you never see, would be (V.O.) because his dialogue would most likely be recorded in a studio at a later date but in all honesty, it really depends on the scene and how that dialogue is meant to be delivered.

Claude. You didn't ask me but FWIW (probably not much) here is my opinion. on V.O. means 'voice over film'. If you think they will be adding the voice to the film after the scene had already been filmed you would use V.O. For example if the actor is home sleeping while the are filming that would be a pretty good indication that you would be using V.O.

If the person is not in the scene, for example in another room, but their voice can be heard while they are filming you would use O.S.

If the character is in the scene but not on camera you would use O.C. I would avoid doing that unless you have to because you would be controlling where the camera is pointing and you really don't need to do that. However sometimes it is necessary.

This is all very fascinating and I appreciate all the discourse. Dan Guardino Dan can you inform us what OC and O.S. mean?

I am finding that urban scenes where a lot is going on, particularly when you have 2 or more stories that eventually meet up towards the end really requires so much more detail that a narrator can offer. Especially when filling gaps of information needed by viewer.

In short, I have a family member split up and raised by one family but seeking contrition and reunification, so the story shows two families over a 30 year period and their outcome and subsequent reconnection.

Rome - V.O. = Voice Over (it's usually narration added in post.) O.C. (Off Camera)means that the speaking character is a participant in the scene but is presently out of the camera's line of sight. O.S. (Off Scene) means that a speaking character is nearby so that his voice is audible but that he's not in the scene. The two are similar but there is a subtle distinction, often confused by new writers.

Thanks a ton Doug Nelson . That really helps a lot. The fact that I can set aside the O.C. until production and just register what I have now is a relief.

NB. the YT Cinema Sins Everything Wrong With channel guy absolutely detests narration and always counts it as a major sin, especially for opening exposition. I'm inclined to agree that narration is the next-to-worst kind of Tell Don't Show shortcut, second only to subtext-free, on-the-nose expo dialogue.

That said, one sees (hears) it all the time. Compare the theatrical vs. director's cut of Blade Runner, with producer-ordered V.O.s in the former and none in the latter.

It depends on the story. It works for Shawshank Redemption, Goodfellas, Snatch - all which use narration heavily. The stories wouldn't be the same without it.

Rome: Like a few others above me mentioned, there are SO MANY GREAT FILMS that utilize narration. I really can't think of a bad film that uses narration, and I've seen more films than most.

My favorite narrator films are probably Casino and Goodfellas, which have MULTIPLE NARRATORS; My Dog Skip (narrated by Harry Connick Jr.); Stranger Than Fiction (everything the narrator says is hillllllll-arious); Anchorman (narrated by Bill Kurtis); About a Boy (brilliant multiple narration!); Life of Pi; The Salton Sea; The Big Lebowski; The Diary of a Teenage Girl; The Lobster; and any of the comedy films by the Zucker brothers and Jim Abrahams.

I also love Unreliable Narrator films. The first horror film, The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, had one, as does Memento; The Fight Club; American Psycho; Gone Girl; and many more.

Don't let the Anti-Narrator types lead you to believe that having a narrator is bad, or has been overused. Their minds are not right. Each story is a new story and can utilize whatever elements of dramatic structure that the writer chooses to utilize.

Good Luck and Happy Writing, Rome!

"Double Indemnity" my favorite. Oh, I just remembered, "50 Days of Summer" Yes? Maybe, Billy?

Those who "shun" narration are usually advising new writers that they use it incorrectly. I have read over a hundred scripts in my career as a reader that use narration poorly so the general advice is sound. Unfortunately most who speak out against using narration are not very good at communicating - they warn agains it as a "rule" rather than warn against it as a generality.

Ryan Rodriguez Bill Costantini and D Marcus, you all are spot on in your assessment of such a controversial topic and by highlighting several films that have used it successfully (beyond revenue break even analysis at the box office) it definitely should be a consideration of mine in developing my film short.

It looks like I have some additional films to view this weekend!

Jorge: 500 Days of Summer, most definitely. By the way....check out the script if you haven't...it's a great script, and the first few pre-pages are hysterical. Revenge!

Ok, Ryan Rodriguez Bill Costantini Pierre Langenegger Doug Nelson Dan Guardino I took the very progressive route and watched not one but two films today after teaching class for 6 hrs. "About a Boy" and "Steanger than Fiction" and it was actually good to watch them one right after the other to see how creative the author was using it as self character(s) in the first and in "Stranger than Fiction" a very clever juxtaposition of initially using narration to open with thr story unbeknownst to the audience seen as a separate story, merges the two into context towards a dramatic climactic finish - The watch that saved Harold Crick".

Learning a lot! A few more movies this week to see the range of creativity in its use. I appreciate you all.

Very deep Ryan Rodriguez and meticulously presented. I will order this book tomorrow and add the movie to my short list of movies to watch this weekend at the latest. I've set deadlines for myself so I have to gather up enough ideas to pull a few midnight hour writing sessions.

So much to do so little time to do it in.

You are appreciated.