Due to our new brief of editing Night Journey using no sync sound and carefully considered use of voice over, this seminar focused heavily on appropriate and effective use of voice over in films. We started by looking at the opening sequence in 'The Third Man' (1949) by Carol Reed.
The use of voice over in this opening sequence is very effective at informing the audience of the context of the film and introducing the character as well as the main narrative for the film. It does well because the voice over leads the images on the screen by every time something is mentioned, a corresponding image is shown to the audience so they can visualise what the voice over is telling them, without any effort. The voice over itself is very casual and conversational which is strange especially in the period of the film where voice overs tended to be more formal and more of the voice of authority. This conversational manner makes the audience instantly feel more submerged in the film and narrative, instead of being aware they are being told just a list of facts off a script. The use of the light hearted music in the background contrasts with the subject matter that the V.O is dealing with (e.g. the body floating in the river) and makes the audience be less shocked by the images and makes the subject matter more naturalistic and empathise with the person speaking. Finally, linking with the underlying soundtrack, the way it cuts out and back in between dialogue punctuates the meaning of it and invites the audience to question what was just said more carefully which drives the narrative.
The second film we looked at was the first 8 minutes of Amelie (2001) by Jean-Pierre Jeunet where we are introduced to Amelie and her parents as well as the narrative for the film.
The very opening sequence shows the voice over once again drive the visuals by showing corresponding images to what is being said by the narrator which allows the audience to almost forget that there is a voice over and that they're just directing the visuals themselves through what they're being told. The V.O in this film is a lot more informative and less conversational as it is almost a list of descriptions of what is happening, however this works very effectively as a method of introducing main characters as well as narrative elements due to the straight forward, self-aware way in which this information is communicated through the narrative. The second part after the title sequence introduces her upbringing as well as her parents but unfortunately I cannot find an English subtitled version so the voice over is less meaningful, but you can still tell that it drives the visuals by being very commanding and 'matter-of-fact'.
In this sequence the V.O drives the camera movement, as well as the acting to allow the film to flow very smoothly and still engage with the audience, even thought they are essentially just being told the narrative of the film instead of working it out for themselves which can be quite boring/problematic. The self-aware narration also works well with the content of the film as it is quite hyper-realistic which links in with the mindset of the main character Amelie.
The final film we watched was the opening sequence of Election (1999) by Alexander Payne. Unfortunately there isn't a clip I can show here but the context is that we have just been introduced to the main character, a teacher called Mr. McAllister, who is the most popular teacher at school and enjoys his job. However, he has to teach a goodie-two-shoes and keen student, Tracy Flick, who we find out is running for high school president. This opening sequence combines the two characters voice overs as they express their opinions for one another in the past tense and sets up a plot as well as character profiles of both of them.
The sequence involves the use of freeze frames combining with voice over which makes the audience see that what ever is being said is important, as the film has physically stopped for something to be said. Also the timing of the freeze frames also allows us to see Mr. McAllister's view of Tracy as both are very unflattering and slightly amusing, used just as Tracy is in the middle of a sentence. This makes the audience instantly empathise with Mr.M over Tracy as we are getting more opinions from his side than hers. The use of music in this sequence is also very effective as when we hear Tracy's V.O, the music turns more sinister and sets up a question leading onto a potential plot point "why did he have to meddle". This reaffirms the audiences siding with the characters and makes us like Mr.M more.
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