DZ-110: Voiceover

Listen to explore how voiceover can set tone, reveal character, enhance empathy, and create tension. How can you use Voiceover without it feeling like a cheat? In this episode, we finally delve into the world of VOICEOVERS (as part of our larger series exploring craft tools that allow characters & storytellers to talk directly to the audience). Chas, Stu and Mel deep dive into the VERONICA MARS pilot, Disney’s THE EMPEROR’S NEW GROOVE, and the Michael Bay epic PAIN & GAIN. In exploring what makes these particular examples of Voiceover great (and not feel like a cheat or a well-worn trope), we apply the four levers identified in our Part 1 (in particular ‘when in time is the Voiceover coming from’). In this episode we discover how Voiceover can set tone, reveal character motivations, enhance viewer empathy, or even create tension. Don’t forget to check out the Backmatter (to this episode) answering Patreon Abigail’s question — "I'm currently writing a screenplay where the twist relies on the audience believing the narrator is a different character until Act III. Thus, have been thinking a lot about casting and audience voice recognition, etc. Would be interested in hearing thoughts on this." Thanks to Chris Walker for his excellent editing this episode. As always: SPOILERS ABOUND and all copyright material used under fair use for educational purposes. LIKE THIS EPISODE? Discuss with our Patrons on Patreon. Watch and comment on YouTube. Send us feedback. Thanks to our Patrons, especially Khrob, Theis, Sandra, Jesse, Randy, Paulo, Thomas, Jennifer, Malay, Alexandre and Lily. → Read the transcript for this episode. ——— "The tone is huge in a noir show in particular. This is like a noir show set in high school. And the voiceover kicks that off and keeps it consistent all the way throughout." — Mel Killingsworth @ 00:10:33 ——— CHAPTERS 00:00:00 – Cold Open 00:00:23 – Voiceover craft levers to pull 00:03:48 – VERONICA MARS (Pilot) 00:07:15 – › How voiceover compresses narrative and sets tone 00:12:34 – › Who Veronica talks to and what she wants from the audience 00:19:41 – › Voiceover as a tool for revealing character motivation and lies 00:27:23 – › Cumulative effect of voiceover choices on tone and empathy 00:32:43 – THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE 00:36:36 – › Voiceover as unreliable narrator and the low-point frame 00:40:27 – › Temporal origin of voiceover and its effect on character 00:44:08 – › Voiceover tense, omniscience, and empathy maintenance 00:49:53 – › Consistent voiceover strategy across the whole screenplay 00:54:11 – PAIN & GAIN 00:57:29 – › Multiple voiceover characters and their introduction pattern 01:02:29 – › Temporal origin of voiceovers and the court case frame 01:09:50 – › Voiceover as dramatic irony and audience positioning 01:24:28 – › Cumulative thematic effect of collective voiceover 01:31:30 – Key Learnings & Wrap Up 01:33:19 – › Temporal origin of voiceover as the master lever 01:39:34 – Thanks Patreons! FILMS THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE (2000) — (w) David Reynolds, Mark Dindal, Chris Williams, Mark Walton (d) Mark Dindal PAIN & GAIN (2013) — (w) Christopher Markus, Stephen Mcfeely (d) Michael Bay SHOWS VERONICA MARS 1x1 "Pilot" — Mark Piznarski (d), Rob Thomas (w) LINKS Listen: Backmatter for DZ-110: Voiceover EPISODES IN THE TALKING DIRECTLY TO THE AUDIENCE SERIES DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience DZ-110: Voiceover DZ-111: Unreliable Narrators and FIGHT CLUB DZ-112: Breaking the 4th wall DZ-113: Tools For Filmmakers To Talk To The Audience RELATED EPISODES DZ-18: Michael Bay - F*ing the Frame and P*ing the Page DZ-109: Talking DIRECTLY to your audience ——— More Draft Zero is brought to you by our awesome Patreons. If you enjoy the show, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts, a rating on Spotify, or a review on Podchaser. We are @stuwillis, @mehlsbells and @chasffisher on Twitter. You can find @draft_zero and @_shotzero on Instagram and Twitter. Full show notes at: https://draft-zero.com/2024/dz-110/