Of all the formal possibilities that we have discussed in class the one that has stood out to me the most has been the differing uses of voice-over. I really enjoyed the screening of the short film Passionless Moments, which used voice-over to convey the thoughts and feelings of the various characters depicted throughout. In the past I have seen voice-over simply as a tool for documentary film or a cheap shortcut for exposition. However, after looking into voice-over in class, I’ve started to consider voice-over as a device that can be used in a host of different ways.

In class we looked at several different clips that showed variations of voice-over. We saw how it was used in fiction or non-fiction, first person or third person, used for statements of theme or backstory, and even as ellipsis as seen in François Truffaut’s Jules and Jim. I found it interesting how voice-over could be used so seamlessly to condense the passing of time and still give a strong impression of the narrative events. I think this would be a very useful device for our final projects this semester, particularly if we chose to make a film that depicts events over extended periods of time. I believe that if done well, voice-over will not be jarring for the audience. On the contrary, I think it could potentially add a layer of intrigue, and also an interesting stylistic element.

While I’m not set on incorporating voice-over into my film ideas, I’m definitely keeping it open as an option because I think it has a lot to offer.