Many people who have never heard the term previously will nevertheless be very familiar with voice over production techniques, which are used frequently in many different media. Knowing what the term actually means though is a different story. This short article looks to define what the term actually means, and provide some examples of where it is used.

Voice over is often also described as being 'off camera commentary', a helpful term in explaining what it actually is. It is where a voice provides additional explanation and narrative detail, without actually being part of the action. The technical term for this kind of sound is that it is 'non-diagetic', in other words, it is not a direct part of the world of the film or television programme, but exists outside of it.

While the technique does occur perhaps most often in the movies, it is not limited to the cinema. Television programmes will often use off-camera narration, whether they are fictional or factual in nature, and it is also used in the theatre. It even occurs in radio productions from time to time, though its use in this context requires sensitivity and skill from the director.

One of the more common usages of the technique, and somewhere where you are likely to have encountered it, is at the beginning of a film. Narration of this kind is often used to establish context for the audience, to introduce them to the thoughts and motivations of characters, or to provide additional framing for events in the story. 'Film noir' is one genre where it is common, and often resembles the first person narration popular with authors of crime and thrillers.

On other occasions, the technique may be used as a means of flashback, with a character looking back on events which might have occurred years before, but are set to take place in the film. If the technique is used in this way, it often gives the audience greater insight into the motivations of characters. It can be voiced by the same actor as plays the character in the film, or is sometimes voiced by a different actor, helping with the sense of looking back at events which took place in the past, in a different context.

The usual way in which this technique is utilised is for the voice over to be recorded and added to the film during the production process. Obviously, this cannot be done with theatre or live radio performance though. Some producers in live theatre may pre-record some off-stage narration though, simply to be expedient.

Television is where most people will probably have encountered the technique though, with documentary directors and producers being especially keen on it. In a documentary, off-screen narration helps to frame the action in a clearer context, and to provide the audience with additional information. Wildlife documentaries, with their cast of animals and plants, use it frequently.

It can therefore be seen that voice over production is a commonly used technique. It allows film makers and other artists to add depth to their project, and to reinforce the narrative or plot. Sometimes voiced by specialists, the technique has a long history of use in the movies and other narrative art forms.