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Hello everyone! Time to take a little break from writing and do a ‘short� post on Facebook (and I promise it will be very short as I will avoid saying anything about our screwy USA healthcare system, which always gets me emotional). What I wanted to talk about today, since it is very much on my mind, is the role of ‘Voice Over� or VO in movies. I don’t believe I have brought this issue up before, but if I have, please humor me for being redundant. The problem is that it is very much on my mind as I have elected to use VO in the script for CHARLATANS after giving the issue a lot of thought. Now, I know that a lot of people think that using VO is a no-no somewhat akin to cheating, meaning if you as the writer can’t get the information out that needs to get out for your story by action and dialogue, which is basically what a movie is, then you should do something else for a living than writing screenplays. I understand the argument for this position, but I personally think that VO can play an important role, and I want to ask you guys, my readers, what your position is since I obviously care about your opinions (you are the people I am directing my efforts towards). Personally, I have enjoyed a number of terrific movies where I believe VO worked very well and is an important and integral part of the production. GOODFELLAS is a prime example, which I watched again recently. To my surprise the VO involves two of the characters although primarily the main character. When I had originally seen the movie, I hadn’t noticed such a situation and would have thought it wouldn’t work because I see VO as a movie version of a book written in the first person. Obviously, it worked just fine. Another movie that I have always liked with VO is STAND BY ME. My understanding that the VO in this masterpiece was added after the fact, meaning it wasn’t part of the original screenplay. Another movie with VO that is very effective is THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION. Another classic is SUNSET BOULEVARD that wouldn’t be nearly as effective without its voice over. Now I know that there have also been a host of movies where the VO was, as critics of the technique point out, overused and an obvious ham-handed attempt to make the storyline make sense. Be that as it may, why do I think it should be used in CHARLATANS if I know that some people will not like it? The reason is that CHARLATANS is essentially a book written in the first person even though it isn’t!!! Now some people will think that last sentence is ridiculous as the book is clearly written in the third person, especially those scenes of the fake FBI guys doing their dirty work. Here’s my argument: except for those fake FBI guys and the very beginning of the prologue, the story unfolds from Noah’s perspective and no one else’s and therefore is equivalent to being written in the first person. And that is the way I see the movie unfold except for the initial sequence prior to the titles that will be the fake FBI guys certainly without Noah. The VO will not begin until after the movie titles and there will not be a lot of it but rather just enough so the audience is totally aware they are viewing the action from Noah’s point of view. So, there you have it. Presently VO is used in the screenplay, so what does everybody think? Is VO a good idea for CHARLATANS the movie? I hope rather than a mere yes or no, some people will explain why they think as they do. All the best, Robin Cook PS Primo says this wasn't what he calls a short post lol





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