Narrators - Source of Inspiration

Narratation - Source of Inspiration

For a source of inspiration, I have chosen to look at Narration in films, to see if they are effective, and what type of information is included within the narration. I have chosen to look into narration, as it is not used in this type of genre, so I want to see if we could change the stereotypical introduction to the film, by having someone narrate what is going on, in which will subvert.

Angels Take Manhattan - Doctor Who. 

Reading a letter voice over.

Narration is usually used, when actions can not be used to describe what is going on in the character's head, or it is used when someone has been lost, and have left something, such as a letter for another character, the narrative voice over is then used, as one character reads the letter, ( in this example The Doctor) which has been written by the character who is no longer on screen/involved in the  ( in this particular example Amelia Pond). I feel that this narration, is incredibly effective, and is popularly used in many different types of TV dramas and films, to strengthen the sympathetic response from  the audience. By using the narration in this scene, it provokes more empathy with the character of The Doctor, as we are experiencing exactly what he is, but through his eyes. I feel that by having Amelia Pond read this letter instead of The Doctor reading it directly to the audience, it makes the narration even more upsetting, completely provoking a sympathetic reaction. 

I feel that we could use this in our film opening if we wanted to provoke a sympathetic reaction, which could be part of the back story, in which could be a flashback, as someone finds a letter telling them to get out of the room , as there is a dangerous spirit/ghoul/creature lurking near. This could then be used in our film opening, to create tension and anticipation, all of which is a convention of supernatural horror movies. 

Inception Trailer

Sub thought voice over

In this trailer, a voice over/narrative by Leonardo DiCaprio, is used to convey to the audience the subplot and the background of the film, it is condensed in such a way, that it is a small monologue, in which has been dragged out for the audience's response to it. By using a rhetorical question at the start, we are directly brought into the film as a audience, as the trailer has engaged us and asked us the question, not the other characters within the film. In this trailer, the voice over is a dramatic internal monologue, of what the character is thinking not saying, in which shows his ulterior motives to us as the audience, but not to those who are within the film and are characters. This gives us as an audience a insight into the character, and shows us the deeper more complex internal thoughts, which are not portrayed on the outside. 

I think that this type of voice over/narrative could be used within our film opening, maybe from the paranomal entities point of view, in which people will not be expecting, or it could be from the view of the vicim, this could be one of the ways in which we could portray background information to the audience, through a internal monologue of one of the protagonists. 

I Am Number Four

Getting Across background information.

With having a voice over to explain the back story of the plot, it saves time for the directors and producers to add in other scenes involving a lot of dialogue for the audience to establish exactly what is happening, and what is going on. By using a voice over, and using a various amount of sub scenes, it links together the small scenes with the dialogue, so that we as an audience are filled with knowledge about the movie, before it has even begun. It gives us a small chance to process what has gone on before the plot in the film has started. I think that by using this monologue, is shows us clearly what has gone on, and without it, we would take longer to realise what the film is about, and what the numbers are all about. It also as an audience engages us into the film, as we feel as if we are directly being addressed by the protagonist, showing the importance between connection between the audience members and the characters within the film. 

I think that we could implement this into our film opening, and it could work incredibly well, as it could be a story going back in time, from the person in the present time, giving us the background information into a scary story, or a horror story in which has happened years ago. This could work very well with the genre, but the person in which we used for the voice over would have to have a strong dramatic voice to fit the theme.