The term voice-over refers to a production technique where a non-diagetic voice is broadcast live or pre-recorded in radio, television, film, theater and/or presentation. The voice-over may be spoken by someone who also appears on-screen in other segments or it may be performed by a specialist voice actor. Voice-over is also commonly referred to as "off camera" commentary.

The term voice-over can also refer to the actual voice actor who performed the recording. The terms voice actor, narrator, voice artist, announcer are all similarly used.

Types and uses of voice-over

As a character device

In the 1956 film version of Herman Melville's Moby-Dick, Richard Basehart, as Ishmael, narrates the story and sometimes comments on the action in voice-over, as does William Holden in the films Sunset Boulevard and The Counterfeit Traitor.

Voice-over technique is likewise used to give voices and personalities to animated characters. The most noteworthy and versatile of whom include Mel Blanc, Daws Butler, Don Messick and June Foray.

As a creative device

In film, the filmmaker places the sound of a human voice (or voices) over images shown on the screen that may or may not be related to the images being shown. Consequently, voiceovers are sometimes used to create ironic counterpoint. Also, sometimes they can be random voices not directly connected to the people seen on the screen. In works of fiction, the voice-over is often by a character reflecting back on his or her past, or by a person external to the story who usually has a more complete knowledge of the events in the film than the other characters.

Voice-overs are often used to create the effect of storytelling by a character/omniscient narrator. For example, in The Usual Suspects, the character of Verbal Kint has voice-over segments as he is recounting details of a crime. Other examples of storytelling voice overs can be heard The Shawshank Redemption and Big Fish.

The genre of film noir is especially associated with the voice-over technique.

In radio, voice-overs are an integral part of the success of the radio programme. Although the announcer holds the prestige and claims all the glory, it is the voice-over artist that is the real drive behind the show. For example, David M. Green's Summer Pow-Wow and his voice-over artist, Tim Wray.

As an educational or descriptive device

The voice-over has many applications in non-fiction as well. Television news is often presented as a series of video clips of newsworthy events, with voice-over by the reporters describing the significance of the scenes being presented; these are interspersed with straight video of the news anchors describing stories for which video is not shown.

Television networks such as The History Channel and the Discovery Channel make extensive use of voice-overs.

Live sports broadcasts are usually shown as extensive voice-overs by expert announcers over video of the sporting event.

Game shows formerly made extensive use of voice-overs to introduce contestants and describe available or awarded prizes, but this technique has diminished as shows have moved toward predominantly cash prizes.

Voice-over commentary by a leading critic, historian, or by the production personnel themselves is often a prominent feature of the release of feature films or documentaries on DVDs.

As a commercial device

The commercial use of voice-over in advertising has been popular since the beginning of radio broadcasting.

In the early years, before effective sound recording and mixing, announcements were produced "live" and at-once in a studio with the entire cast, crew and, usually, orchestra. A corporate sponsor hired a producer, who hired writers and voice actors to perform comedy or drama.

The industry expanded very rapidly with the advent of television in the 1950s and the age of highly produced serial radio shows ended. The ability to record high-quality sound on magnetic tape also created opportunities, as has the proliferation of home computers capable of recording, often using inexpensive (even free) software and a microphone of reasonable quality.

As a translation device

In some countries, such as Russia and Poland, a voice-over provided by a single artist is commonly used on television as a localization technique, as an alternative to full dubbing. See Gavrilov translation.

Prominent or iconic voice-over artists

• Jesse Angelo
• Flo Ayres
• Mel Blanc
• Arthur Q. Bryan
• Daws Butler
• John Andrew Calvert (UK Voice)
• Nancy Cartwright
• Dan Castellaneta
• Joe Cipriano
• Emma Clarke
• Pinto Colvig
• Peter Coyote
• Kathryn "Kat" Cressida
• Steven Blum
• Keith David
• Peter Dickson
• Hal Douglas
• June Foray
• Farrah Forke
• Stan Freberg
• Paul Frees
• Richard Green
• Edward Herrmann
• Harlan Hogan
• Sterling Holloway
• James Earl Jones
• Julie Kavner
• Harry Kalas
• Casey Kasem
• Stacey Keach
• Josh Keaton
• Don LaFontaine

• Joanna Lumley
• Burgess Meredith
• Don Messick
• Howard Morris
• John Mundy
• Ryan Drummond
• Clarence Nash
• Leonard Nimoy
• Ken Nordine
• Johnny Olson
• Gary Owens
• Thurl Ravenscroft
• Hal Riney
• Scott Rummell
• Mirko Savone
• Bill Scott
• Alexander Scourby
• Harry Shearer
• James Sloyan
• Hal Smith
• Yeardley Smith
• James Spader
• Kiefer Sutherland
• Ken Stanton
• John Stephenson
• Tara Strong
• Joshua Swanson
• Peter Thomas
• Dude Walker
• Frank Welker
• Billy West
• Robin Williams
• Paul Winchell
• William Woodson
• Pete Smith

Notes