Writing Effective Narration

Videomakers are, by definition, visual artists. We communicate with pictures and images. But, in many cases, the images alone may not tell the whole story. That's where narration fits in. When used well, narration adds depth and harmony to your production. When used poorly, narration can ruin an otherwise perfect project.

Narration, often called voice over (VO), is the off-camera voice that imparts the important information that the video footage itself doesn't. Carefully constructing good, crisp narration is critical to the success of your video. If you don't start with well-written narration the end result will still sound flat and out of tune, regardless of how well the narration is delivered or recorded. Fortunately, writing effective narration isn't as difficult as it may seem. Use the following ten tips and your narration skills will tune up in no time.

1) Plan Ahead
Decide how you want to use narration in your project before you start writing. Narration can do many things. How you use the VO depends upon the vide…

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Bill Harrington | December 1999

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Writing Effective Narration

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