Voice-over

<p>Voice-over (also known as off-camera or off-stage commentary) is a production technique used in <a href="/facts/Radio/XFr909M2">radio</a>, <a href="/facts/Television/X4YG5nT1">television</a>, <a href="/facts/Filmmaking/GL8DJm3W">filmmaking</a>, <a href="/facts/Theatre/Tq0mvBI8">theatre</a>, and other <a href="/facts/Media_(communication)/uflm14CI">media</a> in which a <a href="/facts/Description/X2AGERdY">descriptive</a> or <a href="/facts/Exposition_(narrative)/Umc9h06K">expository</a> voice that is not part of the narrative (i.e., <a href="/facts/Diegesis/SrCtCjqb">non-diegetic</a>) accompanies the pictured or on-site <a href="/facts/Presentation/InRKd0W2">presentation</a> of events. The voice-over is read from a script and may be spoken by someone who appears elsewhere in the production or by a specialist <a href="/facts/Voice_actor/rwV6NXku">voice actor</a>. Synchronous dialogue, where the voice-over is narrating the action that is taking place at the same time, remains the most common technique in voice-overs. Asynchronous, however, is also used in cinema. It is usually prerecorded and placed over the top of a film or video and commonly used in <a href="/facts/Documentary_film/T0FBJpMR">documentaries</a> or news reports to explain information.
</p><p>Voice-overs are used in video games and on-hold messages, as well as for announcements and information at events and tourist destinations. It may also be read live for events such as award presentations. Voice-over is added in addition to any existing dialogue and is not to be confused with <a href="/facts/Voice_acting/rwV6NXku">voice acting</a> or the process of replacing dialogue with a translated version, the latter of which is called <a href="/facts/Dubbing_(filmmaking)/9hNR62Ue">dubbing</a> or revoicing.
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Voice-over