Hi people,

Does anybody know the correct terminology to use when describing a character talking in a room in
complete darkness? Is it JOHN (V.O.) or JOHN (O.S.)?

My gut tells me that it is (O.S.), but they're not really off screen, just cannot be seen by the human eye.

Your help is appreciated.

Does this help you?

O.S. is reserved for scenes in which you specifically want to indicate that someone is in the scene but is out of sight because of a physical barrier: The person speaking is in another room, in a closet, behind a screen, or something like that...

If not, I can come back and clarify.

-ghostie

I was leaning towards O.S.
Thanks Ghostie. It makes sense

Here is a good link

https://screenwriting.io/what-is-the-difference-between-v-o-and-o-s/

Thanks eldave

It’s O.S.

Yup

Read this:

http://screenreads.com/formatting/character_headings/vo_and_os.html

Thanks Tjalex.

What a wonderful resources we have in the internet.

I wish it was around when I was going to college.

Hey Matt, well it's neither, isn't it - the person isn't VO, as that's the voice talking over the screen, but their not OS either as they're in the scene, we just can't see them but you have done an over black or similar so we know it's dark and then John just talks as we know we can't see him?