I'm currently writing a script right now, and I just want to ask, when one of the characters has a voice over, and you want them to say something directly after their voice over is over, how would you write it? Would it be like:

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
I didn't want to tell him, but I knew I had to.
(To WHATSHISFACE)
I hate you.

WHATSHISFACE
You do?


Or as:

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
I didn't want to tell him, but I knew I had to.

SO-AND-SO
I hate you.

WHATSHISFACE
You do?


Thanks for any answers someone gives me, and my apologies if this has been asked before.

Sean

I know it is not the first one.  anything under SOANDSO (V.O.) is a voice over, no exceptions.

My guess would be your second one, but it could be something else.

You know, that's a pretty good question, Sean.  Perhaps George is researching this as we speak.

My first instinct is to break it up with a little description -- into two parts:


       SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
I didn't want to tell him, but I knew I had to.

So-and-so takes a deep breath.  Clenches his teeth.

       SO-AND-SO
I hate you.

       WHATSHISFACE
You do?

       SO-AND-SO
You bet your ass.

George is a go with the second one. His voiceover is treated like one character, and he in the scene would be like another one. This is why it is of the utmost inmportance to specify V.O. if it is a voiceover and leave it off if it isn't. Breaking it up with description is helpful but not necessary.

So yes, two separate character dialogue headers: one with the V.O. and one without. It is clear to those who are used to seeing such things.

As for being asked before, I'm not sure about this one. Voiceover is a perennial favorite of a topic, but it's usually "when is too much" or "do I really have to put V.O. after EVERY time since it's all voiceover"? Switching back and forth doesn't come up much, but it can get crazy like this.

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
I didn't want to tell him...

SO-AND-SO
Hey...

WHATSHISFACE
What?

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
But I knew I had to

SO-AND-SO
I...

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
Oh no, he's not going to take it well.

SO-AND-SO
...hate...

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
Here come the tears.

SO-AND-SO
...you.

WHATSHISFACE
You do?

SO-AND-SO
You bet your ass.

SO-AND-SO (V.O.)
That'll show him.

And after you turn in a script like this, you'll be summarily dismembered, correct as it may be.

I'd do exactly as Bert said, break up the scene.

I searched my screenplay collection for some examples of (V.O.) which goes directly into dialogue without somekind of break using a line of action.. I've found one which uses a line of action as a break and one which uses paranthesis as a break and finally, I found one without a break which as George says goes straight from (V.O.) into dialogue. This example is of course from the master Stanley Kubrick but it's three lines of dialogue and could look messy if any more as George pointed out.

The example from DUNE isn't described as a (V.O.) as such but as "inner voice" and "out loud" but the "inner voice" although whispered is actually a (V.O.)

Examples:

INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE

Screenplay by

Anne Rice

SHOOTING DRAFT

PAGE #4

INT. WATERFRONT TAVERN. NIGHT.

Louis in ragged lace and dirty brocade sitting between two
whores at a gaming table, drinking absinthe. All around him
flatboatmen, whores, gamblers, black african freedmen.

LOUIS (V.O.)
I wanted to lose everything. My
wealth, my estate, my sanity. But
Lady Luck didn't oblige.

Louis dsiplays a hand of four aces. A gambler at the table
stands in fury, over turning money, cards, drinks.

LOUIS
You're calling me a cheat?

GAMBLER
I'm calling you a piece of shit -


DUNE

Screenplay by

David Lynch

7th Draft

PAGE #16

28B. DUKE LETO AND PAUL AGAINST SEA

They look out over the sea.  A huge wave crashes below.

The Duke turns to Paul.

DUKE LETO
(inner voice)
My son.
(out loud)
Thufir Hawat has served House Atreides three
generations.... He swears you are the finest
student he's ever taught.  Yueh, Gurney and
Duncan say the same.... It makes me feel
very proud...

PAUL
I want you to be proud of me.


CLOCKWORK ORANGE

Screenplay by

Stanley Kubrick

Based on a novel by

Anthony Burgess


PAGE # 16

INT. DUKE OF NEW YORK PUB

The four boys sit round table.

ALEX (V.O.)
I had not put into any of Dim's main
cables and so, with the help of a clean
tashtook, the red, red kroovy stopped, and
it did not take long to quieten the two
wounded soldiers, down in the snug in the
Duke of New York. Now they knew who was
Master and Leader. Sheep, thought I, but a
real leader knows always when like to give
and show generous to his unders.

ALEX
Well, now we're back to where we were.
Yes? Just like before and all forgotten?
Right, right, right.

ALL BOYS
Right. Right. Right.


Kevan

Okay thanks everyone, I appreciate it. I'll most likely use what George had, but I'll probably use actions to break it up also.

Thanks again!

Sean

Voice-over is largely done for technical reasons.  It's recorded seperately and then played into the scene.  In fact, it's just as easy for them to record voice-over by a different actor for the character.  The point is, as for as the movie-makers are concerned, the voice-over dialogue and the real dialogue are completely different.  So writing them together will only confuse people.

Sometimes, it is recorded separately and then played in the scene while the actual scene is being filmed. Such is the case in Duel when the guy is in the diner. You hear a voiceover, and the making of documentary indicates that the voiceover source was a speaker that the actor could hear and react to his own voice.

That is, of course, a complete side note and in no way negates that it is a technical specification as Jerdol indicates.