Consider this opening sequence. A telephoto shot of scorched desert sand with rippling heat distorting the scene. Dry, desiccated, lifeless sagebrush. A lizard slowly seeking shade beneath a small stone. And a small plume of dust in the distance. Attention-getting stuff. Now a narrator intones, "The summer heat beats down on the Bonneville Salt Flats." Effective. But what might work better is a super (onscreen text). Something such as "Bonneville Salt Flats." Then, as the plume of dust moves toward the camera, add another super: "Speed Trials ”Summer 2002." Then a rocket-shaped vehicle screams through the scene. Rather than interrupt the building suspense with a dulcet-toned narrator, save him for later. Instead, simply slap on a couple supers to set up your story. Here are a couple other sample instances where text can be an effective alternative to voiceovers :
Text strengthens your project. |