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ainda estão em formação
Dec 8, 2011 12:58
12 yrs ago
24 viewers *
Portuguese term

Loc. off

Portuguese to English Other Cinema, Film, TV, Drama Script
This is in a script for a short programme. My assumption is that 'Loc. off' or 'Loc' means that there is a voice-over, either on or off-screen. Are these same terms used in English, if not, what do we use?

Thanks for your help.
Proposed translations (English)
4 You are right
4 OC / (off)
3 voice off

Discussion

Paula Borges Dec 8, 2011:
VO OS OC... VO and OS are used in TV, movie and animation scripts.
When I took cinema and screenwriting lessons at University I was taught that VO stands for voice over (narrator) OS stands for off-screen and OC stands for off-camera, which should only be used when a character is assumed to be part of the action and his/her voice can be heard but he/she cannot be seen at the moment. However, you can find these terms being used in many different ways.
XXXphxxx (X) (asker) Dec 8, 2011:
Nice image Nick. Sadly this particular script is a tad more prosaic. Shame it's not Hitchcock.
Nick Taylor Dec 8, 2011:
Voice-off http://isites.harvard.edu/fs/docs/icb.to Hitchcock makes use of it to create a particularly tense feeling of suspense as the camera lingers for long moments on a housemaid methodically clearing the top of the chest in which the dead body has been hidden; at the same time, a long voice-off conversation, very relevant to the drama at hand, but completely unrelated to the visual image, is taking place between several of the characters.
XXXphxxx (X) (asker) Dec 8, 2011:
For anyone who might be interested in future... Found this: http://www.screenwriting.info/glossary.php
XXXphxxx (X) (asker) Dec 8, 2011:
Obrigada Paula! Yes, now that DOES ring a bell...
Paula Borges Dec 8, 2011:
V.O. O.S. ... The following has been found on a website about screenwriting:

VO is voice over.

OS is off screen

OC is off camera

Proposed translations

10 mins
Selected

You are right

loc. means voice over (narrator), while off means off-screen.


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Note added at 11 mins (2011-12-08 13:10:22 GMT)
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I misunderstood you earlier.

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Note added at 19 mins (2011-12-08 13:17:51 GMT)
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I can't tell you for sure but I have seen scripts with V.O. (OS) or V.O. (off)

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Note added at 23 mins (2011-12-08 13:22:30 GMT)
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I would say the most common thing to see is simply V.O. and V.O. (O.S.) when off-screen.
Note from asker:
Don't worry. I'm glad I've got the 'locução'. I knew what it meant but didn't know what it stood for. The question is what is the abbreviation/term used for a voiceover off-screen in English (?)
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks for your help Paula."
37 mins

OC / (off)

In the TV and film industries, the usual equivalent to Loc. off is 'OC', meaning 'off camera'. 'voice' is understood, since'OC' is associated with a particular line of dialogue in the script.
It is also very common to simply put '(off)' - in () so it won't be mistaken as part of the spoken text.

VO (voice off) and OS (off stage) are used in the theatre context.
Peer comment(s):
neutral Paula Borges : I get a lot of TV/ movie/animation scripts with V.O. (O.S.) in that case VO stands for voice-over and OS for off-screen. OC is normally used when a character is part of the action but is not on camera when the voice is heard - not for VO but this varies.
6 hrs
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6 hrs

voice off

voice off
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