"'Narration,' Portions types." or "Inner Monologue"

[portions_for_foxes]

I'm working on my first screenplay, and I'm about three-fourths complete. I'm starting to feel as if I want to hear my characters inner monologue. Do you view narration in a movie as a cop out or just a cinematic/literary device? Examples of each maybe?

[wlenno92]

scrubs has an innter monolouge.. and thats a great show.
probably not helpful, but it had to be said.

[Rhian]

It all depends on the style, it can work. I think if you have a central character (on or off screen) as the narration that is a good style. Too many inner voices is a bit confusing.

Tell it like a story...?

[william]

Not cinema guy,but it depends, right?

In order to advance the plot, is it that important that things be spelled out for the audience? Film is a collaborative medium so it may be that the cinematography, the acting, and the situation will be enough for the observant viewer to come the right conclusion.

Set it. Stage it. Direct it. The audience will enjoy it more if it all clicks like a little mystery, making it fun and leaving them as if they're "in" on something - giving them something to discuss afterwards.

"Didn't you notice when she looked annoyed and glared at Fox just before she started to cry? She was faking it!"

My two cents.

[metothemax]

any and all narriation has to be done by morgan freeman im pretty sure its a law

but seriously as long as narration doesnt stop the flow of the story then theres nothing wrong with it it can be a really helpful device to clear up details

[McNally]

It's almost a cliched example of awesomeness, since it's so often referenced as being awesome, but Trainspotting had a ton of inner monologue and it was awesome.

[portions_for_foxes]

Scrubs and Trainspotting are great examples. I had just had a few people tell me I was being a pussy by writing narration. As if by narrating I planned on completely ignoring the plot. I'm convinced. Inner Monologue it is.

[McNally]

Have you seen Adaptation? It was kind of a meta-movie about a guy working on a screenplay, and it has tons of narration, and at one point he goes to a script-writing class where the teacher tells him to never ever use narration. So the narrator's like, fuck. I wasn't crazy about the film, but it had some moments.

[portions_for_foxes]

I haven't. It's one of those movies that I feel like I should see but never have. I'm working on watching all the modern classics (i.e. American Beauty and Fight Club). I feel like Adaptation may be in there somewhere along the way.

[iheartnihilism]

"Fox"?