Dexter’s Michael C. Hall on the importance of voice over

November 30, 2009 by Lance Carter

Michael C. Hall: “I think [the voice-over] reinforces the sense on the part of the audience that we’re seeing things from Dexter’s point of view, that we’re in on a secret that no one else in his world is and as a result have an intimate relationship to him and are perhaps, just by continuing to watch, knowing what we know, implicated and complicit.”

It’s a relationship the actor takes seriously, recording a preliminary version of the character’s thoughts on a recorder in his trailer during the filming of each episode, for the use of the show’s editors, then rerecording later to match to specific shots and scenes.

“Early on, you know, there was the thinking that I’d just record it and they’d lay it in there. And I really lobbied to take the time to rerecord all the voice-over to picture each time. . . . It’s sort of relinquishing a little less control, or taking a little more control.”