Computer Generated Voice...(V.O) or (O.S)

[Chief]

**** moves to the side and faces a scanner. a RED LASER scans his retina.

Computer Generated voice (V.O) or (O.S)

******* Access granted. Welcome Sir.

[medavidson]

... or neither.

Technically, the voice IS on-screen, but spoken by a computer.

Maybe...

COMPUTER (ON THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER)
Yes, sir?

or, better, more simple, and still clear -- nothing...

COMPUTER
Yes, sir?

[MoviePen]

Just for perspective: I've worked in many card/code access buildings. The only voices that ever greeted me were my coworkers.

A red laser scans his retina. The door opens.

[Fortean]

If the voice supplied for the computer is done as ADR, (usually for clarity's sake), as with other devices, (telephone, television, radio, public address systerm, etc.), then:

COMPUTER (V.O.)
(filtered)
Access granted. Welcome, sir.

[odocoileus]

Originally Posted by Fortean

If the voice supplied for the computer is done as ADR, (usually for clarity's sake), as with other devices, (telephone, television, radio, public address systerm, etc.), then:

COMPUTER (V.O.)
(filtered)
Access granted. Welcome, sir.

Yes. (filtered) is correct.

[ComicBent]

Of course, this is one of those situations where you could do things several ways. It really does not matter.

I would not use (O.S.), because that is clearly for a character who is off screen (like standing behind a curtain, or something like that). No point in personifying the computer to that point (not even the famous HAL).

I would just use (V.O.) and forget about it.

EDIT TO ADD: You know, I have been here more than ten years. One of my favorite activities has been to analyze these questions about "How would you show this?" and "How would you format this?"

But, honestly, if you are dealing with an issue so unique that it is going to receive various answers, then you do not have to worry that somebody somewhere is going to say, "Hey, this guy is a doofus. He doesn't know how to format."

[jonpiper]

Originally Posted by Chief

**** moves to the side and faces a scanner. a RED LASER scans his retina.

Computer Generated voice (V.O) or (O.S)

******* Access granted. Welcome Sir.

Originally Posted by medavidson

... or neither.

Technically, the voice IS on-screen, but spoken by a computer.

Maybe...

COMPUTER (ON THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER)
Yes, sir?

or, better, more simple, and still clear -- nothing...

COMPUTER
Yes, sir?

True, the voice is on screen, heard by the character and the audience. But we don't see what generates the voice nor are we sure where the sound originates. Is it an overhead speaker we see or is it an unseen speaker behind the scanner or somewhere else?
It doesn't matter, does it?

You just want us to know the voice is generated electronically by an unseen computer or other device in response to the scanner reading.

There may be other different Computer generated voices in the script, so I
would go for:

SCANNER VOICE (V.O.)

(V.O.) is usually used for dialogue from an unseen Narrator, heard only by the audience, AND for dialogue comming from a speaker, radio, computer, or other device.

P.S. Could even go with:

SCANNER (V.0.)

[BattleDolphinZero]

Originally Posted by medavidson

COMPUTER (ON THE OVERHEAD SPEAKER)
Yes, sir?

this is what I would do.

i think it's plenty clear.

do it like this

[wks2001]

I would go with Fortean's example. It's clear and simple, and to the point. It's a V.O. though for real. A voice that has to be added during post production.

wks

[wcmartell]

(V.O.) - because it will be added later (or is on a playback) and not some character standing in the next room or on the other side of a door or somewhere else Off Screen.

- Bill