Sound For Moving ImageDiegetic and Non-Diegetic Sound

In this session we shall…

Look at Diegetic and Non-Diegetic

Define which sounds fit into which of these categories.

Diegetic Sounds

Is sound who’s source is visible on the screen

•Characters dialogue

•Weather – Wind, Sea etc

•Vehicles

•Weapons

Non-Diegetic Sounds

Sounds that are not heard by the characters or not produced by elements in the film

•Score Music

•Narration (Only if narrator is not a character in the film)

•Canned Laughter

•Sound FX

Diegetic and Non-Diegetic Music

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juVb1SDHWrk

Task

1. Open up the Ender’s Game Trailer.

2. Listen to the original sound file

3. In two separate columns in (Word or on paper), list the Diegetic and Non-Diegetic sounds existing in this example.

4. When you have listed them all, write a short evaluation of the sound of the film

What do you notice?

Does the film favour more Diegetic or Non-Diegetic music?

How does the film balance the two?

Are there any unique Diegetic/Non-Diegetic features that are specific to this film?

No Non-Diegetic Music

Some films choose to feature only Diegetic sound in their product due to a specific feel that they can achieve with this technique.

Other films choose to remove Diegetic dialogue from their scenes to focus the viewer on what is being said by the characters despite the fact it is not replicated in the audio.

The French ConnectionGene Hackman and Roy Schneider are tracking a couple of assumed criminals. The cops stand outside in the cold while the bad guys are inside eating a gourmet dinner.

The camera sits a few feet from the criminals as they engage in conversation. At every other point in the film, a camera that close, trained on dialogue, allows us to hear the spoken words. At this point, though, Director William Friedkin chooses to have the dialogue be silent, forcing the audience into the same perspective (in an auditory sense) as the cops. Even if we see better than they do, our in ability to hear what is happening adds to the frustration

Task

Spend 10 minutes researching how other films have used Diegetic and Non-Diegetic music to create a unique feel or to convey a particular emotion to their audience.