Thursday, 3 October 2013

Diegetic and Non-diegetic sounds

Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound can be either on screen or off screen depending on whatever its source is within the frame or outside the frame. It is any sound presented as originated from sources within the film's world, for example: 

  • voices of characters 
  • sounds made by objects in the story 
  • music (that is coming from instruments in the story- not backing music) 
Here is an example from the movie Mean Girls



Non-diegetic Sound


Non-diegetic sound is represented as coming from the a source outside story space. Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action: 
  • narrator's commentary
  • sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect
  • mood music
Here is an example from the movie Jaws

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