Analysing Sound in Clips

In this clip from the remake of the 1970’s classic When A Stranger Calls, diegetic sound is used in the form of the rain, falling endlessly to enhance the non-diegetic sound in the form of the musical score. Both create the sense of fear and suspense. The diegetic sound of the finger on the glass is eerie and makes the audience feel unnerved and uncomfortable. The slow footsteps of the killer is also an example of diegetic sound that adds to the growing suspense at the beginning of this scene. I think in this scene, diegetic and non-diegetic sounds work well together, especially the way we cut between them, each time a little quicker, building that suspense. I think this film is very cleverly done with a great use of both kinds of sound.

During this scene in Blade, the techno-dance music is diegetic sound, because the characters can hear the music and they are dancing to it. The music definitely causes the audience’s hearts to race in anticipation, especially as the music rises in volume and tempo right up until the blood starts to fall. The music here also creates a sense of the scene and what kind of environment we are being shown. This is a good scene to look at for the way the characters respond to the diegetic sound, because they dance to it, they are clearly responding to something they can hear which lets us know that they can hear it as well. Of course, non-diegetic music is often more in the background than diegetic sound, but that is only a generalisation and should not be trusted to make an actual judgement.

This scene from Jaws uses non-diegetic sound to create tension and suspense for the audience. The score is important to create the proper level of fear and drama that the film needs to keep audiences engaged. The high tension music definitely creates a sense of fear. The use of non-diegetic sound in Jaws is quite famous, for it’s ability to create tension and fear in the audience. The score is cleverly manipulated in perfect sync with what’s going on, on screen, so that at the very perfect time, the suspense comes to a climactic end.

Non-Diegetic Sound

For a sound to be considered non-diegetic, it has to be a sound that only the audience can hear, that the characters can’t. Non-Diegetic sound is not present on screen and is not implied by the actions in the shot. The characters don’t react to it.

Examples of non-diegetic sound:

• Narrator’s voice
• Sound effects added in post production for dramatic effect
• ‘mood’ music, added to enhance the feelings and emotions of the action within the screen.
• Film Score, not always the same as ‘mood’ music, but also enhances the experience for the audience.

Websites used for research: http://filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm#nondiegetic , http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=149722, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematic_techniques#Sound

Diegetic Sound

To be a diegetic, the sounds has to have a source that is visible on the screen, or at least is implied to be present by the action of the film. The characters generally have to be able to hear this kind of sound (obviously not if they are deaf, but that is usually the only exception).

Examples are:

• Character’s speech and voices.
• sounds made by objects and props in the storyline
• Music coming from instruments ON SCREEN (source music)
• Sounds effects like barking dogs etc.
• Music from radios, CD players eyc

Diegetic sound can actually be on screen or off screen, depending on the framing of the shots.

Often referred to as literal, or actual sound.

Websites used for research: http://filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm , http://www.123helpme.com/view.asp?id=149722, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinematic_techniques#Sound ,