Cinematic Techniques - Sound

Sound

Sound is used extensively in filmmaking to enhance presentation, and is distinguished into diegetic and non-diegetic sound:

• Diegetic sound: It is sound that the characters can hear as well as the audience, and usually implies a reaction from the character. Also called "literal sound" or "actual sound":
  • Voices of characters;
  • Sounds made by objects in the story, e.g. heart beats of a person
  • Source music, represented as coming from instruments in the story space.
  • Basic sound effects, e.g. dog barking, car passing; as it is in the scene
  • Music coming from reproduction devices such as record players, radios, tape players etc.
• Non-diegetic sound: It is sound which is represented as coming from a source outside the story space, i.e. its source is neither visible on the screen, nor has been implied to be present in the action. Also called "non-literal sound" or "commentary sound":
  • Narrator's commentary;
  • Voice of God;
  • Sound effect which is added for dramatic effect;
  • Mood music; and
  • Film Score

Non-diegetic sound plays a significant role in creating the atmosphere and mood within a film.

Very commonly diegetic shift occurs from one to the other, for example when characters are listening to music, then start dancing and the music becomes non-diegetic to indicate being 'lost in the moment'.