Topic 5: Sound

People use phrases like “We are going to see a movie” and “I watched a movie last weekend.” These phrases all focus on the visual aspect of film. One should not underestimate the importance of sound (silence—the absence of sound ) in film. What one hears contributes greatly to one’s experience as a member of the audience.

 
Watch this video that demonstrates how different types of sound are combined intentionally to draw the viewers into the world of Baz Luhrmann's film Australia.


Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound  arises naturally from the action of the film. For example, the audience may hear characters speak to each other (e.g., dialogue during a confrontation) or environmental  sounds (e.g., thunder crashing or a door slam). When the audience hears diegetic  sound, the audience shares the same experience as the characters. The audience hears what the characters hear, allowing the audience to relate to the characters more deeply.



Photo by Vera Arsic

 


Photo by Andre Furtado from Pexels

Watch this video essay (warning: mature content—language) that discusses how directors like Martin Scorsese work with silence to serve a variety of purposes. The narrator of the video begins by discussing how silence is used to suggest when characters are making decisions.

While you view this video, consider the following:
  • According to the speaker, what is the effect of silence in the scene from Saving Private Ryan? (Tip: Cue your media player to 3:20–3:42.)
  • How do the directors use sound to convey loss in the two different Superman scenes? Which Superman scene do you prefer? Why?




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Non-diegetic Sound

Non-diegetic sound comes into a film from outside the action of the film. Think of a film’s music soundtrack or when a character provides a voice-over (when a narrator addresses the audience, but the characters cannot hear what is said). A voice-over can serve to contribute to tension, provide background information, and/or enhance the audience's understanding of a character's realization.

Non-diegetic sound is added in post-production, after the shots have been filmed. When a character provides a voice-over, it can create tension, because we know something the characters in the scene do not. A cleverly chosen soundtrack, playing at a key moment in the film, contributes to the mood and can speak to character development.

 




Watch these two video clips that demonstrate the effect of music choices in film: Jaws and Coriolanus.

While viewing these clips, consider the following:
  • In Jaws, what is the effect of adding music to the replayed scene (at 0:53)?
  • Why is it important to pay close attention to the music while studying a film?



Explore

Use the Elements of Film Tutorial to explore and review the content related to “Sound.” Be sure to review the YouTube link that accompanies each term in the tutorial to understand the effect of each technique. Record your observations of the effects of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds (e.g., soundtrack and voice-over) in your Elements of Film handout.