The Power of Sound: Creating Realism in Film

• Music Business
• Special Education

The Power of Sound: Creating Realism in Film

Learning Objective: 

To understand how diegetic sound can be used in film to create consistency and realism.

What do you already know about different types of sounds used in movies?

What is Diegetic Sound?

Diegetic sound in film refers to any sound that comes from within the world of the film, either on-screen or off-screen. 

E.g a phone ringing in another room or a character putting on a record and dancing around their living room.

https://www.bbcmaestro.com/blog/diegetic-vs-non-diegetic-sound

What is "Non-Diegetic" Sound?

In contrast to diegetic sound, non-diegetic sound is only heard by the viewers. This type of sound and music is added in post-production. The most common are:

• Music
• Narration/Voiceovers
• Sound Effects

Importance of Diegetic Noise

Diegetic noise helps to immerse the audience in the film's world, making the scenes feel more authentic and relatable.

Questions?

1. What is the difference between diegetic and non-diegetic sounds?
2. How do the Simpsons composers play with this in the scary forest scene with Homer?
3. What do they do to make “you are my sunshine” sound sad?

Effective us of Diegetic Sound

Watch the following movie clip and make a list of all the diegetic sounds you can hear...

What diegetic sounds could you hear in the clip?

Discussion

How did the use of diegetic sound in the clip enhance the storytelling and audience engagement?

Ineffective use of diegetic sound in movies can result in distractions, confusion, or a weakened connection to the narrative.

• if the sound of footsteps or door creaks is overly amplified to the point of annoyance without serving a purpose
• if the volume or clarity of a character's dialogue varies significantly between scenes, it can disrupt the audience's connection with the story.
• if the sound of a character's footsteps doesn't align with the surface they are walking on, it can be distracting.

• when background noises overwhelm important dialogue, it can make it difficult for the audience to follow the story.
• if a dramatic scene is accompanied by comical diegetic sounds, it can undermine the intended emotional impact
• If a film relies too heavily on characters singing or playing music without clear narrative relevance, it can become tedious. 
• If a film lacks purposeful moments of silence, it may miss opportunities to build tension or allow for emotional resonance.

What do you think?

Watch the following scene from the film Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones.

Some critics have mentioned that certain scenes in this film suffer from overuse of diegetic sound, particularly in action sequences where the abundance of sounds may be perceived as overwhelming or distracting.

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What diegetic sounds could you hear in the clip?

Group Activity

As a class, we will watch the following clip without sound and make a list of diegetic noises we would need to add to make the clip feel realistic. 

Using the paper on the desk, write down any sounds you think we should include.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.