Diegetic sound, also known as actual sound, is any sound whose source physically exists in the world of the film. This could be in the form of pretty much anything: characters talking, a gunshot, a dog barking, a radio, musical instruments. Diegetic sound may be on-screen or off-screen, but must emanate from action within the film.

Non-diegetic sound, also known as commentary sound, is sound whose source is not a part of the film’s world, in that it doesn’t comes from anything on screen or implied to come from somewhere off screen. Non-diegetic sound is added to film in post-production. Examples of non-diegetic sound include voice-overs and narration, mood music and soundtrack/score, and sound effects added for dramatic effect.

Diegetic and non-diegetic sound are often used together, as shown in this brilliant scene from The Shawshank Redemption.

The clip starts with the shuffling of records, a dripping tap, a prison guard talking – all diegetic sound. Then Andy puts on the Mozart record which plays out of the PA system. This is still diegetic sound, as even when the shot changes and the record player itself isn’t in shot, it still exists within the world of the film.

Then, at around the 2 minute mark, we hear one of Red’s voiceovers, an example of non-diegetic sound whilst the diegetic sound of the record continues in the background.

Now look at what can happen when the non-diegetic sound is taken out of a scene, as shown in this clip from Zombieland…

Filmmakers may segue from diegetic to non-diegetic sound or vice-versa. For example, a character may be listening to the radio, an example of diegetic sound, but the music from the radio may then continue into the following scene and can no longer be heard by the character, thus becoming non-diegetic. This is sometimes known as trans-diegetic.

Filmmakers may also have a bit of fun with sound, leading us to believe it’s either diegetic or non-diegetic, but then revealing it to be the other. See the following clip from Blazing Saddles for instance.

Similarly, in this clip of Stranger Than Fiction, we hear a voice-over narration, which would ordinarily be considered non-diegetic. However, we soon discover that Will Ferrell’s character can actually hear the voice-over, suggesting that it is, in fact, diegetic.

Title: Batman

Writer: Bob Kane, Sam Hamm

Director: Tim Burton

Year: 1989

Actors: Michael Keaton, Jack Nicholson, Kim Basinger

In Gotham City, a dark knight known as Batman helps to defeat evil and keep the city’s citizens safe. When Jack Napier is transformed into the evil, Joker, he promises to take over Gotham City it is up to Batman to stop him in his tracks before it is too late. (FilmfanUK, 1989).  In the movie, Batman, low-key lighting is used.  Our readings define it as high-contrast lighting dominated by deep shadow with a few bright highlights (Goodykoontz & Jacobs, 2014).  The use of low-key lighting in the film help reinforce the mystery surrounding Batman.  Was he really fighting crime, or was he a criminal himself?  Most of his dealings took place at night while the city was dark and in shadow.  The cinematography did an excellent job of keeping the audience engaged because the lighting was so dim, it made the viewer stare at the screen looking for signs of the Masked Crusader and when he would appear again.

On the other hand, some critics thought the first movie was too dark.  So in subsequent movies the attempt was made to brighten the films.  However, lighting the scenes took away from the obscurity of Batman and made some of the other films appear not to remain true to the comic books.  Personally, I enjoyed both movies directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton, Batman Returns (1992), was set during winter allowing snow to brighten it up a just enough for viewers to see more of the action, but did not lighten up so much like Batman Forever (1995)  and Batman and Robin (1997) directed by Joel Schumacher used neon colors instead which did not seem to be as realistic to the character.

References:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096895/

Title: Bull Durham

Writer: Ron Shelton

Director: Ron Shelton

Year: 1988

Actors: Kevin Costner, Susan Sarandon, Tim Robbins.

Story: In Durham, N.C., the Bulls minor league baseball team has one asset no other can claim: a poetry-loving groupie named Annie Savoy (Susan Sarandon).  As the team’s season begins, Annie selects brash new recruit Ebby Calvin Laloosh (Tim Robbins), whom she christens “Nuke” to inspire with the religion of baseball.  Nuke also receives guidance from veteran player Crash Davis (Kevin Costner), who settles Nuke’s erratic pitching and teaches him to follow the catcher’s lead.

Plot:  “Crash” Davis, a veteran of 12 years in minor league baseball, is sent down to the single-A Durham Bulls for a specific purpose: to educate hotshot rookie Ebby Laloosh about becoming a major-league talent, and to control Ebby’s erratic pitching.  Crash immediately begins calling Ebby by the degrading nickname of “Meat”, and they get off to a rocky start.

Thrown into the mix is Annie, a lifelong spiritual seeker who has latched onto the “Church of Baseball” and has, every year, chosen one player on the Bulls to be her lover and student.  Annie flirts with Crash and Ebby, but Crash walks out, saying he’s too much of a veteran to “try out” for anything.  Before he leaves, Crash further sparks Annie’s interest with a memorable speech listing the thing he “believes in”, ending with “I believe in long, slow, deep, soft, wet kisses that last three nights… good night”.

Despite some animosity between them, Annie and Crash work, in their own ways, to shape Ebby in to a big-league pitcher.  Annie plays mild bondage games, reads poetry to him, and gets him to think in different ways (and gives him the nickname “Nuke”).  Crash forces Nuke to learn “not to think” by letting the catcher make the pitching calls (memorably at two points telling the batters what pitch is coming after Nuke rejects his calls), and lectures him about the pressure of facing major league hitters who can hit his “heat”.  Crash also talks about the pleasure of life in “The Show”, which he briefly live for “the 21 greatest days of my life” and to which he has tried for years to return.

Meanwhile, as Nuke matures, the relationship between Annie and Crash grows, until it becomes obvious that the two of them are a more appropriate match, except for the fact that Annie and Nuke are currently a couple.

After a rough start, Nuke becomes a dominant pitcher by mid-season.  By the end of the movie, Nuke is called up to the majors and the Bulls, now having no use for his mentor, release Crash.  This incites jealous anger in Crash, who is frustrated by Nuke’s failure to recognize all the talent he was blessed with.  Nuke leaves for the big leagues, Annie ends their relationship, and Crash overcomes his jealously to leave Nuke with final words of advice.

Crash joins another team, the Asheville Tourists, and breaks the minor league record for career home runs.  We see Nuke one last time, being interviewed by the press as a major leaguer, reciting the cliched answers the Crash had taught him earlier.  Crash then retires as a player and returns to Durham, where Annie tells him she’s ready to give up her annual affairs with “boys”.  Crash tells her that he is thinking about becoming manager for a minor league team in Visalia.  Both characters end one phase of their lives and begin another, Annie and Crash dancing in her candle-lit living room.

Chronology: The film was told in chronology.  It showed from start to finish how the characters evolved.  The erratic pitcher finally listening to his mentor to become a dominant pitcher.  Crash then finally realizes that he is not going to make “The Show” again and finally retires.  If this movie didn’t use this concept the viewer would probably be lost on what was going on.

Resources: 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094812/