Jul
2014
Protected: 6 – Horror
Personal speaking, I like horror film but I cannot watch alone. The Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an old horror drama. I can pick some sample from this drama to explain non-diagetic sound, diagetic sound, and mise-en-scene. Non-diagetic mean “Sound whose source is neither visible on the screen nor has been implied to be present in the action: narrator’s commentary sound effects which is added for the dramatic effect”. Non-diagetic is simply background sound. In a scene in drama, the girl siting on the chair and watching the cell phone. A lyric and beautiful melody sang by a woman is background music. The song can reflect the girl’s complex mind and make a warm mood. This non-diagetic effect can drive the story line and let people forget the horror plot for a while. Digetic Sound means “ Sound whose source is visible on the screen or whose source is implied to be present by the action of the film’s voices of characters, sounds made by objects in the story, etc.” That is the real sound by what we can see from film. Like the girl open a door and then hit an ugly guy. The real sound company with what we see and it is not like watching a silent films. The Digetic Sound can give viewer an actual feel. Like a monster open a big mouth and make a weird sound. That image and sound can scare people or get people’s attention. Mise-en-scene means “an expression used to describe the design aspects of a theatre or film production, which essentially means “visual theme” or “telling a story”—both in visually artful ways through storyboarding, cinematography and stage design, and in poetically artful ways through direction. Mise-en-scène has been called film criticism’s “grand undefined term”(Wikipedia) It can be concluded as a stage environment, lighting effect and environment design, etc. like one scene in the buffy drama, the vampire always suddenly come out from a dark place. May be this moment is peace and the next scene the monster is in the dark. In a no lighting mood, it can make people upset. Mise-en-scene is an overall effect of a film. A scene change and setting a very important and can let people know the background information.
Jenny
August 1, 2014 at 3:14 pm (11 years ago)You did a very good job giving descriptions of each of the different terms to avoid confusion for the readers of this blog. At the beginning when you spoke about non-diagetic sound, you said “The song can reflect the girl’s complex mind and make a warm mood. This non-diagetic effect can drive the story line and let people forget the horror plot for a while.” While I think this is a very interesting take on it, my view on non-diagetic sound differs in the sense of purpose. First I think the sound is not meant to convey the character’s feelings since that can be done by facial expressions and body language, but I think it’s to convey to the viewers what their feelings are supposed to be. As far as non-diagetic sound causing the viewers to forget the horror plot for awhile, I think it may do somewhat of the opposite. While this does depend on the type of background music, I think the reason filmmakers put non-diagetic sound in horror films is to increase the feelings of fear and create a higher sense of horror. The definition of non-diagetic sound from filmsound.org mentions, “…non-diegetic conventions can be used to create ambiguity (horror)…” which I believe backs up the point that it fosters a feeling of unknowing and fear instead of security.
Diegetic and non-degetic sound. (n.d.) FilmSound.org. Retrieved September 24, 2009 from http://filmsound.org/terminology/diegetic.htm
Joon Gu
August 1, 2014 at 5:05 pm (11 years ago)You have well explained the effects on Buffy’s drama. The diagetic and non-diagetic sounds are really important factor in horror movie. As you stated, the sounds from characters in the drama explains what the story will be going and give a space for audiences to experience unexpected events happening. Characters acting and camera angles also give a direct impacts that audience gets scared. In contrast, sounds indirectly lead people to feel scared. In the drama, character’s acting and sounds are harmony each other. However, you stated that “this non-diagetic effect can drive the story line and let people forget the horror plot for a while”. I disagree with it. Although the sound is not presented in the film, the non-diagetic sounds add moods on the scene. It does not directly drive the story line but help the story line be more scary. Moreover, people can doubt on the story if the non-diagetic sound is playing. It absolutely gives a room for people to expect something happens. The director of the drama use the room and make special scenes that surprise the audiences.
xiaoxue@uoregon.edu
August 3, 2014 at 11:04 pm (11 years ago)You have give really good examples on the three different kind of sounds. No wonder, sounds are the most important element the film is using to create fear for people, the audience enjoy the multiple kinds of sounds, especial they are designed well by the filmmaker, you have said that “A lyric and beautiful melody sang by a woman is background music. The song can reflect the girl’s complex mind and make a warm mood”. which I cannot totally agree with, a lot of background music in horror film is used to create a sense of intense, people know they are watching horror film and they are prepared to feel dangerous, lots of people who always watch horror film don’t enjoy the music because they must be the bingeing of the dangerous. this is how horror film are paying games with the viewers.