Unit 6: Horror
Diagetic:
In the Buffy episode, a great example of diagetic sound is the audible howling wind that suddenly comes through the class room when the the TA, presumably, kisses Buffy on the table. The sound, which is technically off camera as you don’t see the physical affects of the wind, originates from within the story itself. The sound adds to the horror aesthetics because it is caused by a supernatural change in setting, and seems out of place in the context of the classroom setting. It peaks the curiosity of the viewer, which adds to the suspense. I’m having a hard time distinguishing this sound effect from diagetic and non-diagetic. It’s tough to tell if the wind is actually happening, or just used as a dramatic sound effect. I’m going guess it’s part of the story.
Non-Diagetic:
In the Buffy episode, a great example of non-diagetic sound is the sharp orchestral “screech” when the TA places his hand on Buffy’s shoulder in the hallway. The sound is an example of non-diagetic sound because it is acting as mood music that does not originate from within the story-line, but rather exists outside the present setting. The sound contributes to the horror aesthetic because it accentuates the paranoia and sudden change of the TA from a human to some demon-vampire creature.
Mise-en-scene:
My favorite example mise-en-scene in the Buffy episode is the framing of the young girl holding the box in the hallway. This type of scene is fairly popular within the horror genre (e.g. The Shining, Poltergeists, ect.) because weird little children are terrifying. The little girl is staged at the end of a long hallway, with ominous lighting coming from beneath and to the side of her, presumably with no natural source. It adds a ton to the horror aesthetic because, as I said before, weird children are scary. They are generally viewed as innocent, so when we see some kind of demon child, the swing from innocent to evil is compounded by our expectations, which in turn horrifying.
What is it about the children that make them weird? I agree that they can be very terrifying, but usually in movies nothing bad happens to the kid, unless they are the main character. Do you think that the lighting in the scene is what made her look weird?
First I would like to say that I really liked that you connected the idea of innocence and horror when describing the scene. I too found some trouble trying to distinguish between diagetic and non-diagetic in the show. I think in the scene you described there are a few things that could have helped to determine which one it was. When the wind blew was there movement of the props in the scene? Or possibly movement of the hair on Buffy as it went past her? I think these things could be clues for future determinations, but then again if the wind was from the spiritual realm would it have an affect on the living world?