Diagetic Sound

Diegetic Sound

Diegetic sound is where the source of the sound is visible on the screen or the source of the sound can be implied to be within the scene. These include the voices of characters, sounds made by objects within the scene or music coming from instruments or sounds from electronics such as an orchestra or a radio. Diegetic sound can either be located on or off screen depending on the source of the sound within the frame or scene.

example of diegetic sound would be the scene from ‘Robin Hood’ (1973 Wolfgang Reitherman - Walt Disney Productions) in which Robin hood are escaping from the sheriff near the start of the film.

In the scene, none of the characters movements have sound, only their actions do. Examples of this would be the sound of the water splashing when the protagonists land within the water and When the archers let their arrows loose upon the protagonists including the sound used when the arrows get stuck within the tree.  The reason behind this is that the audience is focusing on the tale being told by the narrator so sounds added are ones that both compliment the soundtrack used but also ones that help amplify the scenario.