Firstly, diegetic sound is a noise which has a source that can be located on-screen and often haven't been edited. However, non- diegetic sound is a noise which doesn't have an on-screen source because it's been added in.
Here's a video which points out diegetic and non-diegetic dialogue within the scene:
DIEGETIC SOUND
Some examples include:
Footsteps
Dialogue
Ambient Sounds
Birds
Cars
Weapons
Diegetic sounds bring realism to the film and draws the audience into the movie and setting.
This clip from the movie 'Nerve' includes many examples of diegetic sound as not much is happening and so the audio is full of ambient sounds. This scene is set in a small diner so we are met with the sound of cutlery, background dialogue and footsteps along with the main dialogue and phone notifications.
NON - DIEGETIC SOUND
Some examples include:
Voice Overs
Additional Music
Additional Sound Effects
Off-Screen Dialogue
Additional Ambient Sounds
Non-diegetic sounds are important to a film as it can either bring more immersion to the audience or bring them away from the scene momentarily. It also strongly sets the mood form the scene.
One of the scenes from 'Forrest Gump' shows how you can use non-diegetic sounds, mainly voice overs, for storytelling. In this scene he recalls on his time in the army as the audience is shown an interaction between Gump and a drill Sargent. Another use of non-diegetic sound in this scene is of the Sargent's dialogue which continues as he makes his way out of frame. One example this clip doesn't include is music. Although this is one of the most used examples of non-diegetic sound as it fills in gaps of silence and sets the mood for the audience, I feel this scene is effective without the music as it's more fitting with the setting and events within the clip.
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