Film Education -

Music

Music is used to create a number of effects, usually emotion, drama and story coding.

Music can:

• determine the mood or genre of a film
• build up or release tension
• change the emotional or physical status of a character
• smooth out transitions in the edit to allow a film to flow/link the scenes together
• highlight or code a theme or message

Dialogue

The words spoken by the characters within the scene.

Dialogue can be scripted or improvised and is spoken by the characters. Dialogue can be used to establish character definition and relationships, and to provide plot information and back-story.

Voiceover

When the story is narrated over the image.

This is when an omniscient narrator or a character is heard talking over the images you are seeing on the screen. Voiceovers are often used to provide back-story and either a subjective or objective perspective of the story as it unfolds.

Diegetic/non-diegetic sound

Where the sound comes from.

Diegetic sound comes from within the film (the diegesis). It is implied by the action in the scene or storyline. Diegetic sound is most commonly the voices of the characters speaking or the sound made by movements and objects either seen or implied in the film. Another term used for diegetic sound is actual sound.
Example of diegetic sound: music heard coming from a radio that can be seen on the screen.

Non-diegetic sound comes from a source that is not visible to the audience. This is most commonly sound effects, music and voiceover. Another term used for non-diegetic sound is commentary sound.
Example of non-diegetic sound: music played over a scene for effect that does not have a source within the film.