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FILM TECHNIQUE

Diegetic sound

Sound belonging to the story world, whether its source is visible or offscreen.

A radio song and a character's footsteps can share the same fictional space.

See it in a scene.

This technique’s reviewed examples reveal later parts of the story. Choose a film and allow whole-film discussion to explore them.

Explore Rear Window →

Further reading

Original explanations informed by these sources.

Yale Film Analysis Guide: Sound ↗Columbia Film Language Glossary: Diegetic Sound ↗