How sound works to influence films

How sound works to influence films

Since we have veered towards a horror/psychological thriller genre, I have begun research on multiple things that are important to make an effective portrayal of our story, and the first thing I thought of when I started was sound.

Horror/Thriller Films across all genres incorporate music and sound techniques into their film to enhance the tone and to emerge the audience deeper into the plot. Thriller films are no exception to this. Depending on the sub-genre for thriller, for us it will lean more toward psychological; the movie could include intense music to compliment an scene with action, or it could include creepy, ominous music during a movie where there are spooky scenes or mysterious things happening.

Sound is one of the most powerful tools in films, giving us fear and tension through what we hear—both inside and outside the film’s world. Here’s how diegetic and non-diegetic sounds work to terrify us

Diegetic Sound—heard by both characters and the audience.

• A Quiet Place (2018): Every small sound (breathing, footsteps, a toy beeping) becomes a life-or-death moment, making silence its own form of terror.

• The Conjuring (2013): The eerie “hide and clap” game uses diegetic clapping sounds to create suspense, making the audience feel trapped alongside the characters.

Non-Diegetic Sound: Heard only by the audience, guiding emotions.

• Jaws (1975): The infamous "duunnn-dun... duunnn-dun" score builds dread before the shark even appears, warning us of danger before the characters sense it.

• Psycho (1960): The high-pitched violin stabs in the shower scene make the attack far more intense, turning a visual horror into an unforgettable auditory nightmare.

Films like The Shining (1980) mix unsettling real-world sounds (Danny’s tricycle on hardwood vs. carpet) with an eerie score, creating an atmosphere of pure dread. Hereditary (2018) amplifies fear with natural clicks and whispers while layering in haunting music to make the horror feel inescapable.

Why is this important?

Horror thrives on sound, diegetic or not. Diegetic noises make fear feel real, while non-diegetic music and effects manipulate our emotions. When used together, they create an immersive nightmare that stays with us long after the movie ends.

Conclusion

Unfortunately, that is my final post for the week; however, I will be back before you know it, Next class we will have a group meeting, and the next post will be a reflection post about our first group meeting. As always, thank you for reading, and I hope you enjoyed my blog.