The Gunfighter - An Example of Diegetic Narration

Narration is always done via post production; more often than not, it is confined to non-diegetic space in which only the audience can hear it. In this short film, The Gunfighter, the narrator in this video actually interacts with the characters seen on screen. This is an example of a diegetic narrator as it is found within the space of the film's fictional world.

The typical narrator in a film often propels the story forward by describing a character's events and actions to the viewers in a poetic manner. The Gunfighter humorously uses a narrator that propels the story forward by literally talking to the characters, and also describing their internal thoughts to the other characters that can hear the narrator.

In this context, the narrator becomes an actual character that is merely off screen all the way through the video. What this has taught me is that I can use post production to interact with characters dietetically in order to create a non conventional way to push the story forwards.

If I were to bare this idea in mind for a real production, I would have to make sure that the script includes dialogue that conveys interaction with the narrator, rather than simply recording what I want over the top of the scenes, or else the effect will be lost.