Film in Focus: A Quiet Place

In this clip from the opening sequence of John Krasinski’s A Quiet Place (2018), a family in a post-apocalyptic world attempts to make their way through a forested area while making as little noise as possible. Notice how sound is used to build suspense in the sequence.

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Discussion Questions

After watching this clip from A Quiet Place, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question 1.

Watch this clip again with the sound turned off and note the difference. Now describe the use of diegetic and non-diegetic sound in the clip, as well as what you might call diegetic and non-diegetic silence, and how they build tension throughout the sequence.

Question 2.

How does sound or its absence tell the story and set genre expectations in this sequence?