Do you know what is non-diegetic sound in a film?

Ashoke Viswanathan, award-winning filmmaker and dean at Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), Calcutta, asked that question to a group of around 50 students who had gathered at Gossner College in Ranchi on Friday.

“It's a sound that doesn’t have its source in the script or has no direct relation to the script but helps create an extra effect in the film,” he explained when no student came up with a reply.

He then showed a video clip of a sequence from Ray’s Pather Panchali to convince the students how a sound of tar shehnai helped create an atmosphere of pathos, giving an example of non-diegetic sound.

There are many such aspects of filmmaking that students can learn while pursuing a film course, Viswanathan told the audience.

He came to Ranchi to conduct an admission seminar to create awareness about the joint entrance test for both Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, and SRFTI, Calcutta, that will be held on February 15 and 16 at 27 centres across the country.

Such a joint entrance test is being held since last year for screening candidates for admission into those two film institutes offering a dozen different courses such as acting, editing and cinematography.

“Application fees for the test have been reduced to almost half now, making it easy for students to appear,” Viswanathan told the students who attended the two-and-half-hour event, adding that students could also take the test for multiple courses at the same time.

Viswanathan also gave some tips to students about what books and magazines they should read while preparing for the test, and replied to their queries.

“I unsuccessfully appeared for this test last year and will try it again this time,” said Saurav Munda, a mass communication student of Ranchi University, adding that Viswanathan’s tips would be helpful for him.

Agreed Neveid Ekka, a final-year student of mass communication at St Xavier’s College, who said he would take the test.

“Hope I can follow the tips he gave us today and crack the test,” Ekka said.

Such programmes for creating awareness about the test are being held at various cities across the country, Viswanathan said.

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