I was wondering if you could define and explain the term 'Diegetic
Horizon', both in general and as it would apply specifically to
photography/video.  I think Roland Barthes might be a good place to
start...

thanks

Dear icondancer-ga;

Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to answer your interesting
question.

The word “Diegetic” comes from the word DIEGESIS, which means “an
utterance in any form (descriptions, narratives, propositions, etc.)
that makes no evaluation and draws no conclusion”. “Diegesis is the
showing of things, rather than the telling of things.

In “The Responsibility of Forms”, Roland Barthes reintroduces the word
Diegesis to us in an adjectival form, Diegetic, in order to
distinguish between ideas, images or thoughts that are “shown” as
opposed to those which are “told”.

In photography, a diegetic horizon would be a background that speaks
volumes to the viewer according to his own interpretation rather than
one that conveys an unmistakable message to anyone who sees it. This
could just as easily be “diegetic landscape”, “diegetic seascape” or
diegetic structures”. In like manner, in the film industry, a
“diegetic world” is the state of mind that a viewer might be mentally
transported to as he watches and becomes lost in a particularly
interesting or intriguing film. A “diegetic break” is the point where
a film allows the viewer to reflexively return to reality, as in the
moments immediately following a horror scene or a love scene.
 
Below you will find that I have carefully defined my search strategy
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future. Thank you for bringing your question to us.

Best regards;
Tutuzdad-ga


INFORMATION SOURCES

Department of Fine Arts, Okanagan University College – “Words of Art”
http://www.ouc.bc.ca/fina/glossary/d_list.html

“Diegetic Breaks and the Avant-Garde”
http://www.uca.edu/org/ccsmi/jounal2/ESSAY_Hersey.htm



SEARCH STRATEGY


SEARCH ENGINE USED:

Google ://www.google.com


SEARCH TERMS USED:

DIEGETIC HORIZON

DIEGETIC

DIEGESIS

For $3, I was satisfied with the answer.  I guess an example would
have been helpful (just roughly described imaginary image).  I'm still
a little confused about the use of the word "horizon".  A horizon
typically implies a seperation between two things (ground and sky). 
Is it the diegetic and the non-diegetic that are seperated?  Is a
diegetic horizon the conceptual area between the two?  Or is it the
act of that boundary being crossed?  Overall, though, a nice answer
for $3.  Thanks.

-Icondancer