Offscreen space

Offscreen space is the part of a story world that exists beyond the image currently shown onscreen. It can be implied by sound, movement, framing, or characters’ attention.

Offscreen sound: Sound whose apparent source lies outside the visible frame. It can locate unseen people or events beyond the image.
Mise-en-scène: The arrangement of setting, actors, lighting, and objects within a theatrical or film scene. Its visible details can imply a larger world beyond the frame.
Suspense: A feeling of uncertainty and anticipation about what will happen in a narrative. Withholding a threat beyond the frame can sustain uncertainty.
Onscreen space: The area of a story world visible within the image at a given moment. It is the visible counterpart to offscreen space.
Film framing: The selection and arrangement of visual elements within a film image. The frame sets the boundary between visible and offscreen space.
Diegesis: The fictional world and events that belong to a narrative. Offscreen space is part of the story world, not merely the image’s empty margin.
Horror film: A film genre that evokes fear through threats, disturbing events, or the supernatural. Horror often makes unseen threats more frightening than visible ones.
Offscreen space in theatre: The area of a theatrical performance world outside the audience’s direct view. Theatre creates offstage space through different boundaries and performance conventions.
Point of view shot: A shot that presents a scene from a character’s apparent visual perspective. A character’s gaze can direct attention toward something outside the frame.
Shot (filmmaking): A continuous stretch of film recorded or presented without a cut. A shot’s boundaries determine what remains outside its image.

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