Gesture Project: Suspense

Inspired by “le moment” by David Claerbout, I explored the ways in which suspense is traditionally built in cinema. What are the signifiers, or gestures, that filmmakers use to connote that something scary will take place? How is sound, setting, lighting, subject, framing and other elements of film used to heighten fear in an audience? And what is the reaction when the expected never happens? These are questions I aim to uncover with this project. By shooting traditionally ‘scary’ scenes (such as a candlelit bath, creeping into a forest at night, watching an unknowing person from a hidden spot outside their window or surveilling a bedtime routine), using traditionally ‘scary’ sounds, and shooting with old or low-quality cameras with amateur techniques, audiences are primed to be on their toes. Despite nothing ‘scary’ ever transpiring, discomforting gestures and elements of film builds a narrative of horror in the minds of viewers.