What Is Suspense?

What Is Suspense?

The definition of suspense is; a state or feeling of excited or anxious uncertainty about what may happen.

OR; 

A quality in a work of fiction that arouses excited expectation or uncertainty about what may happen.

Suspense is a key theme in Horror films as it puts the audience on edge, this build up of suspense is often followed by a climax. There are many techniques used to create tension and suspense which include; 

• Music - Audiences of suspense productions need to feel uncomfortable, disturbed and at times terrified. They often include crescendo's and loud percussion hits, the use of the minor scale, (Minor Key sounds dark, scary, sad whereas the Major Key sounds much brighter and happier) dark, ambient sounds and samples, then a build up of music (often rising in tempo and pitch) to a sudden release.
• Silence - Silence can be one of the most powerful things. It has immense strength and real meaning when it comes to creating suspense. 
• Darkness - Many people have a fear of the unknown. If it is very dark and you cant see more than a meter in front of you then you are instantly more vulnerable. This sense of what could be lurking in the dark can be incredibly un-nerving for some people, therefore is excellent at creating suspense.
• To let the audience know something the actors don't -  For example, people are sitting around a table, under which is a bomb ticking away, the people at the table don't know it's there, but the audience does.
• Setting - The background of your camera shots always help, so when considering the location and setting, take time to look at the background as a dark and spooky background will always be more effective than one of a bright colourful one. 
• If you show the villain or the evil character e.g. a murderer in a Horror film in full lighting then the overall impact of the climax will be lesser than the likes of one where you show the villain in low level lighting, or filming from behind his back, this way the evil character is/can be just a mysterious silhouette and nobody knows who he/she is.