How To Build Suspense and Scare the Audience Essay

The charge Jaws, enjoin by Steven Spielberg, was take a leakd approximately 30 years ago. It tells the story of a chisel which attacks and kills numerous people off the north-east coast of the USA in a sm only holiday resort called affection Island. The attacks took place or so the 4th of July, which in America, is similar to the British bank holiday. During this metre, many Ameri tins and tourists from afield visit resorts such as Amity Island for a summer vacation. The handler of the film, Steven Spielberg builds up business concern of the cheat using many different proficiencys. wizard of these proficiencys is the use of symphony. Spielberg uses a non-diegetic firearm of music which plays whenever the chisel is ab off to attack, almost kindred the cheats very own theme striving. A non-diegetic sound is one which merchantman only be cond by the auditory modality and not by any of the characters in the film. Spielberg uses this segmenticular technique practi ced before the cheat attacks Alex, the young male child who is swimming on his lilo.This technique makes the reference veneration the shark, as whenever its vie we post another dour attack which adds a big bucks of stress to the film. other technique use to increase our fear of the shark is bear determineing the awed damage that it potbelly cause. For example, towards the rarity of the film, whilst Brody, Hooper and Quint are out at sea attempting to catch the shark, it attacks their boat, resulting in the boat eventually sinking. Spielberg uses this method to sink the earshot the impression of the sharks power and to suggest to them that the shark is indestructible, and that it will continue to kill innocent victims. A ordinal technique with which Spielberg builds fear of the shark is the flair in which he uses photographic camera angles to show the sheer horror on the characters awards as they witness the attacks unfolding. For example, when Alex, the young male child is attacked, Spielberg uses a zoom, presentation a turn up up of Brodys face which is overwhelmed by horror and huge panic. By using this technique, Spielberg real gets the horizontal surface across, from the characters perspective, of how terrifying the whole situation really is, which builds even more fear and tension for the reference.The superior and use of the music in the film Jaws similarly adds to the overall fear and tension experienced by the consultation. For example, the music which is played just before the attack was chosen by Spielberg as it can be linked with the shark itself the music belongs quietly with a verbose tempo as the shark swims around peacefully. therefore, as the shark identifies its prey, the music begins to get both hurrying and louder. Then it begins to swim faster and close in on its victim, and as this happens, the music is piecemeal get faster and louder. Then the shark bites, and the music explodes. Spielbergs choice of music adds massively to the overall fear and tension in the film, because as soon as the music begins contend, the listening knows that an attack is imminent, they just sit there delay anxiously. Then, the music explodes, coinciding with the attack, giving the audience a shock. Another representation in which Spielberg uses the soundtrack to build tension and fear in the film is finished contrasts of emotion.For example, at the approach of the film before any of the attacks, a piece of diegetic music is played. This music creates a relaxed atmosphere so when the audience witness the kickoff attack, it stick outms to come from nowhere, catching them by surprise. Another example of this is later the early attack on Chrissie, there is silence, and all that the audience can hear is the quiet ripple of the waves as they reach the shore. This makes the audience scent that everything is peaceful and calm, when in fact theyve just witnessed a terrifying shark attack. Another tec hnique to provoke contrasting emotions is that of the music used just after Alex is attacked and killed by the shark. As Alex is attacked, everyone on the beach panics and rushes to get out of the urine. At the same time, a young toddler is happily playing in the sand and quietly singing to himself. Again, as after the firstborn attack on Chrissie, the audience cant believe how something so terrible is happening when the mood set by the little boy is so calm and untroubled.This use of music and contrasting emotions builds up tension and fear alter the audience as it makes them feel confused, as they cant netherstand how things can be so pleasant thus suddenly so devastating. Spielberg as well as exploits various camera techniques to build up fear and suspense in the film Jaws. For example, during the second attack on Alex, a diffuse of different camera techniques and angles are being used. The start of the exposure is a tracking shot, showing Alex coming out of the sea and si tting undermentioned to his bring forth on the beach. After some persuasion, his mother lets him require just 10 more minutes in the water. Then a further tracking shot is used, as we follow Alex up the beach as he goes and gets his lilo. The use of this camera angle, which focuses the audiences attention on Alex, immediately makes them feel more attached to the character. The next part of the scene shows Alex running into the sea on his lilo. The camera technique used for this part is a medium shot from a relapse angle, showing him from behind. This camera angle builds up fear as all the audience can see is Alex on his lilo and the bearing sea in front of him with no-one else in sight.This immediately makes the audience read that Alex is vulnerable and that if something was to go wrong, help was a long port away. The scene then switches to a point of view shot from Brody, the police headmans perspective. During this scene, a member of the public is talking to Brody, obscurin g his and the audiences view of the water. As Brody desperately tries to keep his eye on the water, the audience notice a young woman relaxing in the water. Then suddenly, she begins to scream and contend and the audience automatically assumes she is being attacked by the shark, although it turns out that it was just her clotheshorse playing around. This camera technique builds up fear as the audience realise that Brody is unable to help if an attack does take place. The next part of the scene involves a group of boys running into the water.The camera technique used for this part is a medium shot from a reverse angle. This camera angle shows the boys all alone in the sea, making the audience realise that they are, like Alex, vulnerable. It also makes us fear for their safety as the audience fetch just witnessed a false alarm with the young woman, and the probable of a real attack happening is fresh in our minds. short the shot changes once more to a point of view from the shark s perspective. This shot shows the boys legs dangling under the water as well as Alexs lilo on the surface. Spielbergs choice of camera technique for this particular part builds up a lot of tension as the audience knows that an attack is coming, and that its almost as if we are just waiting for which boy the shark wants as its prey. in like manner adding to the tension in this scene is the fact that although the audience know close an attack being imminent, the eventual victim Alex doesnt. This keeps them on the boundary of their lay as they are left almost shouting at the goggle box screen for Alex to get out of the water The attack the audience shady is then confirmed as the sharks non-diegetic theme tune begins playing and as this happens, the audience see the shark close in on its chosen victim.Immediately, the camera changes to a long shot. In the distance, the audience see the shark grab hold of Alex and hurl him into the air. As this happens, linage begins to spray fro m his body as he struggles desperately. Spielbergs choice of camera for this scene makes the audience panic-struck, as they see the whole attack unfolding, as well as for the first time, getting a look at the shark itself and discovering how big and vicious it really is. Instantly, the camera changes again, this time to a technique called a close up. The shot shows Alex under the water, desperately difficult to free himself from the sharks jaws before suddenly he disappears in a thick cloud of his own blood. This scares the audience purely because of how macabre it is. Once again, the camera angle changes to a medium shot, showing Alexs mangled lilo calmly wash up shore in the sparingly bloody water. The way in which the camera shows the lilo gently drift up shore, makes the audience feel sorry and upset for Alex, as they feel they have made a connection with him in earlier parts of the film.The audience also have contrasting emotions, as they wonder how something so gruesome an d devastating could have just happened when seconds later everything was so calm and peaceful. Spielberg also tries to scare the audience by creating a lot of tension in the overall plot and particularly in the ending of the film. For example, he tries to create fear and suspense in the film by showing the first two attacks on both Chrissie and Alex close together at the start of the film. By situating them at the beginning of the film, the audience quickly realise that the first attack wasnt a one off, and that the shark is almost like a serial killer. Another example of this technique of building tension and fear affecting the audience is the way in which Spielberg decides to add the third attack mid-way through the film, on the 4th of July with police chief Brodys son involved. By showing the third attack mid-way through the film, the audience feel as if they have got to know the main character, police chief Brody. So when the audience see the shark closing in on his son Mikey, t hey care more for his safety as they feel as if they have a connection with the family.By situating the third attack on the 4th of July, the audience see thousands of people flocking the beach at Amity Island, after Brody had desperately attempted to stop them from visiting because of the potential jeopardy in the water. So when the third attack happens the audience are scared and shocked, as they realise that if only the Mayor hadnt been so miserly for money and had Brody got his way, a third attack wouldnt have occurred and Brodys own son wouldnt have been in danger. The last constituent of the film is really when Spielberg creates a lot of fear and suspense affecting the audience. One example in which Spielberg creates fear and tension in the film is when the shark attacks the boat whilst the three men, Brody, Hooper and Quint are out at sea. The scene involves the camera using a zoom technique and showing a close up of the wooden hull of the mail. As the shark attacks the bo at, it endlessly pounds its head into the side of the ship and the audience can hear the wood beginning to creak under the strain as they piquet it flex and bend.This scene builds a lot of tension because the audience view that any second the shark is going to force a look hole in the side of the boat causing it to sink, which as a result would endanger the lives of the three men, who over the course of the film, the audience have bonded to. Another area of the film ending which contained a lot of fear and suspense was when after the damage to the boat had been repaired, Hooper, the shark expert, went down in the cage in an attempt to tranquillise the shark. During this scene of Hooper in the cage, the shark comes into view from nowhere and repeatedly crashes into the cage before eventually getting into it. This part of the film is full of tension because after every time the shark crashes into the cage, the more the metal frame begins to crumble.Then the audience see the shark c lose up, which scares them as they can see for themselves how fierce it really is. Immediately after, the audience see a shot of Hooper as he comes face to face with the shark for the first time, and his expression is ridden with horror. This reaction of his reflects on the audience as they then realise what it would feel like if they were deep down touching distance of the man-eating beast. But in my opinion, one of the scenes at the end of film has far more tension and fear than any of the others. This is the scene where Brody is alone in the sea after Quint has been eaten by the shark, and Hooper is under the water trying to hide from it. Brody is leaning on the mast of the sinking ship with a rifle in his hand when we see the shark gradually closing in on him.Brody shoots at the shark, but it continues to head swell for him, so he fires the gun again. Nothing happens, and by now the shark is just 10 metres away and Brody is down to his last bullet. He aims and fires, instantl y hitting the oxygen cylinder in the sharks mouth. The tankful explodes, blowing the shark into pieces. This part of the film is full of tension in the way that the shark is relentless and keeps gradually getting ever closer to Brody, who by now the audience feel connected to, and they begin to fear for his life. Also, the way in which Brody kills the shark with his last bullet keeps the audience on the edge of their seats. This scene is scary because of how unbelievably bloodthirsty the sharks dying is. The audience see the shark blown up into shredded chunks of figure of speech as blood spurts everywhere. My scariest moment in the film is the death of Quint, the shark catcher. I think its full of the most fear because of how gruesome, gory and full of tension it is.The scene is full of suspense when Quint loses his spellbind on Brody, and agonisingly slides down the deck of the boat, straight into the jaws of the shark. Then it gets gruesome, because as the shark plunges its teeth into Quints chest, blood begins spewing from his mouth. Then the shark begins violently tossing him from side to side as Quint screams desperately before the audience here a loud crack. Immediately his body stops essay and the shark calmly drags it under the surface of the water. Overall, in my opinion Steven Spielberg has successfully created a film in which the audience experience a lot of fear and suspense. He has effectively used many different techniques to do so, and as a result, more than 30 years on, Jaws is still recognised as one of the best horror films ever made.