The role of the unconscious and subconscious in the creation of suspense : a short film exploring subtlety taking notes from thriller-based film-makers

Abstract

The thesis focuses on the Unconscious and Subconscious mind of the audience using subtlety to create an element of suspense and unease taking notes from film makers who focus on psychological thrillers and horror films most notably the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock. To test this premise, a short film was made taking notes of the various modalities of subtlety namely light, editing and music. These modalities were manipulated is such a way to create an effect on the audience’s level of sub consciousness and unconsciousness. The lesson from this project is that more tough is to be given to the unnoticed elements of film as these can have a significant impact on audience reaction.