A GUIDE TO CREATING TENSION

In films and TV programmes, directors use a range of ways to emotionally engage the audience. This is mainly through camera, sound, mise-en-scene and editing. In Mulholland Drive (Dir. David Lynch 2001), Lynch provides a range of emotions including tension (even though the atmosphere is calm, something is not right) and curiosity (at the man that the dreamer is describing). In addition other emotions include shock at the speedy appearance of this monster, sympathy and concern for the dreamer with suspense and anticipation for what’s going to happen next.

CAMERA

The camera shots contribute to engaging the viewer. Lynch uses an establishing shot of the Winky’s sign, it seems innocent and so doesn’t prepare us for the emotional attachment. However when the dreamer begins to inform his psychiatrist about his dream the camera, unsteadily, draws closer to his face moving left to right. The audience feel uneasy by this and are immersed in the action. Throughout the explanation it moves round the diner when relevant to the story, for example when the psychiatrist was placed in the dream, the camera pans to the spot and then pans back again to the characters. This makes the audience feel like they’re there as the characters simultaneously look at the same spot also. A close up shot is used constantly when he is telling the story; from this we see that he is terrified of the story. Therefore we believe it whilst feeling sympathetic and concerned for him. When facing the dream in reality, the camera very slowly follows the characters as they’re also at that speed, emphasising how scared he is, making the audience cautious about what is to come. Another shot type used was a point of view shot of him moving in to the yard, we see his footsteps moving down the stairs. Again, this makes the audience feel disturbed and uneasy because it feels like we are there.

SOUND

The diagetic sound including police sirens and forks scratching plates with the buzz of cars outside, all contributes to building up the scene to create verisimilitude to suspend our disbelief. The audience think they’re actually in a diner. When the character begins to talk, the background noise died out and is replaced with a slow, low tone. It intensifies as the dreamer is becoming more scared, emotionally engaging the reader making them slowly feel uneasy. When the dreamer approaches the wall in yard, the low hum turns in to a high pitch synthesiser sound and is instantly deep once the beast appears, preparing us for something scary then shocking the audience.

MISE EN SCENE AND EDITING

The make up on the dreamer’s face is extensive, portraying that he is scared by this monster, in addition with his tired eyes also making us feel sympathy for him. Editing is used through a shot-reverse-shot, showing the relationship between them. As the audience we see that they’re both involved in the conversation and so we are interested in what they say.