Creating Tension?

[Robert Neville]

I am getting ready to shoot a scene where a filmmaker is interviewing an alledged serial killer. It is a tense interview, which could explode into violence at any moment. The serial killer is shot in silhouette during the interview. While sound design will be paramount, how do I suggest this tension using the language of light? I am a newbie & visually illiterate. (I am using Canon GL2, framemode.)

[Leon Rodriguez]

Tension is, in a sense, a by product of some kind of fear. Fear of the unknown can be transposed to fear of the dark. So sillouette is a good start. Some film noir research will give you plenty of ideas here. Also broken patterns on backgrounds lend an air of uncertainty. Dutch angles can portray an unstable mind, Low angles in the right moment can be equally disturbing, ECU's, and don't forget a well placed up-light for a sinister vantage point of the face. Screen your favorite film and remember what you see that takes you there and go ahead and try to recreate it as a starting point. You'll more than likely find something that's yours before you ever actually do recreate it. This works for me, anyway.

[DanStewart]

I'm not 100% on this but I think using frame mode on the gl2 will halve your vertical resolution. If that's the case then it would be much better to shoot in normal mode and deinterlace afterwards for a more filmic motion.

Good luck.

[David Mullen ASC]

It's not half but more like a third loss of vertical resolution -- the camera uses a slightly offset green CCD to "increase" resolution to compensate and in frame mode, somehow takes advantage of this so it's not as simple as dropping a whole field and doubling the lines. But there is definitely a loss and if there is no motion in the scene, the "filmic" quality of frame mode may not be worth it. Not sure if there is any advantage in create that faux progressive-scan look in post in terms of resolution compared to frame mode in-camera. Simply deinterlacing the image won't make 60i capture look like 30P motion.

 

Leon makes some good points. Tension is almost always about context -- is the situation tense? etc. -- and editing often is a more powerful element than lighting and composition to increase it. But Leon's suggestions are good ones.

 

I've also seen scenes where tension has been created by moving shadows, like dancing patterns of trees on walls, etc., the quiet before the storm so to speak. You see this in "Close Encounters" when the kid wakes up in the middle of the night and shadows are dancing all around his bedroom just before his toys come to life. You see it in "Excalibur" when a frightened Arthur is in the woods at night with Merlin and notices nature coming to life. Storaro used subtle moving lights and shadows in his half-lit close-ups of Marlon Brando at the end of "Apocalypse Now".

[Rob_Kraetsch]

I've long felt tension can be stapled to any visual element you want. It somewhat relies on a contrast of aesthetic from the points that lack tension. A flat static image can be made to send chills down your spine if set up appropriately (Difficult, but possible). If you use a certain color, texture or even contrast ratio in tense moments before the scene in question, those things can be used as well.

 

Sorry if that's not the most practical advice.

 

Good luck with the scene!

 

-Rob Kraetsch

[Robert Neville]

Thanks for the input. They are all useful suggestions.