Creating Suspense Analysis 1 - Richard Hickey "Francis"

Richard Hickey - Francis Vimeo.

I am most intrigued at how this short CG animation grips the audience into an aura of suspense, thriller and anticipation.  

Through low lighting effects, heightening sound and powerful visuals with great shot compositions that intensify the drama. There is also a narration by Cameron Kelly, which involves the audience in a 'jackanory' style atmosphere , like a child being read a story. However the tone of voice is very sinister and it heightens the tension further, a contrast to the lighthearted bedtime story feel.

There is a lack of lighting throughout which intensifies the drama further as your eyes strive to decipher whats going on, you end up feeling quite claustrophobic and frustrated because you want to see what is going on! I especially love the far away shot of her in the boat, it really pronounces her isolation on the lake with no shore nearby, you feel scared for her, you want to shout JUST GET TO SHORE. You feel it in your gut that something bad is going to happen, we get this from the aura of suspense created as a direct result from lighting and shot compositions. What I also find effective from this is how the camera zooms into her from behind with each KNOCK, it really grips her.

The heightening and loudening SFX and repetition of the behind shot intensifies the tension because it represents a being creeping up trying to catch her whilst she is unawares of it, this is something I will play with to create suspense in my animation, and will test in my animatic.

Critcal Opinion: 

"The story gripped me immediately. The format is quite unusual: the narrator (Cameron Kelly) does all the storytelling: the animation is there purely as a guide. You have to listen more than you have to watch, though the animation is stunning in its own. Especially the lighting is beautiful; its sources being mostly a small gas lamp, the stars and the Aurora Borealis, all there to give the animation a more mysterious, mythical feel. I enjoyed the darkness and mystery of the story, and the ending is haunting,  to say the least. What do you think was hiding in the lake?"

(De Reeper.M (2014) "What happened to Francis?" http://filminquiry.com/francis-short-film/)

I found this other analysis of someone else interpreting the suspense within the animation. They were also gripped by the animation, and they noted about the beautiful lighting creating an atmosphere like me too. However I never picked up on the mythical element which I truly agree with now watching back, the powerful visuals really enhance the darkness and mystery.

"what do you think was hiding in the lake?" The cliffhanger we will never find out the answer to....