Blaas 'Use Of Suspense In The Film Alma'

Many characteristics can be used and manipulated to add suspense to a film. In Alma, a short, suspenseful film written and directed by Rodrigo Blaas, a young girl is lured into a shop by the beautiful dolls, only to find out that when she touches the one that looks just like her, it traps her within the doll. Blaas uses suspense techniques effectively in this film. Setting, sound, and camera work are all characteristics that create a feeling of suspense. Blaas uses setting to add to the viewer’s feeling of fright. The director uses setting in order to draw a reaction of suspense from the viewer. Blaas incorporates different settings and adds a sudden twist in order to put anyone who may be watching the film on edge. For example, the setting is innocent, cheery, and snowy where the child plays outside, but inside, where Alma foolishly wanders, the room is dark, damp, and …show more content…
The angles he shows to the viewer cause the film to be more suspenseful. For example, the camera angles allow the viewer to know more than the main character. The screen repeatedly shows Alma with the other dolls behind her, and whoever watches may see how the dolls’ eyes move and follow her across the shop. Blaas causes the viewer to be on edge because he or she knows that something horrific will happen to the character from the prior knowledge that the film, Alma, is of the horror genre. Another instance is how the camera follows the doll and comes back to it many times throughout the duration of the film. The focus on this element foreshadows that the doll is an important part of the plot and will most likely be the antagonist of Alma. The director successfully adds suspense because the viewer can easily infer that the doll is a trap, and Alma obliviously pursues the trap, putting whoever is watching on the edge of their seat. Blaas used both camera work and other characteristics of film to add suspense to