I have found that I have enjoyed these horror films much more in the cinema or a dark room at night. This seems to give the mind a chance to completely focus in on the subject and in turn, makes it a lot easier to be shocked when something jumps out at you.
One of the first films I remember jumping out of my seat at in the cinema was the film 'Signs', starring Mel Gibson.
Throughout the film it makes the audience wonder whether there are aliens invading or not, giving you quick glances at what could or might not be visitors from another world. This false sense of security works well towards causing shock when an alien is flashed onto the screen.
In this scene Mel Gibson is watching the television, a task that the audience will have done a thousand times before and will therefore will relate it to nothing particularly scary. Just to solidify the 'nothing is going to happen' atmosphere, a child's birthday party is taking place on the screen.
Just when we are at our maximum amount of tension as to what could possibly happen, we are looking down the side of a building unsure of what we are actually looking for, an alien struts across the screen.
With the still I have provided this seems like it shouldn't cause too much panic but with the added shock horror music chords blasting over the top of a quick 2 second preview of our 'villain', this scene got a scream from many a grown man. This kind of scene, building up tension through using an everyday scenario is something I will definitely try to include within my own script.
The opportunity to show my work in a dark, quiet cinema may not be something I have at my fingertips in this early stage of my career and I think I should grasp this chance with both hands. I want to leave a lasting impression on my final year film's audience. Applause will come whether deserved or not, screams and laughter will take a little more work.
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