Cinematography and editing: crafting suspense and tension with the limitations of stop motion

• Main Author: Huang, Shiao-ya
• Other Authors: Bernhard Johannes Schmitt
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Visual arts and music::Animation; Visual arts and music::Film
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/168179
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Tension and suspense are crucial elements in storytelling, regardless of genre. They create an emotional and psychological response within the audience, drawing them into the story and making them invested in the characters and their struggles. Suspense is the feeling of uncertainty or anxiety about what's next, which is created through clues or foreshadowing that suggest something important or dangerous is about to happen. Tension drives suspense, as it is the emotional pressure built throughout the story through conflicts, obstacles, and friction (Martin). Without tension and suspense, a story falls flat, making the audience feel unengaged and disconnected from the narrative. In "The Pursuit," tension and suspense play an undeniable role in driving the story forward. "The Pursuit" is a stop-motion short that follows a man named Joe who wakes up in the middle of a forest with nothing but a lamp. As he explores the forest, he discovers an enchanted world filled with magical surroundings. Different staircases start to emerge from the ground. Curious, he decides to climb a staircase made of books, with a ribbon closely following behind. As he climbs, more ribbons join the chase with growing ferocity. Pressured, Joe runs and eventually jumps to another staircase made of cash with money and luxurious items hanging from the branches. Joe is tempted to grab the dangling money, but with each grab, a fire ignites, and a forest fire erupts, burning the staircases. Amidst the chaos, Joe falls onto another staircase surrounded by fog. He sees a closed door at the top, with light seeping through the creases, glowing. He climbs up and opens it, only to reveal more staircases. Disappointed, he looks up at the different staircases he can choose to climb, then looks back down at the ones he has climbed, caught in the middle, unsure of what to do next. To effectively create tension and suspense in "The Pursuit," various techniques in cinematography and editing were employed despite the constraints inherent in stop-motion animation. The medium presents challenges in camera movements, motion, time, budget, and equipment. This paper aims to explore the different techniques used in making the film and how they overcame these limitations to enhance the intensity of the story. Challenges faced will be discussed, and techniques with camera angles, lighting, effects, pacing, and sound will be explored. This will provide insights into how stop motion filmmakers can effectively use cinematography and editing to create tension and suspense in their work, despite the inherent limitations of the medium. Specialization: Media Arts Animation Keywords: Stop-motion Animation, Short Film, Cinematography, Lighting, Editing