What is suspense?

A dictionary would define suspense as;
- A state or condition of mental uncertainty or excitement, as in awaiting a decision or outcome, usually accompanied by a degree of apprehension or anxiety.






In the horror/thriller genre, they create a sense of suspense in these common ways;

• A raising tempo and volume of the background music (crescendo).
• Lots of sharp movement.
• A close up shot of a clock is frequently used to create a kind of 'time is running out' metaphor.
• Moving shadow's are normally shown to suggest an unwanted visitor.
• High angle shots of the victim to create a sense of helplessness.