Modern horror films use "empty shots" to create psychological fear by leveraging prolonged stillness, eerie silence, and visual ambiguity. These shots, often of desolate spaces or lingering camera angles, build tension by making viewers anticipate a threat that may not appear, amplifying unease through expectation. Shadows, subtle movements, or unnatural lighting in empty frames suggest an unseen presence, triggering primal fear. For example, films like *Hereditary* use empty rooms to evoke dread, making audiences question what lurks beyond the frame. This technique exploits the human tendency to project fear onto the unknown, intensifying psychological horror.

[Source: https://www.filminquiry.com/empty-shots-horror/]