HITCHCOCK was an artistic genius, whose work went way beyond that of the Master of Suspense., as he was commonly labeled.
Hitchcock’s advice to budding directors is a staple of all film studies. Although his ideas have been refined and modern technology has advanced cinematic storytelling to unprecedented levels, his basic strategies for creating suspense are the foundation of storytelling on film.
Below are some of the techniques he discussed in a BBC special.
SUSPENSEFUL THEMES:
Hitchcock believed certain themes were inherently suspenseful.
- An innocent man is falsely accused.
- Harsh realities intrude on everyday life.
- Man often takes nature for granted.
- A man alone terrorized.
- Love is a poor defense against evil.
- Even the most innocent are tainted in some way.
TECHNIQUES
1. FIRST PERSON SUBJECTIVE:
This technique is used to reveal a character’s thoughts and reaction. Through editing, the director puts an idea into the mind of the character without explaining it in dialogue. Instead, the thought is transferred to the viewer by using a point-of-view shot sequence. This is subjective cinema. You take the eyes of the characters and add something for them to look at.
First person POV in film can also mean filming through the eyes of a certain character. This is much like when a Go Pro is attached to a bike or ski helmet and you see the run or trail through the eyes of the cyclist or skier.
2. CLOSE UP:
Emotion (in the form of fear, laughter, surprise, sadness, anger, boredom) is the ultimate goal of each scene. The first consideration of where to place the camera should involve knowing what emotion you want the audience to experience at that particular time. Emotion comes directly from the actor’s eyes. You can control the intensity of that emotion by placing the camera close or far away from those eyes. A close-up will fill the screen with emotion, and pulling away to a wide angle shot will dissipate that emotion. A sudden cut from wide to close-up will give the audience a sudden surprise. Sometimes a strange angle above an actor will heighten the dramatic meaning.
3. CAMERA ANGLES
In every shot and scene a good director agonizes over camera angles. Sometimes a director manipulates angles to compliment the scene.
4. ECONOMY AND RHYTHM
This is when the camera cuts from scene to scene to juxtapose two related events. The scene changes develop according to a pattern or rhythm as the editing switches from scene to scene often at an increasing rate.
Hitchcock “Strangers on a Train” opening scene
5. THIRD PERSON OMNISCIENT
The omniscient point of view is often used to show death and the futility of life. It occurs when the camera pulls back revealing an overview of the scene as if God is looking down upon the results of man’s choices.
6. MONTAGE
Montage is the rapid editing of many short scenes or clips into a single scene. The most famous montage remains Hitchcock’s shower scene in “Psycho.”
Hitchcock’s Shower Scene
1 Hitchcock: Book Proposal
Hitchcock: Plot, Characters, Stars
Plot Driven:
Foreign Correspondent
Torn Curtain
Topaz
Character Driven (No Plot):
Lifeboat
