north by northwest

Building Suspense

What are some ways Hitchcock builds suspense in this scene from “North

by Northwest”?

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Editing

The POV

The “Point of View” shot first shows the character, then provides a shot of what the

character is seeing.

This allows you to enter the perspective of the character and begin

to feel what they are feeling, and anticipate what they are about to

experience.

Pace - editing speeds up during action, and slows down during lulls

Reaction Shot - after an action or dialogue show a close-up reaction of the

receiving character

Continuity Editing - to give the impression of seamless movement through time and space

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Jump Cut - abrupt cuts in the middle of a scene to show the passing

of time

Match Cut - also called a graphic match (or, in the French term, raccord), is a cut in film editing between either two different objects, two different spaces, or two different compositions in which an object in the two shots graphically match, often helping to establish a strong continuity of action and linking the two shots metaphorically.

Research another editing technique not mentioned here. Try to include it in

your analysis.

Assignment

In pairs, analyze the waiting scene. Choose 3 - 4 small sections where Hitchcock has built suspense using cinematography, sound, or editing

techniques.