north by northwest
TRANSCRIPT
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.