I just bought the Alfred Hitchcock Collection on DVD with some of his older movies like Murder!, The Farmers Wife and Sabotage. my question is, what are some techniques that I should look out for? What should I look for and take notes on as far as writing goes or directing goes in these movies? and this applies to all good movies as well. I want to start studying the art of directing, cinematography and writing, instead of just watching a movie just to watch it. Please Help.
The only star in a helen lawson show is helen lawson and that's me! remember?!
The only star in a helen lawson show is helen lawson and that's me! remember?!
Hey, Charlie
Your name keeps popping up on Filmmaking.net and I don't know why but I just feel the urge to help you along. Or at least answer a few of your questions. I'm not saying I'm any kind of expert but I've been writing for about 10 years (although nothing yet produced... apart from a couple of bad student films - but they don't count). I have worked on a number of film sets though and I am now working in Post Production at an Edit Facility in London.
In the next few months I hope to go into production on my first proper short film. We'll see what happens next.
So you were wondering what to look out for in Hitchcock films - Wow! there's a lot. Out of all the directors he's probably the most studied there's been. You could probably make a library just from books written about him and his works.
What can I tell you? Well, I don't know if you already know this but he started out as a Production Designer so the 'look' of a film was always important to him. If you notice he always seemed to be pushing the boundaries of film visuals - In Rear Window he created the highest studio set ever - recreating the courtyard of an apartment block. In Rope (my personal favourite) he built a scale model backdrop seen out of the window which slowly changed as the film progressed - it was practically all shot in a single take so the backdrop had to change in real time - artificial clouds moved across the sky, the fake sun set and model street lights came on.
He was also responsible for the creation (or discovery) of what he named the MacGuffin - a plot devise in a movie which moves the story onwards. An example of this would be the bag of money in Psycho or in modern movies the briefcase in Pulp Fiction.
As for cinematography - he liked pushing that area of film making too - just take a look at Vertigo - who else in those days was experimenting with focus pulls like that.
If you really want to know about scriptwriting though the best way to learn is to read as many scripts as possible - there are thousands on the internet - just do a google search for 'screenplays'. Check out stuff by the Coens, or Wes Anderson & Owen Wilson, Billy Wilder & Charles Brackett, Cameron Crowe, Robert Towne... well it's up to you - they're just my favourites. Read the screenplays to movies you like.
Anyway I think I've talked enough for now. If you want to chat more reply on here or e-mail me -
smokescreen666?hotmail.com
