How Did Alfred Hitchcock Use Editing Techniques In Vertigo

Moreover, Alfred Hitchcock is a famous director for using creative camera and editing techniques. He uses his fame successfully to draw audience attention. To be specific, he uses himself as a Cameo in his movies. For example, Hitchcock appeared on screen in first ten minutes of “Vertigo” movie. In that small scene, he is carrying a music instrument bag and walks from left to right. He uses such scenes to make audience more interested to watch his movies and find Alfred Hitchcock. Similarly, He uses himself as Cameo in “North by Northwest” movie. In that scene, he is playing a role of community person who is going home from work but he misses his bus. This scene comes during first two minutes of the movie. Even though these scenes are of only

McGuffin is a character that is never seen in the movie. For example, in “Vertigo”, Scottie is asked to spy on Madeleine Elster, and he is accused for Madeleine’s death. Later, it is revealed the Judy is a look alike of Madeleine who died long time before, and deceived Scottie with fake identity. Hitchcock uses Madeleine to build audience’s interest, but she never come on screen, and the reality about her death is never revealed. Not only in “Vertigo”, but also in “North by Northwest”, Alfred Hitchcock uses McGuffins to build audience interest. In this movie, Vandamm thinks Roger Thornhill to be an agent George Kaplan, and tries to kill him many times throughout the movie. Whereas in reality, there was not any agent named Kaplan, it was only a character that does not exist. This movie’s plot was based on a character that does not exist. Therefore, both films were based on a character that audience are never introduced to, but Hitchcock successfully used them as a tool to build audience

The kuleshov effect is an editing montage technique in which two different shots are combined. This effect makes audience manipulate about the situation that did not take place in real. Specifically, in “Vertigo”, Hitchcock used kuleshov effect to show Scottie has vertigo. When Scottie is standing on a stool and looks down the he gets scared. Those expressions are used and then in next scene we are shown a ground from bird eye angle. Those expressions are captured at different time, but kuleshov effect manipulates the audience thinking that Scottie is afraid of heights. Hitchcock uses kuleshov effect again when Scottie is driving his car on the road. Audiences are shown Scottie’s face and then the road he is driving on. This scene manipulates audience’s thinking that Scottie is actually driving when he is not. This effect is used again to convey character’s emotions to manipulate audience’s thinking. When Scottie follows Madeleine on the stairs of church, we are shown Scottie’s freighted face and then long stairs from bird eye angle. This montage of two shots successfully deceives audience to think that Scottie is afraid of heights as he is moving forward. Indeed, kuleshov effect is very effective way to make audience experience emotions for unreal