Alfred Hitchcock's Rules of Visual Storytelling

Alfred Hitchcock was perhaps the greatest cinematic storyteller of the 20th century. His films created a visual language which have influenced virtually every director since.

In this video essay I examine how Hitchcock tells the story through his use of the camera to tell stories cinematically. In particular I focus on his thoughtful use of long shots and close-ups to convey plot and emotion visually. I take in many of his best films, from Strangers on a Train, through to Vertigo and Psycho, to examine how he uses many of these techniques.

#Hitchcock #VisualStorytelling #Filmmaking

[alibryan]

Rule 1: Start Long and then come closer as the scene progresses
Rule 2: Close ups should be used to show an object is about to become important to the story
Rule 3: Focus on the Hands to express how the character is feeling

[sakurathornsickle]

One of favourite hand closeups is from pride and prejudice where we see Darcys hand after helping Elizabeth into a carriage. Very simple and no dialogue but it conveys exactly how he is feeling. Amazing stuff, had no idea it traces back to Hitchcock 😊

[JamesTateWilson]

I hope you continue to make videos, this was great.

[johns]

Dude you should come back, this is one of the only channels from which I've actually learned something about film grammar

[GrantTarredus]

Hello. This is such a fine look at Hitchcock’s technique that the single error I find puzzles me terribly, because it’s very clear that the hand carrying the coffee cup in Notorious is no prop. Did I misunderstand you? Thanks!

[jeffmcmahon]

All well and good for directors. The challenge is for screenwriters to craft a script that provides the director with the material to emulate the skills Hitchcock.

[alexbadeau]

Fantastic ! I’ve been reading Hitchcock/Truffaut lately and I thought it was really cool how you went over the Young and Innocent Finale

[iamatiger]

rule 1: use a wide shot to show the space in setting
rule 2: move in on character to reveal the blackface

[SallySallySallySally]

Hitchcock's visual approach gave him the ability to tell a story that could reach the viewer in the most personal way, as if to touch an immensely private and personal feeling or memory that everyone has within themselves. This is done without any dialog at all. Here are just a few examples:

In "Spellbound, " there is a scene with "Dr. Constance Petersen" (Ingrid Bergman) going up the stairs to her room where she looks at the light coming out from under the closed door of the room of "Dr. Anthony Edwardes" (Gregory Peck, ) with whom she has fallen in love.

In "Vertigo, " there is a scene where "Scottie" (James Stewart) just loiters outside Ernie's Restaurant, inconsolable over the loss of "Madeline" (Kim Novak, ) with whom he had fallen in love.

In his 1956 version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much, " there is a scene in the embassy where "Doctor McKenna" (James Stewart) finds his son "Hank" (Christopher Olsen) hidden in an upstairs room. As he reaches to grab him, "Edward Drayton" (Bernard Miles) comes up behind him with a gun and tells him to stop, evoking an intense expression of frustration.

As for using establishing shots and then closing in to tell a story, one of my favorite examples that I use to discuss this technique is from the premiere episode of television's "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" called "Revenge" (directed by Hitchcock himself) with Ralph Meeker and Vera Miles. In the first 65 seconds, without any dialog at all, we are already made aware of these things: The location is a seaside residential trailer park in California, the story begins in one of the trailers there, people are just getting up for the day, the principals in the story are a young happily-married couple from Connecticut, their trailer is neat and orderly and the husband is gets up at 6 AM. I have never seen any other director be able to tell a visual story with such aplomb.

[goodtitle]

As a big Hitchcock fan this video was just pure enjoyment! I subbed right after watching!

[histubeness]

Thanks, this is a great video, --but, at 5:25 that was in fact, the real hand of the actress, with her fingers opening up, to deftly lift the saucer and cup, then open again, to release it at the other table. Her arm and hand are in proper proportion to the rest of her body, which is obvious when the scene is viewed in it's entirety. It's clearly hers. There's no need for an enlarged prop for that scene. --You were right about the large prop phone and finger used to to dial the M for murder. The reason Hitchcock had them made up that way was because the 3-D camera he used to shoot the movie wasn't capable of focusing on a close-up object. He needed a giant prop phone and finger made, in order to get what appeared to be a close up, frame filling shot.

[DitalianCole]

Very insightful and interesting! ❤ Hitchcock films SO much!👍👍💡🎬🎥📽️

[FrostTideRider]

You’re so consistent with great content!

[varalabeschkuni]

hitchcock has been the author of his movies.
how does a screenwriter initiate visual storytelling if the book should contain just dialogue?

[cameronmarnoch]

Really liked the video, but what's the film at 9:40 straight after Psycho?

[adnantawil]

What is the filme 10:47 seemed like an old history movie, what is the name of that movie?!

[madameversiera]

We need those "unoriginal shots". You know I would love so much to see those "unoriginal shots with the creepy characters" the problem is no one has the skill or sensibility to do them anymore. I don't know why but in today's cinema those "unoriginal shot" have completely disappeared. Most of the movies nowdays are so frustrating and boring, but not because the story is boring. The issue is directors tend to use words to supplement their inability of making a visual story. That's the problem I think...

[raunakchatterjee]

life is comedy in long shot and tagedy at closeup shot...the same Hitchcock wanted to demonstrate throough his tendency

[artistsonartists]

When you see one video and subscribe on the spot

[maclelms]

This is a great lesson on visual filmmaking, but honestly, why did you use an example from Young and Innocent (1937) where the central character of the lesson is in blackface?!? Surely, we could find a more suitable example. I'm positive there are tons of high school film or English teachers who would love to use this video in their classes but without making it painful experience for some of their students.