camera work in VERTIGO by Hitchcock
By TBF
Camera Work in Vertigo For essay option two, I will discuss Vertigo and two ways the camera is used in the film. Although Hitchcock uses the camera in additional ways, for this purpose of this essay, I will cover how camerawork helps initiate an underlying sense of danger in the opening sequence and how camerawork, in the famous dolly-zoom shots, communicates the vertigo experienced by Scotty. Part I will talk about the opening sequence, touching on the first use of the famous dolly-zoom shot. Part II will offer more detail about the dolly-zoom and how the technique reappears twice in the film, expressing Scotty’s vertigo with camerawork.
PART I The opening sequence has at least two purposes. One is to prepare the viewer for the sense of underlying danger that becomes an undercurrent throughout the film. Another is to give the viewer a glimpse into Scotty’s vertigo so it can be referenced later with just a quick downward shot. In this section, I will discuss how camerawork is used to achieve these purposes in the opening sequence. After the intro, that shows spiraling graphics, the movie starts with a close up of a metal bar. Only the bar is in focus. When one hand and then the next grab on to the bar, the viewer gets a sense of “hanging on” to avoid falling. This theme is important in the film; not just falling physically, but also falling mentally. By creating a CU, where only the bar is in focus, this heightens the effect for the viewer. By using a shallow depth of field, the background out of focus, one gets the feeling: to let go of the bar would be to slip into the unknown. This is a dramatic way to start a movie and gives the viewer the idea there is much more drama to come. The choice of camera setup, on the opening shot, sets the tone for the entire film. Afterward, quickly, the camera zooms out increasing the depth of field, and we see a man climbing up a ladder being chased by two other men. The background, of
Camera Work in Vertigo For essay option two, I will discuss Vertigo and two ways the camera is used in the film. Although Hitchcock uses the camera in additional ways, for this purpose of this essay, I will cover how camerawork helps initiate an underlying sense of danger in the opening sequence and how camerawork, in the famous dolly-zoom shots, communicates the vertigo experienced by Scotty. Part I will talk about the opening sequence, touching on the first use of the famous dolly-zoom shot. Part II will offer more detail about the dolly-zoom and how the technique reappears twice in the film, expressing Scotty’s vertigo with camerawork.
PART I The opening sequence has at least two purposes. One is to prepare the viewer for the sense of underlying danger that becomes an undercurrent throughout the film. Another is to give the viewer a glimpse into Scotty’s vertigo so it can be referenced later with just a quick downward shot. In this section, I will discuss how camerawork is used to achieve these purposes in the opening sequence. After the intro, that shows spiraling graphics, the movie starts with a close up of a metal bar. Only the bar is in focus. When one hand and then the next grab on to the bar, the viewer gets a sense of “hanging on” to avoid falling. This theme is important in the film; not just falling physically, but also falling mentally. By creating a CU, where only the bar is in focus, this heightens the effect for the viewer. By using a shallow depth of field, the background out of focus, one gets the feeling: to let go of the bar would be to slip into the unknown. This is a dramatic way to start a movie and gives the viewer the idea there is much more drama to come. The choice of camera setup, on the opening shot, sets the tone for the entire film. Afterward, quickly, the camera zooms out increasing the depth of field, and we see a man climbing up a ladder being chased by two other men. The background, of