Editing: blog task

 

I chose the opening scene from Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock. In this scene, Jeff is stuck in his apartment and starts watching the neighbours across the courtyard. Nothing dramatic happens yet, but it already builds tension and interest. Hitchcock shows how much you can do with editing, camera work, and mise-en-scène, even in a simple scene.

The editing is mainly continuity editing. Each shot follows the last so it is easy to understand where everyone is in the courtyard. When Jeff looks out of his window, the next shot shows what he sees across the courtyard. This helps the audience feel like they are looking at the neighbours with him and seeing the same things he does. The cuts are mostly straight cuts. They are simple and smooth so the audience stays focused on what Jeff is observing rather than the editing itself.

The pace of the editing is slow, which is important for creating suspense. Some shots of the courtyard last several seconds. This gives the audience time to notice small details like a neighbour moving furniture or closing curtains. These small actions feel normal, but because they are shown slowly, the audience starts to think they might be hiding something. Hitchcock wants us to study the scene and notice things that makes us feel tense. Even though nothing dangerous happens we feel like something could happen at any moment.

Cinematography also makes the scene effective. Most shots are wide shots of the courtyard. This shows several apartments at once and allows us to watch different neighbours at the same time. The camera mostly stays in Jeff’s apartment so we only see what he sees. This makes us feel like we are spying with him. The lighting is used carefully too. Each apartment is lit differently which helps the audience notice different people and actions. Some windows are brighter so our eyes are drawn to them while shadows sometimes make a character’s movement more noticeable.

Mise-en-scène is very important in this scene. Each apartment is full of props and furniture that tell us something about the people who live there. Costumes and personal items also make it easier to recognise the different neighbours when the editing jumps between apartments. The courtyard is designed so that all the apartments are visible from Jeff’s window. It feels open because we can see everything but it also feels confined because the characters are stuck in their routines and unaware of Jeff watching them. This increases tension because the audience knows more than the characters which is key to suspense.

Juxtaposition is used through editing. Shots of Jeff looking through his binoculars are placed next to shots of the neighbours doing ordinary things. This makes us think that normal actions could have hidden meanings. For example a neighbour might be closing a window or moving an object and the way the shots are put together makes it seem suspicious. Hitchcock creates meaning in our minds just by the order of the shots.

In conclusion the opening scene of Rear Window shows how editing, cinematography and mise-en-scène can create suspense even when nothing dramatic is happening. Continuity editing helps the audience follow Jeff’s perspective. Slow pacing encourages observation and builds tension. Wide shots of the courtyard allow the audience to see several characters at once. Mise-en-scène gives clues about the neighbours’ personalities and juxtaposition encourages us to question what we see. Together these elements make a simple scene feel tense, engaging and full of suspense which sets up the story perfectly.