Media Analysis

Rebecca Clip from Kimberly C on Vimeo.

The editing in this clip from Alfred Hitchcock's film Rebecca plays a significant role in the storytelling and vice versa. Here there are very few cuts and it is free flowing. The scene starts off with De Winter then quickly to Joan Fontaine's character and straight to where Rebecca was in his story, those are important because they build tension. From there it is one single cut back to De Winter. This relationship is significant because the small tension that builds from the shots turns into tension that is built from the story. The story is the one that determines how the camera moves, why it moves and for how long. It wouldn't make sense for the camera to stay in one part of the room when he begins to describe another section. The cuts are very seamless especially since the major part of the scene is a pan and tilt there is no need for too much cutting because it wouldn't fit with the story. The camera takes on a character and travels throughout the room following the story told by Max De Winter. I think it is important that there are no cuts during his story and the camera is allowed to move throughout the room. There is no stopping and switching around in either the movements or the story. The camera pans and tilts and finally lands back at De Winter. This is a revelation for the camera as well as the story because he says, "she was face to face with me", and therefore the camera also had to be close and visually see him. The dialogue is crucial in this scene because it is the reason the camera is even moving. The relationship between the story he is telling and the movement of the camera is extremely significant to the entire film's story as well as to the viewer. You cannot have one without the other because it would not produce the same feeling and emotion if there was a disconnect. The music is also really important. As a Hitchcock film, music is definitely one of the most important roles in suspenseful movie making. The emotion you get from the slow music is this building up that creates this tense and suspenseful feeling. There is an eeriness from the music, the instruments that come to life and capture your attention. The music really helps to create this atmosphere of fear and anger that works together with the dialogue and the camera movement.