For homework, analyze this frame from Alfred Hitchcock's North By Northwest, and respond to the following questions. Please type and double-space your answers. It's DUE Monday, 11/22 and will be collected in class. (NOTE: clicking on the image will ENLARGE it!)
1) Briefly describe the context. What's happening at this moment in the film?
2) DOMINANT - What is your eye attracted to first? Why?
3) SUBSIDIARY CONTRASTS - What do your eyes notice next after taking in the DOMINANT?
4) COMPOSITION - How is the two-dimensional space segmented and organized? What is the underlying design? (S-shape? Triadic? Parallel? Symmetrical or asymmetrical?)
5) FORM - Open or closed? Explain. (Check your notes for what these terms mean!)
6) FRAMING - Tight or loose? Are the characters trapped (maybe even cropped) or can they move about freely without impediments?
7) CHARACTER PLACEMENT - What part of the framed space do the characters occupy? Center? Top? Bottom? Edges? Why?
8) CHARACTER PROXEMICS - How much space is there between the characters (Public, social, personal, or intimate?) and what does this say about their relationship?
9) Summary - Considering everything you've analyzed above, what does Hitchcock want us to feel at this moment in the film? How does the mise en scene contribute to Hitchcock's purpose?
