Suspense Techniques

Dialogue Means Nothing - Use facial expressions, have one character not listening to each other, have the dialogue contradict what is going on. 

Keep the Story Simple - Keep the story linear and streamlined. Story should remain simple but the characters should be complex. 

Characters Must Break Cliches - Lisa breaks into the apartment in order to gain evidence. Thorwald is a respectable murderer. 

Use Humor to Add Tension - Characters in ironic situations, worst possible situations. 

Two Things Happening at Once - Used primarily to distract audience, Thorwald hides the knife. Miss Lonelyhearts is just a distraction, no major part in movie. 

Suspense is Information - Dog returns to the garden. 

Surprise and Twist - Son is the killer and dresses up as his mother in Psycho, Thorwald has instances where he looks innocent in Rear Window. 

MacGuffin Effect - Item or subject that drives the storyline, rosebud in Citizen Kane, briefcase in Pulp Fiction. 

In Rear Window the story is kept simple, the characters break cliche, humor is used to add tension, and multiple things happen at once. Thorwald pushing Jeff out of the window is a form of Surprise and Twist.

Hitchcock's techniques for suspense

The suspense that builds is the kind that pretty much let's us know what is going to happen but yet it takes forever for the climax to build. Through out the building of the climax, the hints continue to stack up which clear what is ahead.

The Twilight Zone

They created suspense by creating a dilemma under the bandages throughout the whole show. With others trying to explain how 'ugly' she is. Every scene we get closer to seeing what's under the bandages. By the time we the audience were going to unravel the mystery were already at the edge of our seats. It was very well sequenced.

Pilot Critique #4

Format: 2

Characters: 1

Story/Conflict: 1

Comments: I rather not.

Concept 15

The theme of Robots would be, if you can't be a Bose, don't ruin it for others.

Not sure..

Citizen Kane-Non-Linear Movies

What do you think of the non-linear structure of Citizen Kane?
I think it was an actual well put idea. The basic concept of the movie was the only reason that it could have happened. It actually flowed real well together.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this structure?
It makes you wonder why the story is being tossed around. As we have those thoughts we continue to think and think and think. As long as we keep thinking and wondering why, we get more interested in the plot. I don't really think there any disadvantages.

Do you agree with the assessment that Citizen Kane is the greatest movie of all time? Why or why not?
No, I do not agree. I believe that the story, the plot, and the conflict just weren't... Complicated enough, it seemed too simple. Maybe there could have been more added, but those are just my views.

Freaks and Geeks Reflection

My favorite episode that we have seen was actually the fourth(Kim Kelly is my Friend). In which, there are a lot of changes in the characters. We actually get to know them a lot better. Sam, pretty much realizes how much of a geek he is and throws away all of his Tonka trucks. Lindsay and Kim are actually a lot closer now and are pretty much "friends". Nick, was still be his same old self, trying to make peace and getting at Lindsay. Daniel, of course, not showing his to emotional self, but he handled the situation pretty well. Other than, it's basically foreshadowing of what could happen between characters later on in the show.