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crane shot any shot achieved by a camera mounted on a mechanism known as a crane (adapted from farm and building construction machinery) extended vertically several feet to several stories. Helicopter or other airflight-mounted cameras can accomplish "super-crane" effects as well. The use of crane shots often requires a big budget.

General Significance An ascending crane shot away from an object, person, or scene can confer to viewers a sense of effortless, privileged superiority, escape, or alienation. It often serves as closure or poignant commentary inviting contemplation at the ends of films. A descending crane shot toward an object, person, or scene can confer to viewers a sense of increasing observation and interest accompanied, nonetheless, by a certain detachment.

Description: In the library reading room. From a choker close-up of young Charlie’s (Teresa Wright) face we cut to a close-up of her hands removing the ring centered over the Santa Rosa newspaper article Uncle Charlie (Joseph Cotten) prevented her from reading with the diversion of tearing it up to make paper dolls. Cut to her point of view, an extreme close-up insert shot of the ring he gave her. She rotates the ring in order to read the inscription, comparing the initials on it, "B.M." (allegedly an inside Hitchcock toilet humor joke), to those of a recent victim of the Merry Widow murderer listed in the article. We return to the previous close-up of her hands. As she clasps the ring in her right hand and exits the reading room deep in thought or in a daze, the camera begins to pull or zoom back while simultaneously ascending up a great distance as Dimitri Tiomkin’s soundtrack begins its bittersweet, slightly tragic melody. As young Charlie’s exit is nearly complete we lap dissolve to Uncle Charlie’s recurring image of gentlemen and ladies waltzing and Tiomkin’s score changes to Franz Lehar’s "Merry Widow Waltz." This brief scene dissolves to Uncle Charlie strolling on the sidewalk in front of his neice’s family home reading presumably another copy of the same newspaper as young children run past him on either side.

diegetic sound any "natural" sound source that originates from within the scene including foley effects and automatic dialogue replacement (ADR also known as looping, dubbing) unless used as a voice over.

non-diegetic sound any sound source that originates from outside of the scene, such as a composer’s soundtrack.

Description: In the opening title sequence we hear the lush, full-bodied voice and instrumentation of Kenny Loggins’ "I’m Alright" (non-diegetic) soundtrack playing over images of the Bushwood Country Club golf course, the gopher, and the first establishing shot of the Noonan residence. When we then cut to the interior of the crowded house the music continues, but has been transferred to Danny’s AM radio (diegetic) and the sound’s lush quality is translated into the flat, tinny, non-dynamic AM sound. Once Danny (Michael O’Keefe) "escapes" from the bickering house via the fire escape and is outside, the music continues as soundtrack (non-diegetic).