Alfred Hitchcock was a pioneering British filmmaker who directed over 50 films spanning six decades. He developed innovative techniques to maximize audience anxiety, fear, and empathy through shot framing and camera movements. Hitchcock often featured thrill-seeking plots involving violence, murder, and crime. He also frequently included twist endings and placed ordinary protagonists in extraordinary circumstances to engage audiences. Hitchcock's films frequently referenced birds and contained morally ambiguous or criminal characters to push boundaries and keep audiences attentive. He is regarded as one of the greatest British filmmakers for developing suspense and psychological thriller genres.