In the film industry, Alfred Hitchcock was unmatched. Known as the master of suspense, the acclaimed director was responsible for films that terrified audiences everywhere, as well as future generations who eagerly sought his work.

During an interview with The Knoxville News-Sentinel, Hitchcock was able to provide readers with a brief peek into his creative process. Though Hitchcock was able to enthrall and terrify an audience, he maintained that the worst thing a director could do to a viewer was confuse them.

“There is a big difference between mystery and mystification,” said the director. “You must clarify all the elements. You tell them the bomb is under the chair, there’s a clock on the wall, and the bomb is going off at 1 o’clock. If the audience is uncertain about any of these things, you defeat your purpose. And once you’ve clarified the elements, you pull out all the stops and play the audience like an organ. That’s my job— to play the organ.”

Watch Alfred Hitchcock Presents on MeTV!

Weeknights at 12 AM & Sundays at 12 AM

*available in most MeTV markets

This sort of mastery lent itself to some mediums better than others. Hitchcock explained that film allowed him to explore every nook and cranny of a narrative. Although Hitchcock was responsible for the critically acclaimed series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the director felt that television’s limited time slot made a creator feel constrained.

“TV is not large enough for real detail,” said Hitchcock. “You can only concentrate on the subject and tell the story. You just haven’t the time for anything else. We do the TV shows in two, three days each.”