MediaopeningtitlesNorthByNorthwestTheopeningtitlesin1959couldnotbeheavilyCGIbased,astheeditorswouldhavetheadvancedcomputertechnologythatmoderndayfilmswouldhavehad.ForNorthbyNorthwest,thegraphicsdesignartistcalledSaulBassusedcutoutpaperandtypographyinmotiontocreateanearly3Dperceptionoftheopeningtitles,astheywerepositionedonabackdropofanabstractbuilding.Thestartoftheopeningcreditsliststhemainactorsinthefilm,astheaudienceofmostfilmsrecogniseiconicactorsandoftenonlywatchthefilmastheyfollowanidol.Aprolificactorwouldoftenenforcethattherenameisadvertisedinpriority,alongsidethedirectorwhostereotypicallyappearsboldbeforethefilmrolestartedplaying,asseenbelowwithAlfredHitchcock.Astheroleofnamespassacrosstheanglesbuilding,thegreenbackgroundfadesintoaglassbuilding,withareflectionofabusyAmericanstreet,whichactsasanestablishingshotofthesetting,duetotheprotagonistsbusinessbackgroundashiscareeratthestartofthefilmisadvertisingmaninMadisonAvenue,NewYork.ThecrossfadewasquiteadvancedanditprovidesasteadytransitiontothebusylifestyleofRogerThornhill.

Thetitlesarethentakenfromthesolidbackdropofabuilding,andoverlaidonsomebusyfootageofrushhouronMadisonAvenue.Thisbringstheaudienceupclosewiththeprotagonist'slife,andaddsasenseofrelatabilitytohissituation.Thestillcameracontraststhefastpacedcrowdsthatflowindifferentdirectionsineachscene,andthismakesahecticatmosphere,inordertoreflectthebustlingcity.Thetextofthetitlesisboldandwhite,whichaddsasimplisticstyletothecomplexbackdrop.Italsolinkstotheprofessionalcontextofthefilm,andasthenamesappear,theyslideintotheshotwithaslowtransition,asthiscouldlinktoamonotonouslifestylethattheprotagonistwouldliveintheadvertisingbusiness.