Thriller opening sequence analysis 2: Skyfall

Thriller (action adventure) opening sequence analysis 2: Skyfall

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YrSJP2PtAP8&safe=active 

(Skyfall opening scene:Agent Ronson found dying)

Despite primarily being an action film it also has thriller elements and is defined as a thriller as well. It offers thriller elements which will be explored. In the opening sequence of Skyfall the director uses and focuses on various techniques in order to give understanding and information to the audience as well as to convey certain things in a certain way. The director focuses on certain camera shots as well as movement and used editing as well as sound techniques and mise en scene in order to convey this information to the audience. Through these different techniques the director is able to connote information to the audience in a certain way.

One way in which the director conveys information to the audience is through the camera work used. This is by the various camera shots, movements and angles used. At the beginning of the clip a long shot is used. This is used to establish time and location of the production. The character (Bond) is blurred out so that the audience’s attention is draw to the characters surroundings. This technique of blurring the character to divert the audience’s attention is known as a shallow focus. In the clip an over the shoulder shot is also used. This is used to see what the character sees from a certain perspective. In contrast to the audience, it allows them to see what Bond is seeing as well as gain an understanding of the situation present. This shows how the director’s use of the long shot is able to signify information to the audience. A camera movement used by the director is the panning shot. The panning shot is used to show bonds surroundings/location. Also the quick pan used suggests a sense of urgency or swiftness to the audience, about what is going on in the shot. The use of the panning movement by the director shows how information is given to the audience.

A high and low angle shot are also used in the clip to give the audience information about what's going on. Bond is shown in a low angle shot as the camera looks up to him. This appears to make Bond look powerful and dominant whereas the where he is looking we see a man shown in a high angle shot. This is where the camera looks down on the character and shows them to be weak or venerable. This is evident in the scene as the man in clearly wounded and is he venerable one whilst Bond appears to be the dominant one. This shows how the director conveys information to the audience by the use of a high and low angle shot.

As well as the use various use of camera work, various editing techniques are used by the director in order to convey information to the audience. At the beginning of the clip the first shot last 27 seconds. Most shots do not last this long and the director uses this to show to the audience that the character has significant importance. Also by continuing the shot the audience’s attention is kept on the character highlighting to them the characters importance. This shows that through the continuation and length of the first shot the director is able to convey information to the audiences. Another use of editing by the director is the use of an eye line match. The eye line match shows the character to be looking at an object and then the shot cuts to the next shot and allows us to see what the character sees. This signifies to the audience what the character sees and allows them to gain understanding of what is going on. Through the use of an eye line match the director is able to signify information to the audience by showing something from the characters perspective.

The director also uses various sound techniques in order to signify information to the audience. In the first 27 second shot non-diegetic sound is played in the background. Non-diegetic sound is sound which has been added in the clip. The sound is faint and continues for this long period. The director uses this to show tension within this shot as well as make the audience feel on edge about the situation present. The tension is carried on through the use of non-diegetic sound in the next shot. This is a clear example of a sound bridge and is used to keep the sense of tension are danger to the audience. Also right at the beginning of the clip a sound motif is used by the director. The trumpet sound of ‘duh nuh’ allows the audience to identify that the clip is James Bond as that sound is symbolic to Bond. Furthermore the diegetic street sounds show how busy it is outside in contrast to how quiet and dull it was inside the building. This juxtaposition is shown because the shot of the busy outside street is opposite to the quiet building. This shows that through the use of diegetic and nondiegetic sound, how the director is able to signify information to the audience.

Through the use of mise en scene the director is able to signify further information to the audience. Chiaroscuro lighting is used at the beginning of the clip
on Bond to identify just his face whilst the rest of his body is hidden in the shadows. A bond walks into shot this lighting is used as he is how as a silhouette. This suggests that the character has a sense of enigma to them. Then when his face is visible in the light the audience’s attention is diverted to his facial features. This shows how the use of various lighting by the director is able to communicate information to the audience. The prop used of the gun and the blood gives a sense of danger as well as sense of urgency of escape. This is used to identify  that audience that the film is a Bond film as bond is associated with guns and danger. By the use of these props the director is able to make the audience understand what they are watching. The suit that Bond wears suggests that he is sophisticated but also quite professional. It also allows the audience to link and identify him as 007 agent due to his attire. Furthermore the use of the car at the end of the clip suggests a sense of urgency or need for escape to the audience. This shows how through various aspects of mise en scene the director is able to signify information to the audience.

Conclusively in the opening sequence Skyfall the uses of these various techniques used by the director such as mise en scene, sound, editing and the different aspects of camera work show how the director is able to communicate information to the audience. Whether it is by making the character feel a certain way or by putting the audience in the perspective of the character through certain camera shot. The director is able to communicate information effectively to the audience through these techniques.