Skyfall opening sequence analysis 1.How has the Director/Producers tried to engage the audience? Jake Weighell

Mise en scene Throughout the opening sequence, mood music or non diegetic sound is played, the audio has been composed around the visuals, so the music compliments whatever the audience is seeing. As the sequence plays, the contrasts and colours of the visuals change to suit the video, if it is sub marine with targets floating around the camera or in an underground labyrinth of tunnels.

The opening sequence engages the reader with visuals that hint towards a history of the protagonist. Throughout, images of the protagonist include aspects that the audience can relate to violence, such as fire, daggers, and a blood red colour seen multiple times. At the beginning, the characters descent is shown, connoting a descent of lifestyle, a mental descent, a descent of lifestyle. Barthes codes help the audience piece together the story of the character.

Colours begin to darken as more and more hints are given to the audience. This shows that the agent has been involved with a violent past. This draws the audience in as they become inquisitive as to his past, asking questions such as “What happened?” or “How violent?”. Other visuals give the audience more questions, engaging them more and more throughout the sequence.

The lighting progressively turns to low-key, with visuals emphasising the protagonists violence in the past. This engages the audience because they begin to think about what was so bad about the past. This is used because when the film begins, the audience is left with a hint as to why the character may be in the condition they are in. other visuals show the eyes of the character, creating direct address, as if the audience is on a personal level with the character. The eye look at the audience through a broken or ripped screen, connoting the broken life they may be living, with an unsuitable lifestyle.

There is then a changes in the colours in the CGI animations, as the colours changes from a deep blue, from the water that was first viewed as James Bond begun to sink. The colour turns to a rich red colour, similar to blood, which may connote the violence/bloodshed in the film, relating to the agents past. This also engages the audience as this keeps them reminded of the unorthodox lifestyle and dark past of the protagonist, this includes much violence, such as gunfights, and the fair share of death they have been associated with.

As it is an action film, props/CGI are used to show visuals related to action based acts. Fire and a direct address from a woman and gun use barthes codes to show what plays a part in the life of the character. Images of the protagonist on fire may be seen s the protagonist having a dangerous nature, or bi9eng “burnt” from the inside out, as they have killed and been responsible for so many others demises.

After the protagonist stops the decent, more uniformed colours, black and white, also related to class, suits, is used to effect as it could connote the agent beginning the ascent to getting better and back to where he first started. This engages the audience due to the sudden change of lifestyle, leaving the audience asking “What happened?” and/or “Why?”. With the well known James Bond gun being shown, this can be seen to connote the agent’s return to their job, getting back on track, becoming the person that they used to be.

A skull can be seen, which is immediately and automatically associated with death and symbolism of negative actions, killing, being killed etc… this is followed by an image of a house that engages the audience as until mentioned later in the film, they will want to know why there was a house. This engages the audience as they will want to watch the film and find the answer The contrast is the brief moment of changing from he black and white, signifying purity, class and cleanliness, disappears, revealing black, grey and bleak image, such as graveyards and a POV shot of a slow walk, looking at a shadow, then looking up to see many identical figures examining themselves, which later turn out to be the protagonist. This effect also engages the audience as the character shoots his reflection in the mirror, leaving the reader question why he is unhappy seeing himself

Visuals then turn to a rich red, connoting danger, blood, with drops, like rain, falling and destroying statue and sculptures. This also gives the audience hints as to the outcome of the film, such as a loss or bloodshed due to fights throughout the entire film, as well as emphasising the importance of the house, making the audience more inquisitive toward the film. The shot then shows James Bond’s eyes, staring meaningfully at the audience, almost telling them what has become of him, as he is looking toward the audience on a personal level. Emotions such as despair, and guilt are shown in the eyes, engaging the audience even further, asking the “why?” question more and more.