The Media Language of James Bond film Skyfall

The media language of James Bond film Skyfall consists of sound, camera work, editing and mis en scene. The film has a variety of different sounds and editing (SFX – sound effects) that contributes to the pace, action and camera work of the Hollywood blockbuster film. However the extract of the film that I saw which was released in late 2012 for cinema viewing was packed full of action, thriller and excitement. For example the music included, percussion background tunes, foreign Turkish music – authentic to the music from the city where the beginning of the film was filmed, Istanbul located in Turkey, the classic James Bond theme tune and Skyfall theme tune recorded by British singer, Adele. As well as music, the opening of the film included sounds of engines of 4x4’s as well as motorbikes and cars, gun shots, machinery, travelling water and shattered glass. For example when M received the news from Istanbul to MI6 that James Bond could potentially be dead, she reacted in a cold and inaudible manner. When James who was standing on a train carriage was shot by his agent, he fell into a river below the rail way track. As he was travelling through loud, fast moving water, M who was in the MI6 office in rainy London who was looking solumly out of the window. The reflection between the heavy rain in London and the loud, fast travelling water in Istanbul was a contrast between M’s cold, hurt soul and reality. M is a woman who keeps her emotions to herself and rarely shows them. There was no music throughout the camera showing M looking out of the window, it was incredibly silent; just focusing on M and her facial expressions. The music created tension, for example when James Bond was hanging off a train carriage the music became faster and the beat became more prominent and loud. This showed that the action was picking up pace. In my opinion, camera work was definitely a vital role in the production of Skyfall. Camera angels in the film included use of traveling shots (when the camera was traveling with the car – showing vivid, ‘in the action’ shots) and personal shots (when you are traveling with the action for example running with a camera or through the eyes of the actor). The mis en scene (translated from French – put on set/scene) is the props, furniture, machinery, buildings etc located on the set of the film. The items on the set included:

In Istanbul:

1.       4x4 and motorbikes

2.       Cars

3.       Trains

4.       Market Stalls

5.       Food

6.       Mobiles and ear piece devices

7.       Guns

In London:

1.       Tables

2.       Chairs

3.       Computers

4.       Telephones

5.       Carpet