A lost James Bond! By Alex Stirling

James Bond - Quantum of solace 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfYC_CBNtiM

Camerawork

• The first shot is an extremely long tracking shot properly taken by a helicopter flying over a large lake or a small bay by the sea. The shot is framed well as the Mountains just fit into the shot without to much sea or shy. This shot continues later in the scene as it closes in on a tunnel which leads us to presume were the next shots are taken from.

• Next the audience get a set of quick cuts that almost tease and emphasize the excitement of wheats about to happen. 3 shots of bodywork from the hugely waited Aston Martin DBS as shown and are focused on as they stand out by the light in the dark tunnel making sure the audience has complete focus. This is almost trademark for any James Bond movie as the british super car manufacture complements his lifestyle, personality and nationality. However the DBS with its carbon fiber wings and exhausts show that this is a new James bond. One of the modern generation.

• Next we cut back to the long tracking shot of the lake and we further focus in on the tunnel. Inside we see another set of body parts and ammunition. We also see an Alfa Romeo which is an Italian car maybe hinting at the country of the confrontation. The audience will instinctively have ideas of who's the protagonist and who's the antagonist. As this is a James Bond film which runs in a long line of very successful books and movies we know that James Bond is very likely to be the protagonist. Which therefore leads us to presume the men in the Alfa Romeo and the antagonists.This makes it clear for the audience right from the off. 

• In the long chase scene we get a mixture of close ups, extreme close ups of the face do James Bond, long shots and extreme long shots. This gives the viewers a rounded and whole experience of the chase and does not leave much to the imagination and to think about.

• At the end we really see James for the first time as he open the boot of the car to relese a man. This is a medium to long shot which provides greater depth and detail than a long shot which is better for many action and landscape shots.

Mies en Scene

• The lighting in the tunnel is very natural looking as the light is peering through the arches in the tunnel which makes the scene seem even more dramatic as the cars flash in and out of the light.
• The props in the building sit such as cones, cranes and railings make it seam like a real building site. 
• Guns are very familiar in James Bonds movies and in the chase scene the gunfire predominantly from the presumed antagonists in the Alfa Romeo as the danger that James is under as well as trying to navigate the oncoming traffic. This makes the scene seem almost overwhelming as it is in the opening of the movie and give the audience of James Bonds skills and what he is capable of in the rest of the movie.

Sound

• In the first shot there is a non diegetic soundtrack which uses mainly violins and string instruments. This gains tempo as the camera moves closer and closer to the bridge where the action is and finally peeks as we start the car chase. This ads to the small climax at the start and emphasizes the action in the tunnel and works really well in contrast with the calm lake.
• There is also non-diegetic sound further into the chase which reminds me of slightly comical, superhero type music. This may is parallel to the visual and works smoothly with the action on screen.
• Many over-exaggerated sounds have be used such as the clanking of ammunition, wisp of air past one of the vents on the Aston Marlin. This creates suspense as it emphasizes the new car that is linked with all James Bond movies. Also the screech of bending metal in one of the collisions in the tunnel as traffic treys to dodge the racers. This again emphasis the dramatics of the scene and puts associated sounds that we resemble with certain scene (such as tiers screeching with a car chase) to make it easier for the audience to paint a picture of the storyline .
• However the most memorable and potent sound for me is the roar or the Aston Martins engine. This is a distinct sound which is used much in Action movies and especially James Bond films. This coincides with the iconic brand and is an addition to the mr. Bonds clays act.

Editing

• At the beginning there is cross- cutting editing used. This is where the extremely long tracking shot across the lake meet the Aston martin and the two Alfa Romeo’s in the tunnel. The large tracking shot almost works as an establishing sot as we can see the weather is sunny. This would unlikely be in Canada for example.
• The cuts are fast pace which ads works well with the fast paced chase scene and the life threatening situation that James Bond is in.
• The movie goes straight in with the “disruption”. There is no “set up” to introduce the audience to protagonists or antagonists. This may be due to the nature of the film. As it is a movie with the James Bond brand the audience has properly already met the main characters of the plot. This is why the narrative goes straight into an event rather than setting us up for the rest of the movie.

By Alex Stirling