Research Task - The Bourne Identity (2002, Doug Liman) by Maria Beardall

Research Task

'The story of a man (Matt Damon), salvaged, near death, from the ocean by an Italian fishing boat. When he recuperates, the man suffers from total amnesia, without identity or background... except for a range of extraordinary talents in fighting, linguistic skills and self-defense that speak of a dangerous past. He sets out on a desperate search-assisted by the initially rebellious Marie (Franka Potente) - to discover who he really is, and why he's being lethally pursued by assassins.'


KEY:
Camera
Editing
Sound
Mise en Scene

The Bourne Identity

1st Scene:

Shadow in the sky

The first scene in The Bourne Legacy shows a shot of the sky - there is diegetic sounds of thunder, rain, wind whistling and the sea as the mise en scene shows an establishing shot in the middle of the sea - a dangerous and unsafe place to be generically which immediately creates worried feelings. The mood is mirrored by the weather; pathetic fallacy. Therefore the sky is dark and gloomy to create a miserable and mysterious atmosphere. The figure is obviously human yet seems alienated as falling from the sky, like a strange presence as it isn't seen to move at all, making it scary and powerful over all as it is seen from a low angle shot.

There is also a soundtrack of strings playing in the background to create a initially slow and sad atmosphere. There is also a slow stringed together pace as there is no action yet.

When the lightening flashes there can be a body seen - and currently the audience have an objective view compared to the crew, yet there is no reference to where he has appeared from in the opening scenes.

2nd Scene:

Unaware of the body

There is a juxta position as the camera pans down to show the crew who are oblivious, making the audience omniscient as they are seen to be playing card games. The sound of outside quietens down yet the non diegetic soundtrack continues much louder with diegetic sounds of them laughing.

First seeing the body

The wind becomes the main noise again and the music turns to a crescendo as the worker discovers  the body through a long shot, with a close up on the man's face who is working outside to show shock and completely no relation to the body, therefore knowing they are innocent fishermen. The strings begin to speed up the pace worryingly to notify the audience that the action has started and the realization there is a man overboard kicks in. A Steadicam is used to record the reaction of the fisherman to show the boat is unsteady and potentially a little edgy to be on.

Flash to titles

There is a mid shot from a low angle to show the body's silhouette and hide whoever it may be and the sound is of water as if the audience were swimming underneath the body to really make them feel as if they are participating and to show there are no vital signs of life and that if that human is alive they are very close to dying. The screen then flashes to black and the titles appear - they form in a fast yet cryptic way to show that it is a fast fetched action thriller.

3rd Scene:

Pulling the body on board

The next scene quickly fades in with diegetic sound of them heaving the body up and struggling to do so - leaving out the part of the story of them all rushing out and really reacting to the discovery of the body. This makes the audience not waste time on smaller details that aren't needed and also as this can be assumed and isn't part of the action wanted to see. The cuts are fast and unsteady camera work  to show the task wasn't easy and isn't typical as they usually haul fish not humans, and creates excitement. They speak in a different language to show how alienated and disorientating it was and with no sub titles makes the audience feel that too.

Sign of life

There is a CU cut to the hand of the body, still not completely seen to create suspense and longing anticipation to find out who the body is. When the hand moves in the low lighting so it is just visible, the crew shout a little in alert and may make the audience jump as it was surprising and unexpected for him to survive, the crew rush to help the barely alive man as the non diegetic soundtrack and deep string made beats of the music go hand in hand to create a chaotic scene as the crew shout above the storm, and the editing pace is faster to continue this as the shots are mostly all handheld or Steadicam shots to make the frame move around and create an unstable mise en scene as they head down to the packed cabin areas - all rushing and looking for things.

Final crucial moment

The once fun area that was around the table to play chess has been completely destroyed within seconds as it is wiped away to place the man down. The cuts begin to slow again as the men file out and a bald man with a beard (stereo typically presumed wise) shouts orders in an unknown language clears the room and fetches a first aid kit of some sort. The shots now focus on a mid shot of the man lying down from the man who begins to treat him and then cuts to an extreme close up of a very precise and delicate moment of a scalpel being inserted to the man's skin - a crucial moment. The music slows seconds before the extreme close up begins and the screen fades to black to create suspense without any clues of how the surgery went.

Conclusion:

• it works well as a thriller as it a good beginning setting that creates tension due to low lighting and pathetic fallacy was used incredibly well
• it appeals to 17-25 year olds as it is full of pace and leaves a cliff hanger that makes the audience demand more and also creates mystery and drama using music particularly well
• its organised by leaving in plot that was a necessity and being selective, and therefore leaving out dull or uninteresting parts of the story that can be assumed and keep the audience intrigued