Group analysis The Bourne Identity

The sequence from the action film, The Bourne Identity begins with a long establishing shot to emphasise the set location of the street. The miss-en scène of the buildings highlights the bleak, grey environment around the protagonist and foreshadows a sense of uncertainty. The shot then cuts to a long shot of Jason Bourne holding the a red telephone, his red bag also clearly in the frame, specifically done to convey the danger and foreboding of the situation yet to come. The diegetic sound of the traffic corresponds with the urgent nature of his task.

There is then a cut to a traffic warden to portray Bourne's struggle with the authorities and the paranoia that surrounds him. At this moment, non-diegetic sounds of string instruments are used to create suspense and an aura of peril for him and makes me personally feel exposed and uneasy of what is about to happen. When the shot cuts back to Bourne, a red car then passes by, taking up the majority of the frame, yet again reiterating this sense of danger. In accordance with this, the camera then tracks Bourne in the direction of the aforementioned car, thus indicating his descent into danger. Meanwhile, the camera captures an extra in the frame, suspiciously staring at Bourne and both are positioned to the far sides of the frame, abiding by the rule of thirds to make the shot look aesthetically pleasing. 

As the camera tracks Bourne when he walks across the road, the miss-en-scène of the snow in the frame, covering most of the characters portrays a feeling of unclarity and blurred objectives. The diegetic sounds of the ambulance and roaring traffic allow for an edgy atmosphere for our main character and the flashing lights are a warning for him and the choices he's about to make. A swift pan back to Bourne represents the hurried nature of his movements. 

A long shot captures Bourne's close escape from the tram as he crosses the road, which foreshadows his escape from imminent danger. Bourne is then tracked as he walks to show his importance and superiority. A close-up, point of view shot then tilts on the American flag to convey a sense of safety and familiarity as he has reached his destination. The close up of Bourne's passport symbolises his independence and the sequence then cuts to a two-shot of him and the identity-checker. 

As Bourne stands in the queue, the editing creates an eyeline-match to the man in the suit staring suspiciously at Bourne, creating a sense of foreboding. There is then a close-up of the woman speaking to the receptionist and although she is taking up the majority of the frame, she is not in focus, which symbolises her inferiority to Bourne despite her voice being the only diegetic sound in the shot.

We see a close-up of the security camera, indicating to us his worry and anticipation of fore-coming 

events. After the suspension build-up of mostly silence, except for the woman still talking to the receptionist, Bourne is tracked by the camera out of the queue and into a separate room, passing a Christmas tree, which has usual connotations of happiness, juxtaposing to the dangerous situation Bourne is in. 

As the fight between Bourne and the guards begin, the shots quickly cut from one perspective to another, also including a bird's eye shot to make me feel omniscient and not just an onlooker in the sequence. The sequence constantly cuts between mid-shots and bird's eye views to quicken the pace of the fight and make it feel much more intense. The camera then pans to the civilians at a high angle to show their inferiority to Bourne and emphasise the control he has over the room.

The guards then proceed to chase Jason and the camera tracks him as he runs away - still keeping the attention focused on him. An extreme close up is used when Bourne finds a walkie talkie in a soldier's jacket, expressing to the audience his new-found ability to track his enemies' movements and give him the upper-hand.

Parallel editing is then used, showing the soldiers selecting their weapons to suggest this is happening at the same time as Bourne's escape and give the audience a sense of spatial awareness. The diegetic sound of the alarm is a warning, which I am especially aware of, to make the scene more urgent and tense.

When Bourne then runs out into the corridor, high-key lighting is used to juxtapose the dangerous situation he is in, but also to show a sense of hope for him and also foreshadow his later escape. This is highlighted further when an extreme close up shows an evacuation plan, suggesting Bourne is looking for his way out and is soon to find it.

Constant, quick cuts are used between Bourne and the army whilst they make their way up the stairs to show their closeness and immediate danger. Furthermore, an over-the-shoulder shot is then also used, with Bourne taking up a minimal section of the frame, and the camera focuses on the narrow hallway in front of him, symbolising his upcoming narrow escape. As he approaches a fire exit door, the miss-en-scène features a sign reading 'danger', an obvious foreshadowing of the situation he's about to be put in but also a summary of the whole sequence's major theme.

Seeing Bourne outside on the fire escape, the camera shoots a bird's eye view, point of view shot of the ladder below the escape, putting me in the shoes of the character, making me feel vulnerable and uneasy at the sheer height of the drop. This is then further exacerbated by an extreme long shot, making Bourne seem tiny and insignificant in comparison, and then a high angle which establishes a sense of vertigo for me and anyone else watching.

An extreme close up of Bourne's foot is used to show tension and the friction between the surfaces and the shot then changes to a bird's eye view when the bag slips from his hands, the red colour contrasting with all of the white snow in the frame - a symbol of chaos surrounded by peace, almost a representation of the character himself.

When Bourne's safety is confirmed and he climbs down from the wall, a high angle is used to show him and the bag to suggest all is not quite over for him yet, although the surrounding of white snow indicate some peace for him for the moment and that for now, the struggle is over.