Film Opening Timed Analysis - The Bourne Identity

Textual Analysis of 'The Bourne Identity' Opening:

0:28-0:31 - We get an upwards shot from under the water up towards the body of a man floating in the water. There are flashes of lightning and a flashing blue light too.

0:32-0:34 - We see a shot of a fishing trawler out on the oceans, there is another flash of lightning.

0:35-0:41 - We see inside the ship in a small room. A group of men are sat around a table playing cards. They can be heard talking and laughing.

0:42-1:04 - The camera cuts between shots of the sea, inside the boat and then the upward shot of the man in the ocean. When we see inside the boat again, the camera follows the man's hands when he is dealing the cards. 

1:05-1:12 - A tracking shot on the deck of the boat following a man as he exits the interior of the boat and comes onto the deck. He stumbles as he comes out.

1:13-1:23 - Wide angle shot of the man walking across the deck of the ship. As he throws the crate of slops overboard it cuts to a close up of him on the other side. He looks out to sea and squints.

1:23-1:24 - Shot from the deck of the boat out to the sea. We see the man floating for a split second thanks to the light from the lightning.

1:25-1:31 - The camera changes between shots out to sea and the man on the deck of the ship. There is only light from the lightning.

1:32-1:34 - Short shot close up to the body of the man who is floating in the water. There are several flashes of lightning.

1:35-1:38 - The film title comes onto the screen before promptly disappearing. 

1:39-1:44 - Birds eye view shot of the fishermen pulling the man onto the boat.

1:45-1:58 - On the deck of the ship. Several close ups of different sailors as they check to see if the man is still alive. There are several different angles and perspectives used throughout this sequence. 

1:59-2:25 - Several different angled shots as the men are coming down the stairs with the man and as they clear the table in order to put the man on it. There are lots of jump cuts.

2:26-2:29 - Shaky-Cam of the man (Jason Bourne) as he lays on the table.

2:29-2:33 - A close up shot as the doctor begins to cut open Bourne's wetsuit.

Editing:

- All the camera shots are edited together well, there are lots of quick angle changes too.

- Put in a sequence so as to show the events unfolding.

- Shots are sometimes dark. Lighting is sometimes just from the lightning. 

Sound:

- When the film begins there is slow music in the background as well as the sound of the waves crashing against the side of the boat.

- Sounds of the wind and of the thunder/lightning.

- Hear the men playing cards, laughing and talking.

- The slow music plays throughout.

- The music picks up as the titles flash onto the screen and we hear the commotion as Bourne is taken onto the ship and below decks.

By Alex Jones