Skyfall Scene Analysis

Sound, Music : Thomas Newman´s score is absent through out the

whole sequence. When Silva stands up and says ‘Say my name’ , the
music starts. Strings playing sustained notes in their low registers to
create tension while some effects are heard (created by a synthesizer )
to add to the horror and uncomfortableness of the scene . A bass part
joins in, playing a simple rhythmic pattern which is accompanied by
another rhythmic pattern in the percussion section. These rhythmical
sounds combined with electronic effects are part of Thomas Newman’s
which has worked with director Sam Mendes in all of his films (Most
importantly Road to Perdition , American beauty and 1917). He has
been nominated for an academy awards 15 times and yet he hasnt win
any. Back to this scene from Skyfall, the cue that starts at the end of
the sequence acts like a transition tool to connect this sequence with
the next sequence and it does this brilliantly.

The diegetic sounds includes lots of dialogues to carry the scene

forward.

Mise-en-scene :
In my opinion , the contrast between M’s dark outfit and Silva’s bright
outfit is to show what happened between them in the past. Silva was an
agent and M gave him up to get 6 agents. So in the past M was the
‘Bad’ character and Silva was just an agent. This choose of outfit has a
message about politicians, that they sacrifice good or bad for their own
benefit.M sacrificed Silva to get 6 agents. At the end of the sequence,
Silva reveals his teeth and we see what has happened to him in his past
and that makes this scene important because it is about Silva’s past
which we will know more about as we go further in the film.

Cinematography :
Roger Deakins is one of the most successful cinematographers of
modern cinema and from his briliant career we can mention lots of hit
films such as Bladerunner 2049, 1917 and Prisoners. In this sequence,
Deakins and Mendes used a lot of close-ups to emphasis the
connection between Silva and M and tell the audience that there is a
story in the past of these to character that connects them together in
some ways. The conversation is carried forward with with several 1-2
shots.The only time that we see a shot from Bond is when Silva talks
about how M betrayed him and by having a shot from Bond we see him
being warned about M . He is already a bit disappointed of her from
what happened in the begining of the film and anything can break
Bond’s trust to M.Silva is shot using low angles to show is power while
M stays in a normal close-up angle.

 Skyfall Scene Analysis

Editing :
Quick cuts heightens up the tension and drama of the scene while M
and Silva are having their conversation. The audience is introduced to
Silva with a point of view shot from M’s point of view.