Gun barrel sequence

The gun barrel sequence is the signature device featured in nearly every James Bond film. Shot from the point of view of a presumed assassin, it features 007 walking, turning, and then shooting directly at camera, causing blood to run down the screen. The visuals are usually accompanied by the James Bond Theme, written by Monty Norman.

Originally designed by Maurice Binder, the sequence has featured in every James Bond film produced by Eon Productions and, although retaining the same basic elements, it has evolved noticeably throughout the series. It is one of the most immediately recognisable elements of the franchise and has featured heavily in marketing material for the films and their spin-offs.

The British media historian James Chapman suggests that the sequence is a significant part of the James Bond mythos because it "foregrounds the motif of looking, which is central to the spy genre."

The sequence begins with a white dot blinking across the screen, from left to right. Upon reaching the right edge of the frame, the dot opens up to reveal a gun barrel's interior. From the point of view of an off-screen assassin, the camera follows James Bond as he walks from right to left against a white background. Suddenly aware of being observed, he stops at the centre of the screen, quickly turns to the camera and shoots his gun towards it. A blood-red wash, representing the gunman bleeding, runs down the screen. The gun barrel dissolves to a white dot which moves from side-to-side across the screen and settles in the corner. With a few exceptions, the circle then either shrinks and disappears, or fades from white to a circular cutout of the first scene, expanding to reveal the full view of the scene shortly thereafter. However, in recent years, the barrel doesn't dissolve or move. After the blood runs down, everything simply fades out.

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