Analysis: Opening scenes of 'Se7en'

Narrative Structure:

‘Se7en’ is a non-linear thriller as it’s in non-chronological order.

Beginning: we are introduced to a character who is either planning, reading, investigating, it’s unclear to the audience what his intentions are.

Middle: Through the sequence we get to see the characters intentions are disturbing and cruel as he document images of tortured victims.

End: At the end its obvious the person is clearly not normal as he documents and stores homemade books with disturbing images of torture victims. There are many of these books as the camera pans across all neatly filed books.

Thriller Codes and Convections

Soon as the credits start the audience are left with questions,

·         Who is he?

·         How did he get those pictures?

·         Why is he doing that?

·         What’s he doing?

·         Where is he?

All this encouraging viewers to carry on watching to answered questions thus creating suspense for the audience. As we are not introduced to the characters face its ads suspense to the scene because the viewer is concealed from information adding mystery to this character. Similar to concealment we as an audience can only see through partial vision as each shots are very sharp from shot to shot leaving the audience to investigate almost what is going to happen.

Camera Work

In se7en the use of extreme close ups/closes up heightens the thriller atmosphere as there jump from shot to shot creating suspense and tension as it disorientates and frightens the audience such scenes as the character cutting their finger tips off distress the audience as well as building the atmosphere. A panned shot of filling cabinets gives an impression of the character being organised. The use of dissolving shot and point of view shots lets you see what the character is doing and shows a passing of time.

Mise-En-Scene

There isn’t much you can say about mise-en-scene as the tight camera angles controls the audience allowance in mise-en-scene as we only see books, film strips and photos. Such tight camera angles give the impression that’s it’s in a confined dark space maybe set in a loft or cellar? Thus creating a claustrophobic atmosphere panicking the audience.

Sound

The non-diegetic sound which is used is to create tension with the use of beating sound builds tension as the beat gets faster and louder. They also use an eerie scratchy noise which relates to the distressing images and text used, constantly building the suspense. At the end of the credits the one dialogue which is spoken is in the music ‘You’ve got me turning to god’ suggesting this potentially could be a religious based thriller?

Editing

Se7en’s highly edited opening sequence is to confuse and disorientate the audience with the use of fast pace editing and its quick cuts to add to the jumpy atmosphere. Also the impression of passing is shown in the use of strobbing (Hands doubling when writing), jump cuts (picture of the boy scribbled out) and dissolving shits contributing to the non-linear structure.

Graphics

Throughout ‘Se7en’ opening sequence its aim is to distress, disorientate and confuse the audience which is applied in the use of graphics being randomly placed, with a typewriting/ hand written font used on a white and black format.