11. Se7en Analysis

• The cinematography in this opening sequence is very conventional as it contains a lot of Extreme Close Up's that show fine detail of various objects such as the sketches of the hands, the pen on the paper and the poloroid photographs, etc.  However,whilst these things are being showed in great detail we are unaware of what is being hidden in the background. This is very mysterious and intrigues the audience.  
• The cinematography also shows that the Director has chosen to place objects in the frame in strange and unusual places. This decision could be a reflection of what is to come later on in the film. 
• Another thing that I immediately noticed about the cinematography was the shaky camera work. We assume this has been done purposely to disorientate the audience and make us feel uneasy and on edge, which is very unusual so early on within the film. The shaky camera work also suggests that the film is going to be 'shaky' and 'full of surprises'. 
• The editing and titles in this opening sequence also hold meaning. The editing is mid-paced throughout but builds up further and further so it ends up being very fast paced at the end. We also notice very subtle cross dissolving during the mid paced cuts. 
• The split screen that we see towards the end is non conventional of opening sequence and reminds me of a video game set up. There could be various hidden meanings behind the decision to use a split screen. The layered image technique that has been used is both disorientating and 'jumpy'.
• The titles used are very simple yet very effective. We see a black (which is the predominate colour) background with small, scratched white lettering on top. The fact that the colour black takes up most of the screen is very harsh and symbolises the idea of 'death' and 'danger'. The small amount of white which usually symbolises 'birth' and 'purity' gives us a clearer idea of both the genre and narrative of the film.
• The non-diegetic sound that has been used is a Trent Renzor soundtrack. Renzor is very popular and best known for his work within the Horror/Thriller genre of film. The music holds a score which is a montage/mix-match of high pitched scratching. Another element that puts us as the audience on edge. 
• There is a point during the opening sequence where we hear very quiet and soft singing, which sounds like a choir. This is unusual in comparison to the genre and previous soundtrack that has been playing throughout the sequence. This adds an eerie feel. 
• The final and most important thing that I recognised about the Soundtrack was that it matches not only the narrative, but the movements of objects and cuts on screen. This is effective because it makes the piece flow and seem both stable and strong. 
• The mise en scene used within the opening sequence is very conventional. The extreme close ups of the objects that match the genre/narrative of the film such as the books, the pen, the paper, the film negatives and the needle and thread all show both domesticity and hints at torture. I feel this because the needle could be a representation of both sewing which is very domestic, and skin being prodded at/ripped. This causes the audience to ask questions, although given the genre of the film, we stereotypically assume that someone is being tortured. 
• One thing in the opening sequence that was not conventional was the consistent high key lighting, which is often a reflection of the mental or emotional state of a character.  Putting into consideration the fast paced editing and the hints at torture, low key lighting would be a more suitable reflection. 
• The film that we see being wound on to the projector suggests not only the time period at which this film is set, but everything this person is doing seems to be in search or preparation for something. This again, prompts the audience to ask questions, and develops a personal connection in which they want to find out what happens next.