SE7EN

Clodagh Browne
 SYNOPSIS
When retiring police Detective William
Somerset (Morgan Freeman) tackles a final
case with the aid of newly transferred David
Mills (Brad Pitt), they discover a number of
elaborate and grizzly murders. They soon
realize they are dealing with a serial killer
(Kevin Spacey) who is targeting people he
thinks represent one of the seven deadly sins.
Somerset also befriends Mills' wife, Tracy
(Gwyneth Paltrow), who is pregnant and
afraid to raise her child in the crime-riddled
city.
 MISE-EN-SCENE
Firstly the lighting in this extract is very dark and mysterious adding to the
ominous tone there are also frequent shadows to create an eerie
atmosphere and to make the viewer feel as though the character is being
watched or followed.
The colours used are very dull and usually consist of brown, grey and
black connoting a dark and evil mood for the audience. You can also see
some words being highlighted on paper, with a black pen, the black
connotes a futher sinister effect.
In addition the objects shown such as blades and needles also help create
a sinister and uneasy atmosphere from the opening 2 minutes of the film.
Moreover the props such as the book and the images add to the suspicion
of the viewer and make them wonder what the person is doing creating
suspense straight away.
 SOUND
The entirety of the opening title sequence is non-diegetic sound to
illustrate the non-naturalistic opening to the film. The music consists
of harsh ambient noises throughout which makes the viewer feel
uncomfortable and uneasy.
There are also unexpected screeches, which again makes the viewer
feel on edge and tense which is a common characteristic of a thriller.
Sound effects such as razors, drills, and rattles have been included to
give the credits unpleasant sounds therefore, helping the spectator
familiarize themselves with the genre.
 CAMERA
The continuous Close Up shots creates a contrast with the
anonymity creating an enigma as the atmosphere ofmystery
enables the viewer to pursue the film.
The opening titles start of with a extreme close up of a open
book, which therefore instantly creates mystery as the audience
don't see the name of the book or what it's about which is a key
convention of the thriller genre.
 EDITING
The Shot durations vary from slow to fast which illustrates a
contrast and furthers the distortion of the scene. It also makes the
viewer feel tense as they are watching a constant change creating
an uneasy tone.
Subsequently, very short takes are used with straight cut shots as
transitions and this is effective as nothing is on screen long enough
for you to make proper sense of. By doing this they add tension
and leave the audience on the edge of their seat.
 TYPOGRAPHY
The opening credits are very strange and disorientated, adding
atmosphere to the film. The titles flash up and random times,
with no particular time structure linked to their appearance.
They're typed in white writing usually on a solid black
background, although they then continue to appear on screen
while the action is taking place in the background. Due to the
fact that they flash and move around on screen this leaves us
feeling uneasy as we aren't certain of what's going on. Nothing is
staying in one place which suggests to us the fast paced nature
of the film and prepares us for whats to come.