Seven Opening credits

SEVEN

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement:

Begins with an extreme close up shot of the binding of a book, vision of the shot is blurred allowing you to see what is happening, but keeping the character and setting a mystery. There is also a Bird’s eye view of hands, which are pale white and a grey colour, looking as if the person is dead, foreshadowing a victim. Shot reverse shot on the image of some type of scalpel, which is being used to remove finger prints from the victim, this would be done to remove identity/ DNA.

Sound:

The music is non-diegetic as it is not showing the sounds of what is happening . The beat is chaotic and disorientated. The pace varies throughout and so does the pitch, foreshadowing the complication of the mystery’s, but also relates to the disorientation of the beat. Random sharp noises stimulates the sound of screaming, which would connect to the moments before murder. The music also sounds like the movement of a metal object, e.g. Chains which would connect to some kind of torture.

Editing:

Cutting of many different shots, all depicting small clues together as if solving a mystery. in between each image shot there is a black screen for a small period of time, allowing you to view opening credits. There are also flashing credits in an almost vintage type of font, creating an eerie atmosphere.

Characters:

In the beginning sequence we aren’t introduced to characters, but we do see hands and body parts of what we think to be the victims. So the characters are introduced dead; carrying on the theme of mystery.

Locations:

The lighting is very dim and the camera vision blurred not allowing us to fully identify the location. You can see objects such as books, and tables instead of trees and the outside terrain suggesting it is based in a room/ building.

Narrative/Plot:

The title is self contains part of the narration which is ultimately the seven deadly sins. The plot is shown that 7 victims are being killed by a serial killer using the facts of the seven deadly sins.

Themes:

The images of metal objects such as chains, and then images of what look like hands of a deceased person shows the theme of death! As the scenes are depicted into small clues, which allow this to be mysterious show a theme of Mystery. The main film is the seven deadly sins, as all the victims are killed in such ways; e.g. Gluttony, being made to eat and eat until the stomach explodes.

Visual Style:

Small clues of what is happening. You can see someone (by their hands) flicking through books, and writing as if they are recording something, you can also see them with the metal objects and deceased persons portraying them to be an investigator of some type or maybe even the killer themselves?; these small details allow us as the audience to make our own assumptions to who that character is, to later on prove us right or wrong. The background in some scenes is quite blurred allowing minimal vision, enabling you to see what’s happening but not entirely.

Genre:

I would say this film is defiantly a thriller, as it has aspects or gore but unlike a horror the story isn’t guessable and allows mystery. Also the sharp music and twisted plot enables it to be a thriller, but maybe even an action? As death is involved and naturally when death occurs so does the action of the investigation.

PANIC ROOM

Camera Shot/Angle/Movement:

Begins with a high angled shot focused on the city, it allows you to also see a high rise building surrounding it. It then cuts into a mid shot of buildings, showing more detail, and giving a sense of a very built up wealthy city. A medium shot tilted downwards shows the surrounding society, such as cars and traffic allowing you to get clues of what location the film is in. Another middle shot between building focuses on a billboard featuring a happy loved up couple, this could portray that this film will be based around something to do with a relationship, whether it’s happy or broken down.

Sound:

The music is diegetic as it is showing the sounds of what is happening. e.g. beeping from cars stuck in traffic! There is also non-diegetic sound, it sounds as if a clock is ticking which portrays the relevance of time. It may also symbolise that time is running out. The pitch of the music varies and is in a deep tone, creating a rather edgy atmosphere.

Editing:

There are Cut's of many different shots, giving many views of the location, Showing it’s very large and built up but also in some respect pretty and well kept, which shows wealth. The shots of all the buildings create an eerie atmosphere, as the buildings are very tall and close together, showing confinement. The text used for credits is put in the centre screen making it clearly visible, unlike the image of the buildings the text isn’t all scrunched together; even though the text is very tall and thin symbolising the high rise buildings. It is also in a white/grey colour which almost blends in with the colour of the buildings portraying that everything fits together.

Mise en Scene:

Characters:

In the opening scene the insight shown is very minimal, and we are not introduced to any characters, this keeps everything very secretive and mysterious, it also builds tension.

Locations:

The opening sequence captivates many amazing shots of the location and its buildings. The extreme high rise buildings and technology shown; e.g. the huge screens on the face of a building, allow you to assume what the location is. The main give away which allows you to identify the location as America are the very famous American Yellow taxis, which are featured in many American films, and are almost a symbol of the USA.

Narrative/Plot:

The plot of the film is foreshadowed in the title, panic rooms are very popular in the USA as many households are extremely wealthy which attracts burglars; having this room allows an escape and a place of safety. Therefore this foreshadows maybe the use of a panic room, and why it’s needed.

Themes:

I think a theme shown in the title and in the images, is wealth. To be able to afford a panic room you have to be rather wealthy, also the USA as a country is very wealthy and highly populated. I would also identify reality as a theme, as it shows a normal everyday city and the society which lives init, also burglaries are very common and to base a film on that enables people to relate to what is happening.

Visual Style:

The sequence is very minimalistic, a broad wide screen full of images and motion of a city. It gives you a full picture, therefore you can feel as if you are almost in that scene, seeing things through your own eyes. All images are very clear and open for the audience to see, as if there are no secrets to be kept.

Genre:

The genre of this film is a thriller this is shown as the opening is very secretive in the sense you are not introduced to anything except the location and the title, this is also portrayed in the music, as the pitch varies in loudness, and deepness, which you would commonly expect in a thriller. Another genre I would say could be Action because the need to have a panic room suggests a burglary or something bad happening, which you would then expect there to be some types of action, to escape, or maybe kill someone.