Se7en Title Sequence Analysis

Se7en Title Sequence Analysis The whole title sequence has been cleverly put together too show aspects of the film and subtle hints towards the plot. The text used is jumpy and scratchy, together with the non-diegetic scratching sounds and the music in which the sound is similar to that of a heartbeat. At the beginning of the sequence we can see a close-up of a book, we may assume at this point that the person involved is intelligent and academic as this is what we would usually associate with literature. There is then a non-diegetic sound of an explosion or thunder; this creates a sinister tone, which connotes danger, and so, already in the first few seconds, it’s clear the film is going to be based around crime/thriller. The text used for the credits is written in a messy white font, against a black background; the font can represent many things like a messy plot, crime, or the rushed handwriting of a suspect. The use of white font against a black background helps the font stand out and it also moves suddenly creating an edgy and sudden atmosphere. This is how the text is throughout. At this point, the non-diegetic sound is repetitive but not very fast. There’s then a drawing of hands drawn with ink, this could signify the use of hands as murder or the interest into the human anatomy. There are then a few close-up shots of mechanisms, which cut very quickly. These objects and their screeching sounds add to the edgy atmosphere and the movement adds to this. The use of these objects may be a clue to the narrative and may link to something that happens in the film. Again, it’s creating an enigma for the audience. We can then see someone slicing their skin off their fingers; this indicates that they’re trying to remove their fingerprints in order to avoid being traced when committing a crime. This shows the character as quite intelligent as they are aware of how they can be caught and have looked to a solution. We can then see a teabag dipped in water then it cuts quickly to a drawing of a boy, then back to the tea being infused. This juxtaposition between the casual brewing of a tea and a graphic image of a boy gives us hints to the aspects of the film without giving away too much. The title of ‘Se7en’ then appears on the screen and suddenly jumps around, creating an edgy atmosphere and hinting too the edginess of the film itself. A book is then opened, and the character starts writing, this scene is then layered, signifying paranoia and creating jumpiness, again hinting towards aspects of the film. We can then see a close up of words, bringing us closer too what they were writing and then red a light where strips of negatives are being developed. Here, it seems as if they are collecting images of something or someone in order to plan some sort of crime or become familiar with whom they’re targeting. At this point things are piecing together and giving the audience more of a clearer picture too what the film is about and what the suspects motive is. In the next 86 seconds we can see the person crossing out words, and the scene continuously skips back to the book, everything is quick and sudden and isn’t a 100% clear and this is where the music becomes more quick. It appears that suspect in question is creating some sort of book or folder, as we can see images being stuck in and pages sewn together. There’s also images of people, who we can assume are the suspects victims, some of these images are quite graphic which may point towards a graphic murder instead of a simple one. The images are repetitive, emphasising the key idea of the film having multiple suspects. More images of people are shown along with a piece of hair, which may be long to a victim. Towards the end there are bible references, the word ‘GOD’ is cut out of a dollar note and the lyrics say ‘bring me closer to God’. This signifies that the suspect’s murders may have theological reasoning. An enigma has been created; leaving the audience wondering what kind of crime this person is going to admit, their motive and their process, as this has been hinted at throughout the sequence.