SE7EN Title Opening Sequence Analysis

                         Functions and Elements of a Title

Element	Denotation	Connotation
Information Narrative/Plot Character Location Themes Genre	The clips chosen for this title opening sequence show the narrative/plot based around one particular character that has believes of god and mythological believes. We as an audience are also shown the razor blades and the imagery of surgical practice when we see the stitching on the man’s head. The theme we are shown in these opening clips is based around both belief of God and also a puzzling theme when we see the elements of crosswords towards the ending of the sequence.	These things are used in order to build a story within the viewers head in order to make sure that the audience becomes interacted and wants to find out what is going to happen throughout the film and the possible twist and turns which they could predict or think are unexpected. Also the imagery shown to present the theme of this title opening sequence shows the distinctive difference between this theme (Thriller) and other themes.
Genre	The clips shown within this short sequence suggests that the film is categorised as a Thriller. This is shown constantly by the red wash that could suggest scenes of danger or blood. Also showing the clips of razor blades suggest scenes of violence/danger.	By using these particular scenes the audience is able to immediately recognise what type of film they are watching and also what type of elements within the film to expect. This therefore helps the audience because they will know not to expect romantic scenes and also scenes of horror.
Camerawork	The title opening sequence that I have been shown consists of many extreme close-ups on each part of action that occurs throughout the short sequence. There is also no movement such as panning within this piece because they want to keep their audience fixated on the important parts of information being shown.	This type of camerawork is used in this sequence in order to capture the action and to make sure that the audience becomes captured within the short sequence. This is shown when the character starts to cross out words within the book in order to suggest a link towards a puzzle and how the film itself will unravel.
Mise-en-scene Lighting Movement Figure Props Costume Colour Cinematography Font Title	The title opening sequence for SE7EN has a constant low lighting perspective throughout each scene shown with some momentary colour washes of red displayed across the screen. We as the audience are also shown brief images of props used by the main character within this title opening sequence such as the razor blade and the sewing needle.  Throughout this particular opening sequence the audience is shown brief glimpses of text we shows information about the actors or other important information that the viewer may or may not be interested in knowing. The font used for these brief titles both small but also looks as though someone has either scratched it or somebody has painted it onto the screen.	This limited usage of increase lighting effects is done in order to make sure that the audience both knows and can acknowledge what genre this particular film will fit under. Also by doing this they managed to keep the audience’s attention on the title sequence because this lighting and lack of movement creates more dramatic tension between the viewer and the opening sequence itself.  These title effects and the font they have decided to use for this particular title opening sequence again adds to the dramatic effects of the music and imagery being shown to the audience throughout. Also the props being shown such as the razor blade could symbolise with the text in that this character could be perhaps scraping the font off or trying to remove it.
Sound	Although there is a particular soundtrack being played throughout the title opening sequence the dramatic effects of this music do not take effect until half way through the sequence when the music starts to intensify by both increasing in pace and increasing in volume.	This effect has been implemented into the opening sequence because these few moments will be the first thing the audience sees and therefore the makers of this film will want to build up a dramatic relationship between the viewer and the film. This particular piece of music has been used because the end of the track we managed to hear of a piece of vocals which is linked to the actions shown by the main character (cutting out the word God) and the lyrics we manage to hear are “Brings Me Closer To God”.  Therefore by making sure that the audience hears this piece of the soundtrack could have a significance to the story they are about to see unravel before their eyes.
Editing	This particular title opening sequence has a mixture of video transitions because towards the start of this piece the first image cuts straight onto the next image that we are shown but we are also shown some usage of a dissolving transition between frames.  This change of effect continues throughout the sequence changing each time whilst showing different parts of the action.	These particular video transitions used within this clip allow the audience to see what is occurring and start to possibly link these together to create a story of the film they are about to see. Also these transitions allow the audience to become more interacted with the title opening sequence due to the tension being created by these video transitions because they’re being thrown from one image then slowly shown another and this cycle continues throughout the momentary clips being shown.