Film Opening Conventions in 'Se7en'

I looked at the Art of the Title Sequence website and chose the film opening of ‘Seven’ (1995 and styled like ‘Se7en’ in some cases) because I liked it and found the opening a bit disturbing but interesting also, the opening had most of the film opening conventions.

Conventions of film openings seen in ‘Seven’ are:

·       Credits / Title Scene:

The title scene in ‘Seven’ shows the film title, key production personnel such as the director, cast members (actors) to the audience.

Production Company & Distribution Company

The Production and Distribution Company logo may have not been shown in the film opening but the name of the distribution and Production Company is sown in text during the title scene.

The name of the distribution company is the first thing the audience sees (in text) before the film title, key production personnel such as the director, cast members (actors)

Transitions:

There are some transitions used during the credit / title scenes were text is being used. The type of transition used in ‘Se7en’ during the credit / title scene is a very fast jumpy movement of the text around the screen that was almost in time with the fast non – diegetic sound that sounds electronic with a heavy banging base that sound almost as if it was a heart beating.

The text font for the transitions were both childish in small caps and formal in large caps which were in different sizes and was in a white colour (that some time seemed as if it was a light bulb because it went bright.

This let the audience know the genre of the film was scary so it was a thriller or horror and something bad was going on and it helped set the mood and tone of the film.

Key Locations are established

At the end of the opening sequence buildings are shown and the day ‘MONDAY’ (written in text with large caps in white in a small size).

This shot may be establishing a key location and day that may have importance for the rest of the film. It also gives the audience an idea of were the setting and location. In ‘Se7en’ it will be the city based on the buildings shown.

NO ASPECT OF NARRATIVE WAS SET UP IN THE FILM OPENING OF ‘SE7EN’

NO KEY CHARACTERS WERE INTRODUCED DURING THE FILM OPENING OF ‘SE7EN’

·Hooks audience into film

The music heard at the film opening goes will with the genre of the film ‘Se7en’ because it hooks the audience into the film at the film opening (start).

The fast non – diegetic sound that sounds electronic with a heavy banging base that sounds almost as if it was a heart beating hooks the audience into the film because it is interesting and weird. It makes the audience think something bad is going to happen next so the it keeps the audiences eyes on the screen so, they are hooked in.

·        Mood & Tone of film is established

Music and pace (speed of edits) in ‘Se7en’ helps to set up the mood and tone of the film because It makes the audience think that the genre of the film is horror and thriller because of the font, the weird scenes shown and the non – diegetic sound.