The Opening Sequence Of Se7en.

As the film Se7en opens. It is atmospheric. The character is alone in a low-key lit room as they start the metronome, immediately creating a pace, a beat that the sequence should follow. The camera slowly closes in to a character directly in front of the camera in a scrutinising manner creating an eerie but disturbingly interesting atmosphere. At this point the genre of the film is indicated. The cinematic techniques used particularly at the start of the title sequence conform to the traditional conventions of a horror. The low key lighting, lack of non-or diegetic sound which creates mystery and anticipation to the narrative. The fact that setting is not neutral, but in fact dark, gloomy and rather depressing all lead to us the audience coming to the assumption that this film may be a horror. The pace set by the metronome is consistent as the attention shifts from the lone character , to images and text. The credits and details of cast and crew are presented quite cleverly. They shift and fade in a blurry, scribbled white text, which again looks quite disturbing but importantly maintains the atmospheric trance the start had created. The sound used is very complimentary as there is actually no clear tune. It sounds fairly industrial and scientific, as if some one recorded white noise or interference on a mic. The composition itself is fairly creepy but clever as it goes with the pace of the sequence as well as the pace that the images and short sequenced clips are shown. Camera editing is used to indicate the narrative of the film. There are many close- ups of weird shots of razored skin and manuscripts being sewn together as well as blood being blotted on pure white sheets of paper and images and letters being cut out and replaced in random areas. The images and clips are quickly shifted in and out of the screen, seemingly hidden by a black background and credits, but then reappear just as fast as they then disappear. Every one of these aspects indicate that some sort of displaced or psychotic character is involved in this film and their nature is the central focus, whether it be hidden or exposed. By involving such disturbing images and using the cinematic techniques the directors have established the film’s genre, indicated part of its narrative content and engrossed the audience, successfully by the use of a title sequence.