Textual Analysis The opening of the thriller movie – Seven.

Camera Shots

Extreme close up shots are used during the title sequence to emphasise the actions and it gives the audience an idea and a clue as to what the rest of the film is about.

A tracking shot is used when Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt’s character is walking down the street. Pitt’s character walks into people and is unaware of his surrounding but this does not fail to show that he is sure of himself making him seem very arrogant and confident, whereas Freeman’s character presents himself as very clever and knows the area he is working in.

Shot reverse shot is used to when Freeman and Pitt’s characters are talking to each other to make it look like they are having a back and fourth conversation with each other even if it is shot at different times.

The tracking shot: used to show the personalities of the characters as they walk down the street together.

Mise-en-sceneMorgan Freeman’s character is dressed in a suit, shirt and tie to

show that he is very traditional and professional. His character is very well kept and his apartment reflect this quality as it is kept tidy and everything has its own place.

However, Brad Pitt’s character wears a shirt and tie but he pairs it with a leather jacket to show his youth and how he is very unprofessional compared to Freeman’s character. The leather jacket also presents the idea of good cop and bad cop, because he comes across as a very laid back and unprofessional character so he would rather wear a leather jacket than a suit.

In addition, during the first 5 minutes of the movie, Morgan Freeman sets off a ticking Metronome. This can represent various different ideas. It could hint that there is something going to happen and the metronome is ticking away the time till it does eventually happen. Also, Freeman’s character comes across as being old, so it could suggest that it is his life slowly ticking away.

Brad Pitt’s character dressed in a leather jacket: used to youth and how he lacks of professionalism compared to Morgan Freeman’s character.

SoundAt the very beginning of the opening there is no background music

at all, this is used an effect to interest the audience, it gives a chance for tension to build for what is to come in the film.

There is the frequent use of heightened sounds also, which is very stereotypical of a thriller opening. Through use of dialogue we find out the differences in personalities between the main protagonists, Morgan Freeman and Brad Pitt’s characters which sets the scene for the audience. For example, their attitudes. Freeman’s character is professional and hard working, whereas Pitt’s character is very confident and arrogant which is typical for a younger role to emphasise their youth but he portrays himself as not as intelligent as Freeman’s character. A constant ‘ticking noise’ of the metronome is used to build tension in the viewers, leading them to expect something to happen, like the time is waiting for an event to go off.

The first piece of background music is played when the title sequence begins. It is a very sinister and eerie type of music that builds the tension of the film, it gives the sense that something bad is going to happen. At the end of the title sequence we instantly hear sirens, indicating a city full of crime.

Editing

In regards to the editing to the opening of seven, the shots move quickly and you see three different scenes/locations the first 5 minutes. (Freeman’s characters apartment and the outside in the streets).

It cuts from to scene to scene quickly, to decrease the chance of confusion for the audience and it can also suggests that the characters are straight to the point as they have a crime case to solve.

It is very difficult to analyse the editing effects as they are used constantly throughout any film.