SE7EN – Dir. David Fincher 1995

Textual Analysis Content

• Genre• Camera/Editing• Back-story• Sound• Location• Mise-en-Scene

SE7EN – Mood Board

GenreSe7en is a 1995 American neo-noir psychological thriller film and where the film is set/located is typical of the thriller genre. The opening sequence of Se7en includes many uses of mise-en-scene, editing and sound to represent its genre.

Camerawork/EditingAll the objects that are used in the opening sequence for example the needle/knife and the pen are shown extremely close up and they take up most of the screen. This helps to create suspense and tension as the audience cannot see who’s doing the action or where abouts they are. Most of the shots are close up in the opening sequence, the close ups are used to allow the audience to see what is happening with the close up of the objects for example, books, a pen, photos etc. The use of Close-ups also distracts the audience from seeing who the person/actor is who is doing the actions.

Location

The location of where the film is set is very typical of the thriller genre and it is nothing you wouldn’t expect and it doesn’t show the audience where these things are happening. The location of where the film is set connotes that it is a very dark, gloomy and mysterious place. The location also makes the audience feel very anxious about what is going on.

SoundThroughout the opening sequence, there is non-diegetic sound, of fast music that becomes continuously faster and louder in which this builds up a climax, making the audience feel anxious and fearful. Also there is a lot of diegetic sound used for example, sounds of photographs being published, footsteps and the sound of machinery.

Mise-en-SceneLighting & Colour:Most of the colours shown are black and white, however there are parts shown in the opening sequence which shows photos being developed. Red connotes fear, danger and it also shows us that the photos are just being developed. Overall the shots are mainly dark and dull in which this connotes danger and the seriousness of the film.

Objects:All the objects that are used in the opening sequence for example the needle/knife and the pen are shown very close up and take up most of the frame, this also creates suspense and tension as the audience do not know who is publishing the photos and creating the file. The objects used connote the thriller genre as

Editing/Transitions/Special Effects

One of the main special effects used in the opening sequence is Flashing, the flashing of titles and the flashing and objects. The flashing is used to make the film look very scary and daunting in which makes the audience feel very fearful and it also makes the film more appealing to the audience. Another special effect used is slow motion of some of the clips, the slow motion is used to allow the audience to see what is actually happening on the screen, for example when notes are being written down in the book.