Se7en (opening title sequence)

Timeline of the opening title sequence

There are 27 different credited roles, the order of which starts with the most crucial roles. For example, the first title is "New Line Cinema Production" at 00:03 seconds. This is an important title, as it informs the audience which production company was used. They also mentioned the director in the third title at 00:10 seconds. This is key, because the audience can tell which style conventions are more likely to be used, by that specific director (David Fincher). After 00:13 seconds the opening titles go on to list the main actors within the film, for example Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Gwyneth Paltrow. This gives the audience a clue as to what the genre of the film will be, so in this film I know that Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman quite often play 'good guys'. For example in Evan Almighty and Bruce Almighty, Morgan Freeman plays God and in R.E.D he sacrifices himself for the sake of others. This suggests that Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman might be playing detectives!

 At 01:10 the credited roles stop listing the main cast, and start to list those behind the scenes. For instance at 01:10 the title changes to "casting by Billy Hopkins, Suzanne Smith, Kerry Borden" and at 01:16 the title yet again changes, this time saying "music by Howard Shore"... These titles are important to include in a film, because those who act behind the scenes create the atmosphere and theme within the film, (without them you wouldn't have dramatic/ orchestral music to build tension or certain lighting to suggest a type of setting/ atmosphere...). After listing those who used their skills to deliver  key clues to the audience (as to what the film will entail), at 01:39, the film begins to list those who produced the film. In this case, at 01:39 it states "co-producers Stephen Brown, Nana Greenwald, Sanford Panilch", at 01:43 it says "co-executive producers Lynn Harris, Richard Saperstein"... This important to note in the credited roles, as without the producers, things on the set of the film production wouldn't have been organised. This is due to the fact that producers and executive-producers help organise everyone with what they are doing; they make sure everything is in the right place and they make sure projects meet their deadlines! At the end of the credits, the titles include "written by Andrew Kevin Walker" (at 01:53). This is to help audience member's (who enjoyed this genre of film and this type of written technique) refer themselves to other similar films (perhaps written by 'Andrew Kevin Walker')! The second to last credit (again like the beginning of the titles), explains that the film was "directed by David Fincher" (at 02:05). It is important to mention David Fincher being credited twice, as it suggests he is the most crucial role related to the film!Lastly, the end title of the opening scene (at 02;08), is "Monday". This is informing the audience when the film is starting of from.

In the opening titles, the same two style fonts are used throughout. For instance whenever a name is listed a quirky/ child-like, hand-written type of font is used! This implies a childhood implement to the film (for example, someones childhood linking to a psychologically disturbed adult...). Where as the other part of the title, where it lists their role (for example, it says "a film by"...), is placed in a stamp-like font. This suggests that the film will have official meaning to it (e.g. police investigation...). During the opening scene, the titles have slight annotations. For example "an Arnold Kopelson production" is first presented backwards and within a flash flipped (so it is the right way around). This could have been done to present a dysfunctional theme to the film. 

Another slight annotation is the enlargement of the title "Se7en". The fact that it has been enlarged, suggests that the word/ meaning of seven has something to do with the plot of the film. (This could also be the reason for replacing the 'v' with the actual number'7'; to emphasis the word!)

During the opening scene of "Se7en", we can learn from the narrative that the film will be in the thriller genre. This is due to the fact, that the lighting is gloomy and dark (giving a hint of mystery), with hints of red (perhaps resembling blood; to give a hint of drama/ murder...). Another factor suggesting the red is implying blood on someones' hands, is the fact that someones hand is dipping an autopsy photograph into the blood (perhaps trying to wash the blood away from any evidence or the idea of someone printing the photo, suggests that they are 'the bad guy'...).

From the narrative:

•  We can see props such as a blade (scrapping of finger prints), suggesting there will be criminals involved. This can be backed up by the drawing of hands placed on paper (resembling the process of fingerprints being taken).
• We can see a notebook and someone writing in it, to suggest a type of investigation or someone keeping record of a plan/scheme...
• There is a close-up of an American bill (suggesting the location of the film), it shows the word "In God We Trust" (implying a religious aspect to the film). E.G. the seven deadly sins (linking back to the title of the film).
• We see the crossing out of eyes on photographs and of words/facts from books; maybe referring to some type of checklist...
• There are also a lot of carefully placed down photos, fingerprints and stitches (evidence) in books. Implying that the film will be based on a crime-thriller.
• We can also learn that whoever is being filmed within the opening scene is a very intelligent criminal. For example, he wears cotton wool around his fingers to protect his identity from the police!
• I know that the person being filmed is a man, because of the size of his hands! 

In conclusion, the opening to "Se7en" has been very cleverly thought out and processed. This is in order not to reveal too much, yet to still give clues away, as to what the film will be about (the film must catch the audiences' attention, in order to get them to want to watch)!

By Maddy Fox