Analysing the introduction to se7en
- 1. Analysing the introduction to Se7en. The firstthingwe see inthe filmiswhatwe assume to be our mainprotagonist(simplybecause he’s the firstcharacter we see and fora lengthof time) inhisbedwhile muffledconversationsandnoise froma roomnextdoor playsoverwhatthe viewerwouldconnote tosilence andpeace - bed.This representationthroughsoundcaninstantlytell the viewerthatthischaracteris disturbedand/orhas problemswithhiscurrentsituationwhichissure tocarry throughoutthe film.We cansee his frustrationthroughhowthe character removeshisglassesandpausesdoingnothing.Thisacting representshowthe characterisfedup withthings astheyare goingand instantlyhintsata huge potential flawinthe protagonist.The frustrationpresentedisalsorepresentedinhow the viewer is purposefullyshownthe calm,orderlysettingwhichiswell litthroughthe wide shotchosen, contrastedagainstthe disruptive noise.Otherthanthis,slightlymore obviousthingsare presented to the audience instantlyinhisapartment.Use of propslike fullbookshelves,traditional bedframe and lights;aswell asno advancedtechnologylike atelevisionbutaframedpicture above hishead indicatesanaged,intellectual charactertothe audience. Around20 secondsintothe scene we see amid/longshotfromthe endof Somerset’sbedwhich slowlyzoomsinalittle amounttoshowtime passingalongsideSomerset’sattemptstosleep.This shotalong,withthe sloweditingpace,show how time feelslongerwhentryingtosleepandhow thiseffectingSomersetpresentedinMorganFreeman’sactingof heavilyscrunchedeyesanda rollinghead.Inthe nextshotall the noise exceptthe tickingof the metronomecutsoutto give the metronome purpose.Bydoingthis,the purpose createdisthatSomersetistryingto focuson the metronome inalmostahypnoticwayto fade outthe noise of the partynextdoor. We nextsee a mid-shotof Somersetagainawake,rollinghisheadbutthistime,the backgroundnoisehaskicked back in.Thisnot onlyshowsthatthe noise is, infact,still here,butitalsoshowsthe viewerhow the noise iseffectinghimona psychological level.Byrollinghisheaditpresentsthe noise asdistressing him. Thisshot alsoemphasesthe role of the metronome furtherbyjuxtaposingwhathe’stryingto achieve (the previousshot) andreality(the currentshot).We thenreturnagainto the close upof the metronome withthe ambientnoise cutout to show how the situationcontinuesdespitehis efforts. Thisscene can be seenas a microcosmfor hislife situationashe issurroundedbynoise and disruptionthathe thentriestomove away fromby focusingonanddistractinghimself withthe calm rhythmic,slow ‘tic’of the metronome.Thisislaterappliedwhenthe audience discovershisdesire to move awayfrom the cityand quitthe force. The nextscene (the openingtitles)beginfromafade transitionfromthe previousscene.The perviousscene finishesabruptlyfromthe metronome.The sense of dramainthistransitionisinthat the viewerfeelsthat one last‘tic’shouldbridge the transitionhowever,we are leftwithsilence momentarilybefore the contrastingtitlesmusickicksin. The openingtitlesuse ahandwrittenandstencil type font whichflickersandmovestocreate a sense of unease forthe viewerwhile theyare readingthe information.The titlesare assistedbyvery fastpaced editingcontrastingtothe previousscene,possiblyshowingwhat’stocome inthe film. The fast paced,uneasytone setsupthe hard viewingforthe restof the film.Itpreparesthe viewer for the themesof the film,especiallythe disturbingvisualsof repetitiveclose upshotsof some of the killer’sactivities,forexample cuttingof hisfingerprints.The irregularbeatsof the musicalso createsevenmore of an uncomfortable feelingforthe audience.Thisfeelingiscreatedtoinstantly pull the audience intothe filmas,evenif no fast paced actionfollowsthissequence,the viewerwill be able to understandthatexciting,keyconventionsof the thrillergenre will buildinthe filmfrom these short,hardto processclipsand rigid,handwrittenfont.