Analysis of the opening scene of Seven
Opening scene begins with the protagonist in the kitchen. The Kitchen seems to be very clean and organised. A mirror shot shows him formally dressed whilst he does his tie emphasising he is a perfectionist. We also notice his belongings are well placed as he picks each up of his bedside table. Thereafter he brushes off his suit which further develops this establishment of character. The character being portrayed is exciting and powerful. Enigma may be created in which questions of identity may be asked by the audience. Furthermore an elliptical shot is used to abbreviate time which starts the next part of the extract starts with a tilt shot of what seems to be a murdered man lying on the floor. Meanwhile we hear offscreen diegetic sound of the hustle and bustle of the streets and cars. This establishes the location which seems to be downtown or in an inner city. Furthermore we also hear a conversation between the protagonist and another officer. A comparison between these two men is being created to increase the excitement and sympathy for the protagonist. We clearly observe differences such as the protagonist is wise and knowledgeable whilst on the other hand we notice the officer is narrow minded as we see him wearing his gun to the side. Thereafter there is a medium long shot of the protagonist. His body language and facial expression projects his intelligence and confidence as well as his charisma as he is seen to be very inquisitive and calm. The use of glasses may also connote and highlight the above points. The murder scene is being shot at a relatively slow pace as no jump cut shots are used. A continuous shot is used and thus this intensifies and heightens the suspense thus making the extract even more dramatic. The blood on the windows and the lighting used bring about a sense of cold and senseless ewe. This creates questions of whom the suspect is, why did he kill this person and where is he now. These questions create enigma and grab the audience’s attention and creates interest. Furthermore various themes and narratives are seen such as criminal activity, violence, weapons use and homicide. According to prop if any of the eight character roles are present it means any of the thirty one functions are to be applied. In the opening scene the role of the protagonist is established and we have observed the various themes being portrayed, we can predict the outcome of the narrative. One example could be that there will be a battle between two opposing forces which eventually reaches a balance or solution. However in saying this, modern narrative are not as straight forward as this, particularly thriller films. Thus the equilibrium theory by Todrov may not be applicable. Furthermore the title begins after the beginning scene ends. The title and names of the actors is in a fuzzy unclear white colour. This is achieved by the use of special effects. In the background we can see a fast paced shot of scary and chilling images. The fast past of the shot creates confusion on whats actually happening or what the scene is telling us. Meanwhile non- diegetic sound is being played in parallel to the emotions that will be experienced by the audience. This part of the extracts creates suspense and increases the tension building up to a climax. Enigma is created and the audience feels increasingly interested and engaged at this point. Lastly the establishment of the protagonist and detailed murder scene creates excitement but also engages the audience because enigma is formulated.