Thriller Opening Sequence: Paramnesia

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Wednesday, 13 November 2013

Film Preparation - Se7en

In order to help us properly envision a thriller film of our own (it would need to the completed story, not just the opening) our teachers  Mr Munn and Miss Broadbent had us watch Se7en. When we were watching, they told us that we would need to talk about the film's Sound, Lighting, Camera and Mise en Scene. I wrote (or typed) this on a word document in chronological order to the film, yet I was unable to upload it fully. I will learn for a latter date. Below is the table I created.

David Fitcher  - Se7en (1995)

Sound
 
·         Sounds of traffic and cars outside, whilst you can’t actually see them.
·         It seems as though it is a crime filled area, it really goes well with the grimy suburban setting.
·         Scratching, electric, record player sounds. it disturbing to the viewer foreshadowing what is to come.
·         The sounds when observing the second murder are slow and passed. It’s like a pulse that is elongated.
·         Rain and traffic sounds come back when one of the detectives ever seem miserable about the case.
·         The barking of the dog reminds the audience that they have one and of the area that they are in.
·         Sound of storms are in the background. It couldalso foreshadow whats to come – more murderes, more misery and mystery. Along with dark music when they discover the painting.
·         Loud  instrumental music is played once the action gets going; anything dramatic like them running or discovering the new bodies. You never hear any lyrical songs.
·         Rain continue as the case is hard to solve yet again. Being visual and auditable rain.
Lighting
·         It is very dark, the only lighting is that from the window – natural light.
·         When he got to the first body the lighting became very dark.
·         Even outside is dark and it is raining outside too.
·         The credits are dark and only light up the graphic images that are to be shown.
·         There are loads of flashing lights during the credits. Also, they make some words bounce out to be bigger.
·         When witnessing the second body, the light is very little. It comes from flash light and natural light. Also, the tiny laps that are stashed around the house.
·         Once they found out how the second man died, the rain gave way and it was sunny outside and in. Its not just natural lighting anymore, there’s lights from actual lights.
·         The above goes for every new murder. Whenever there is a new body, there is dark lighting. Once they find out its cause, it goes bright.
·         They came to a loss and the weather got gloomy again and the area became dark.
·         Throughout the film the lighting gets lighter. As they are beginning to uncover the murder’s mind.
·         Lighting around the hospital gives a sense of hope in the dark hours.
·         Throughout the film loads of green is shown. It could be that the biggest murder plot would be envy. Also that it might happen in the library where it is greenest.
·         The photos are lit with a red light. This shows the danger and warns the detectives. Whilst the detectives view the photos with a white light. Symbolising safety that they could bring to the city.
·         The red light becomes safer as they reach the murder’s house. This could be as they have finally reached him. If not in person, then in sprit.
·         As they caught the murderer, there is loads of natural lighting.
Camera
 
·         Lots of close ups of his face and the occassionalt full body shot, when he’s doing something. Such as walking or washing up.
·         Shots of him tying his tie. Taken from the mirror. Looking through the mirror. This was an over-the-shoulder shot.
·         The objects on his bed were a close up. With his hand reaching down to get them.
·         Only close ups, long, and orienteering shots seem to be taken.
·         The camera is low angled making it seem as though it is at a diagonal.
·         You only see parts of an image during the credits before it is moved on to the next. This bewilders the audience and wanting them to know more.
·         Diagonal lines of the fence cut the screen as well as the fence itself, this is disturbing.
·         Whenever there is a new murder the camera angles cut off at sharp edges. Yet when they find out how they died then it becomes smoother.
·         The train shaking the house strengthens the fact that they are in a suburban area. This is also shown by the camera shaking.
·         There are also harsher angles usually lower shots and diagonally cut. As they are done from underneath, it could resemble the fact that they are at the bottom of the case. They have no control.
·         When they start shooting loads of red starts to ‘pop’ up. This could hint at the sense of danger.
·         Ragged camera angles are taken with objects in the way. This may symbolise that everything isn’t as clear as it may seem.
·         Close-ups of recording disks are shown to represent the tables coming back into motion, yet again.
·         Within the car before the murder gets angry you are able to see all the passengers faces clearly. With the mesh not being in the way. After, both the new detective and the murderer’s faces are hidden behind the mesh grid. It could mean that not everything is how it seems. They only reveal parts of themselves.
Mise en Scene (Props)
·         That which is his tie. It is black suggesting that his work is dangerous.
·         The objects that are on the counter are evenly distributed and placed. Everything that the character has done is precise, he is well organised.
·         His tick-tock counter thing that paces back and forth. It makes time seem so much slower than it is and adds mystery to the situation.
·         The images shown during the credits are immaculately done, whilst the words seem to be scratched out. It looks almost psychopathic.
·         They tend to show the days of the week or time of the day. Everything is ordered and organised – precisely.
·         The telephone is an old-fashioned one. So it was set in the 50s(?)just like old time thrillers. (Film noir- original thriller)
·         Food tins are shown. They are stacked up and repeatedly shown with other victims as well as the second.
·         There is a continuous stream of rain throughout the beginning.
·         Close up of the photo with dripping blood red glasses painted around the woman’s eyes.
·         He’s using a type-writer to write things down. With old lampshades.
·         Scratches on the floor coincide with the scratches from the credits.
·         Close ups on words and images could suggest that the detectives have scattered minds.
·         Traditional setting of a family home with a dining table, pets and pictures.
·         The tick-tock is revisited, and then thrown. It may suggest that the system that was shown at the beginning has now collapsed.
·         The murderer is dressed in red instead of the conventional orange to show that he is dangerous.
·         When the package is delivered the van has bits of red on it with a white background. It could be that the package was sent with good/pure intentions from the deliverer, but the content is actually bad.
·         The empty wasteland in the final scene can show there is nothing left for both the detective and the case.

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