Thriller opening sequenceThunderbolts, Lighting and can be fairly frightening

SE7ENSe7en uses graphic imagery and darkness in it's opening sequence. This is effective as it sets a very creepy and violent tone for the rest of the film.The music used is also effective at setting the tone to be disturbing as it is very distorted and features sounds such as women screaming.The titles appear when the sequence either cuts to black or when there is some darkness on the screen. This allows them to look natural in the world of the movie. The font used also sets the tone as it is messy and looks as though it is scratches.These conventions work well for the type of film that Se7en is as it is a horror type of thriller and wants to scare the audience rather than leave them in awe

CameraworkThe camerawork in this opening sequence is effective at establishing the theme of the film. It does this by showing an unknown character doing various disturbing acts such as cutting his skin with a razer blade and writing in ancient looking books in handwriting that looks like it has been scratched into the paper. It leaves us with no doubt that the genre of this film is thriller and horror. Even though we never see the character we can gather that they are the antagonist of this story and that the film will eventually reveal their identity. This adds mystery to the list of genres that we see in this sequence.

Mise-en-sceneThe objects used in the sequence tell us a lot about the character that we have already assumed to be the antagonist. We see him looking at disturbing images of bodies, lobotomies and children. This tells us that whoever this is, is a psychopath and is likely to be a killer. We also see him do things like cross out the eyes and eventually face of an image of a young boy and also place some hairs in a book next to another picture of what seems to be the same boy with his hands up. This could mean that he has remorse and will maybe turn himself in but it is more likely that he keeps souvenirs from his victims so that he can relive the event.

Editing• The editing is quite fast paced

and in the style of a montage. This is very good for the theme of a mystery film as it does not give a lot away as to who or when or why the things that are happening are. The editing also is in time to the music as whenever there is a loud sound there is a transition or effect on the footage. 

Sound• The nondiegetic

music accentuates the disturbing nature of the sequence as we hear sounds such as a woman screaming. This adds to the theme of murder and death that this opening sequence contains.