a level media coursework

1. Textual analysis
Seven

2. About the movie
 The movie seven is an American psychological thriller released in September
1995.
 It tells the story of a young detective, played by Brad Pitt who is partnered with the
retiring detective Morgan Freeman and soon tasked with tracking down a serial
killer who uses the seven deadly sins as tropes for his murders.
 The film was released by New Line Cinema and it went on to become the
seventh-highest-grossing film of 1995, with over $327 million worldwide. The film
was also nominated for Best Film Editing at the 68th Academy Awards, but lost out
to the film Apollo 13.

3. Camerawork
The use of an aerial shot may have been used for this shot because it
could show that the audience is seeing something that other characters in
the film may not be. The reason why I believe this is because by using
this shot it makes the audience appear as if they are looking down on the
situation and almost looking into the action.
The constant change of both camera angles and shots is used to confuse the viewer and to not let them
focus on what the true narrative of the opening is. This may also be used to give an erratic feel to the
atmosphere.
One of the most commonly used shots within the opening of seven is
the use of an extreme close up this may have been used to show small
details of the scene as a way of given clues as to who the hands belong
to as well as empathising the sharpness of the blade in the shot.

4. Mise-en-scene
Prop:
The use of the picture of the two hands may have been used as a shot
in the opening of seven in order to use foreshowing to give the
audience clues as to what may happen in the film. An example of this is
that the hands looked discoloured which could connote that the person
maybe dead which creates a creepy atmosphere.
Colour:
The use of the black and white throughout opening could connote good and evil as well as a light or dark
atmosphere.
Colour:
The use of the colours of red and white across the screen of this shot
connotes a clash of different people in the film. For example the use of the
colour red could represent fear, blood, murder or danger. But the white colour
could represent purity and innocence. This also could represent a good vs evil
theme in the narrative.

5. Mise-en scene
Colour:
The black screen in the opening sequence connotes the idea of darkness,
loneliness and being alone. This may have been used to show parts of the
film narrative.
As well as the black and white showing a contrast between light and
darkness within the films narrative.
Prop:
The prop of a picture of a boy is significant in the opening sequence
because it is the only time a face is shown in the opening 2 minutes of
the film. This is used to increase the mystery in the opening minutes
because the audience don’t know who the person is and how they fit to
the story.
Composition:
The composition of many of the shot are based within very close up shots. This therefore
doesn’t show the audience much of the the setting around the main action within the shot.
This therefore creates an element of mystery which also help keep the audience engaged.

6. Mise-en-scene
Lighting:
On this shot there is one key spotlight used pointing downward on to one side of
the paper, which is giving the shot low key lighting. The spotlight may have been
used to represent a prop for example a desk light. Although it’s main purpose is to
use the limited light in order to create a dark atmosphere therefore making the
audience tense.

7. Editing
Shallow focus has been used in this shot as a way of connoting mystery
because its unclear what is being written. As well as create a sense of
disorientation for the audience. This may also be used to help show the
theme of mystery which is common in thriller films.
A black shot has been used as a way to break up the important shots of
the opening sequence. The effect of this on the audience is that it
creates confusion for the audience which in turn builds suspense for the
viewer. It may also have been used to connote the idea of a dark
narrative or a dark outcome at the end of the film.
This effect was also created by the use of jump cut and the use of
flashing light when ever the shot turned to black.
Fast paced editing is also used throughout the opening sequence this could have been used to be able
to break up the shots of different locations therefore creating more confusion for the audiences. Which
therefore adds to the element which is present throughout the opening sequence.

8. Sound
Throughout the first opening 2 minutes of seven the sound in the background of the action is
Parrell non-diegetic dissonant sound. This is used to create tension as the music rises with the
action and able to help create suspense which make the audience more tense. The use of Parrell
non-diegetic dissonant sound is stereotypical of thriller films because it helps create tension which
is found in thriller films.
Other sound used within the opening is the diegetic sound of the metronome which is Parrell with
the shot of the a ticking metronome. This could be used as a way to symbolised the passing of
time or a clock. Which could show that considerable time passes within the start of the film or that
the protagonist are in a race against time in the film.
The use of inconsistent volumes throughout the piece is used to unsettle the audience and making
them fearful of what was going to happen. Which will also help the film keep the attention of it
audience. This also goes along with the Parrell nature of the sound with the sound increasing in
parts which could be seen as significant.

9. Iconography
The use of the blood within the shot is an example of a stereotypical
prop within a psychological thriller film opening. This is because it
symbolises danger for a character within the film. This also link to
stereotypical theme of danger for the protagonist in both horror and
psychological thriller film. It is also used to foreshadow the death of
one the protagonist in seven.

10. Audience theory
The type of audience for the film seven is mainly a niche audience. The
reason for this is because many people are put off the film by the violent
nature of some of its plot. The reason as to why I know this is because of
the opening having props such as sharp objects and blood which therefore
connotes violence within the films plot.
The demography of the average person in sevens niche audience is within
the D or E letter bracket which contains manual workers, the unemployed
and students as well as some other lower income groups. One of the
reason for this may be because the film will be popular with students
because of the mystery and them wanting to work out what happening as
well as them not being put off by the violence.
The psychographic for some of the people in the niche target audience for
seven is that they may be in the category of explorers. The reason for this
is because they are a typically younger people as well as them being
educated so are able to understand or figure out parts of the plot that aren’t
clear to all the audience.

11. Narrative and Character
One of the only ways in which the film opening for seven isn’t stereotypical is in terms
of character. This is because there is no character clearly shown within the opening
which is not stereotypical of thriller films. One of the reasons as to why they might
have done this is because to helps to empathize the mystery of the opening therefore
makes the audience guess as to what the opening is trying to show which also will
help keep the audience engaged.
In terms of narrative is also not stereotypical for psychological thriller film opening
because of the lack of key characters or storyline. This is stereotypical because any
thriller opening introduce you to the characters to be able set the scene to be able to
help the audience understand and relate to the characters, unlike seven where no
characters clearly shown in the opening of seven.

12. Typography of credits
The font used within the credits is two sans serif fonts with the font for
the names in the credits having a style that looks as if it could have
been hand written. This therefore could have connoted it looks very
thin and also has an appearance that has a creepy feel because it is
seen as old fashioned and also has the appearance that looks like
spiders legs which could also be seen as giving a creepy feel.
And the font with their role for example the “casting by” part of text looks
more as if it was from a typewriter. This therefore gives the audience a
more old fashioned feel to the text because typewriters aren’t used in
everyday life ,which therefore may give the audience the idea that the
story may not all s et in the present day or the characters are seen as
more old fashioned or not adjusted to modern life or society.

13. What I could take from this research
One of the things that I could take from this research is the use of typewriter style
credits to give a more old fashioned and mysterious feel to our credits.
Another thing that I can take away from textual analysis is to target a younger people
as a target audience for the film opening. The reason for this is because my research
and analysis has shown that most people who watch more violent thriller films are of a
student age range of late teens to early 20s.
I have also taken from this research that I should use Parrell non-diegetic dissonant
sound within the opening to help create and atmosphere as well as tension within the
opening to keep the audience more engaged.
During this research I have also found that it is effective for me to use darker colours
both during editing and costume and props in order to connote a more darker outcome
to the film.