Se7en opening credits deconstruction

Se7en opening credits deconstruction

Inspiration horror

The opening credits to Se7en uses many techniques to make it effective so it adheres to the genre of psychological horror. 

Lighting

The low lighting seems to be from one source and seems to be from one source, shadows are created and often move around suggesting that the setting is in a reclusive place and that someone unseen is moving around in the space, as if the subject is hiding away which makes it more sinister. 

Mise-en-scene 

Obsessive behaviour is displayed through showing the character frequently writing, cutting out and highlighting various biblical verses, with extreme close ups on the word "God". This effectively establishes the nature of the obsession with religion, which is common in most serial killers. 

 The images are often disoriented which develops the understanding of this person's character, as it represents them to have a distorted mind leading us to believe that they are a psychopath.

In addition, their macabre intentions are clearly displayed with the use of the razor cutting away their finger prints implying that they don't want to be caught for something they are about to do, which lends to the tension created. 

Close ups and extreme close ups of cut outs images from what seems to be an anatomy book as well as the hands are used to conceal the identity of the character as they are not fully in frame, which intensifies the mystery before the first scene even starts. 

Another effective feature of the opening credits which I found interesting was the fast paced editing creates a detachedness with the abundance of jump cuts, building on tension and mystery because we always see snippets of the character.

Sound

An appropriate use of non-diegetic sound becomes a prominent part of the opening credits, as a constant low ominous beat plays throughout to, potentially mimic a heartbeat . What seems to be a clattering and scratching of metal, and distorted screeching of a disk generates an eerie sound.This plays on repeat throughout the opening credits. 

Typography

The lanky sans serif font emulates the handwriting style that the character has, which makes it the actors and those part of production become more involved, adopting the theme of obsession. 
    

All of this follows conventions of a psychological horror as it plays on the audience's through our anticipation and fear.