Se7en

In our last few lessons, we have been watching se7en, directed by David Fincher, as a class.

This opening sequence was ranked by IFC as the third greatest title sequence of all time, and is one of the most memorable:

The sequence is a montage of unnerving close ups, giving the viewers an insight into the killers mind, and an intimate view of his artistic expressions. The use of extreme close ups and jump cuts in the sequence creates an unsettling atmosphere, in conjunction with the sharp music in which a few short screams and disturbingly high pitched sounds can be distinctly heard. The editing done by Angus Wall, incorporated techniques such as fading, dissolving and superimposition to add to the abrupt, distorted and almost violent composition of the sequence. Here is the storyboard of the sequence, drawn by Wayne Coe:

The actual titles of the film looked almost hand drawn to reflect the idea of the audience seeing through the killers perspective, and they appear in roughly 4 second long flashes then are quickly wiped off the screen to reinforce the distressing atmosphere. Here are stills of the titles, designed and executed by Kyle Cooper:

The opening sequence for se7en is extremely effective in creating a thrilling atmosphere and mood for the rest of the film, and the techniques used help place a visual emphasis on significant details, which are revealed and explained later on in the movie. As a viewer, I was compelled by the sequence and in creating our two minute opening, my group hopes to use similar techniques to engage our audience. We have also taken away some ideas about how to present our titles more dexterously, to reflect the atmosphere we hope to create.