Textual Analysis Of Opening Scene of Seven (thriller)

The film seven is based on a story to find a killer obsessed with killing one person who relates most to each deadly sin. Obviously there are seven deadly sins. Two detectives are sent to uncover the mystery of the killer , Detective summerset who had worked homicide for over 20 years and thought he had seen it all. Where as detective mills is a rookie to the game has done 5 years of homicide but never in a place like this, and is overly confident. The two get off to a rough start but then put aside differences to find a common ground to ensure the capture of the mad murderer.


The scene opens with detective Somerset getting ready for work. Getting dressed looking at himself with no emotion in the mirror. Using a medium close up shot this could suggest that he is strictly fed up of the job. It then shows an extreme closer up of his possessions in perfect order of what he needs at his job. This could imply that he likes to be in complete control of how his day is going to go , step by step.

The next clips starts with a long shot of a dead body surrounded by a pool of blood. This is establishing the murder scene, it them goes to Detective Somerset looking at every detail around the house to five him a clue. Detective Somerset then asks a colleague. “ did the kid see it?” this makes the audience think why it is relevant that a child saw a murder. Then incomes detective Mills , then starts a conversation that even though he thinks he is ready Detective Somerset reminds detective mills it is different down here than other places, Then begins opening credits.

Task 2: Research into Existing Productions ( Horror)

Horror Films are unsettling films designed to frighten and panic, cause dread and alarm, and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in a terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films effectively center on the dark side of life, the forbidden, and strange and alarming events. They deal with our most primal nature and its fears: our nightmares, our vulnerability, our alienation, our revulsions, our terror of the unknown, our fear of death and dismemberment, loss of identity, or fear of sexuality.


Sources - http://www.filmsite.org/horrorfilms.html

Task 2: Research into Existing Productions (Romantic Comedy)

Romantic comedy films are movies with light-hearted, humorous dramatic stories centered around romantic ideals such as a "true love" able to surmount most obstacles or the "perfect couple." Romantic comedy films are a sub-genre of comedy films as well as of romance films. Because of their proven appeal to women, movies of that type are generally regarded as being "chick flicks".

Resources - http://dictionary.babylon.com/romantic%20comedy%20film

Task 2: Research into Existing Productions ( Thriller)

The thriller is a broad genre of literature, film, and television. It includes numerous, often overlapping sub-genres.
Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing, frequent action, and resourceful heroes who must thwart the plans of more-powerful and better-equipped villains. Literary devices such as suspense, red herrings, and cliffhangers are used extensively.

Research into the Topic Of Thriller Genre

A thriller is based on Codes and conventions to make it work and pull an audience in and keep therm entertained to encourtage them to keep watching, examples of these are;

Surprises and twists - This could be a little twists such as a character to going into a different door than they were supposed to. Or a big twist such as a killer turning out to be a different character these both also create the element of surprise.

Quick Cuts & Change Of Camera Angle - This can give the audience the feeling that they are right there taking place in all the action. This can be sucvh as a low angle to show importance of a character or high angle to show fear or little importance in the character. Quick cuts are used to add suspsence or tension and make them want to watch on.

Music To Add Tension - This can be diagetic or non-diagetic sound to add build up or tension to a scene, from a symphany, to a heartbeat.

Highkey Or Lowkey Lighting - This can have great effect from high lighting to show every little micra aspectf of the thriller , or Lowkey lighting to portray a dark or evil scene to add or represent fear.

Killers POV ( Point Of View) - Designed to give the audience an insight into the mind of the killer , making them hang on the edge of their seats.

Flashbacks - These create the illusion we were thewr ein the past to fill in the blank gaps that the begining of the Thriller purposly leaves out.

Pass Time Sequence - This is of great importance , not to hook the audience in ,but to strictly keep the audience interested to avertr any chance of the audience becoming bored or mislead.

Sources - http://dictionary.babylon.com/thriller%20film