Se7en by David Fincher

Seven Opening Sequence from Artifact on Vimeo.

Se7en is a 1995 American crime film, directed by David Fincher and written by Andrew Kevin Walker. It stars Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Kevin Spacey. It was distributed by New Line Cinema.

Its a film about two police detectives, Somerset (Freeman) and Mills (Pitt), who are in a race against time to solve a series of "Seven Deadly Sins" themed murders.

Analysing the Opening of Se7en:

Mise en Scene:

The opening begins with Somerset sitting in his bedroom, in his bed. The titles then appear and the writing is almost child like and messy, but has an air of precision about it. A selewction of different video clips and pictures then flash up. The objects are random and weird, and like somebody making a book. It shows somebody sewing and crossing things out on books and pictures, and also shaving off thier fingertips. Their hands are dirty and the dull lighting, twinned with the dirty hands, makes the audience think that this person is some kind of recluse, and doesn't leave the house. His hands are also bandaged and their is lots of blood, which could suggest the person is very psychotic and takes pride in what they do. The setting could be a basement.

Camera Angles:

Most of the angles are predominately extreme close ups, to show the distress and precision of the opening itself. There is also alot of POV shots of the person, who is making the books and a tracking shot of hundreds of books lined up on the shelf.

Editing:

The titles are scratchy and the editing is predomionately jumpy and jumpcuts.
Sound:
It begins with a metronome ticking, which could signify time running out. The metronome, then becomes drowned out by the rain which turns into thunder, which could show that this is the calm before the storm. The sound is incidental non diagetic sound full, of creaking and screams and ends with a man saying, "You bring me closer to God".