Conventions of a Thriller Opening - Se7en

• The opening title sequence of Se7en creates an enigma around the unknown character, immediately raising questions for the audience: 'Who is this character?' 'What is he creating and why?' This mystery intern creates suspense for the viewer.
• The character is shown to be putting a lot of time, effort and detail into what he is planning and uses unsettling images of people. This scares the viewer by making them feeling uncomfortable as they remain to wonder why he is doing this and raises a further question of 'What is he planning?'
• As well as the images, the non-digetic soundtrack is eerie creating dramatic effect by reinforcing the tension for the viewer and by using uncomfortable scratchy and creaking sounds, reflects the unstable mind of the character.
• To work alongside the music, the text is scribbled and scratchy and flickers throughout, once again reinforcing the unstable mind of the character, as if written by him.
  Flashes of images and photos throughout the opening sequence raise question and the quick changes between them create confusion for the viewer.
• The sequence is edited to change from back and white, colour and red to make the sequence appear threatening and sinister.
  Close ups of the character's hands make the viewer focus on what he is doing and creates suspense as his face and rest of body is not shown.
• Although the opening sequence does not reveal the plot, the title indicates what the plot is about, 'Se7en' as in 'Seven deadly sins'.
• The lighing is dark ending in flashes of light. This works alongside the text and music, creating a dramtic effect on the viewer by creating an uncomfortble and scary situation for the viewer. Indicates something evil is going to happen as darkness is associated with evil.
• There appears to be no breaking of the equilibrium, but you could argue that this is because the film already begins unsettled.
  The use of these attributes indicates to the viewer that the character is bad and is planning something evil, as everything used within the sequence is unsettling and uncomfortable for the viewer.