Amber's as Media Portfolio

 The movie Seven fautures a retiring police detective trying to solve a series of brutal murderers that seem to represent ther 7 deadly sins , with the help of a newly tranferred detective.

 

Camerawork-In the opening scene with the old and new detectives there are a variety of steady, long shots used. this includes slow pans, establishing shots and tracking, giving a very stable and in control feel to the scenes.There are also only low angle shots used when the 2 detective leave their crime scene , making them seen powerful and still in control. In complete contrast to this, when the actual credits start, there are only extreme close ups used, this confuses the viewer and blocks off their view of the rest of the scene , making them feel uncomfortable. this works particularly well due to the stark contrast between the two clear sections. 

 

Editing- In the opening scene there are as few cuts as possible, the main ones only happening in the continuity editing and cuts between scenes. this again gives the feel of calm and control. 

However this is again juxtaposed by the quick cuts used in the credits sequence, they feature no continuity editing and serve to confuse the viewer and make then feel uncomfortable and lacking in control. 

 

Mise en scene- The lighiting featured in the first scene is very dark, in both the detectives apartment and the crime scene. this gives a negative feel, despite the editing and camerawork, and foreshadows that something bad will happen to or involve the detective. The light when the two detecives leave the house changes drastically with almost high key lighting to support the power already given by the low angle camerawork. The lighting in the opening credits is also very dark supporting the negative feel of the previous scene and showing that the person in the opening credits is dangerous or bad. There are everyday props for a detective used in the opening scene like household items , police badge etc. These help to put the veiwer into the place of the detective, and involve them more in the plot. It also makes the scenes more authentic, keeping them closer to everyday life. The props in the opening credits contrast this, with lots of strange, violent photographs,pieces of hair and clothing, razors and needles. these are unusual and quite violent props, confusing and intruiging the viewer as they will wonder why they are being used. the violence of the props also makes the mystery person in the credits seem even more evil, supporting the low key lighting.

 

Setting-Everyday setting for a policeman, having the same effect as the props by bringing the viewer further into the scene, making them feel like what is happening could happen to them.The opening setting of the detectives home also makes clear his importance to the narrative. 

 

Graphics-There is scratchy sans serif writing, warped and distorted over the scene in the opening credits. this connotes the wartmed nature on the movie and its themes and the scratchyness of the writing looks violent. the writing is also white, contrasting to the dark background and connoting the fight between good and evil.the shots are also overlaid over one another again and again and distorted to once again make the viwer feel uncomfortable and confused. 

 

Soundtrack-in the opening scene the sountract is comprised of only digetic sound, a mixture of foley, ambient sound and scripted lines. This has the same effect as the setting and props making the scenes seem as genuine and real as possible. During the tranition between the two scenes the foley of a  metronome clicking gets louder and louder, with the ambient sound quietening in the background. this allows for the most contrast and shock when the loud slow ticking suddenly turns into the soundtack of the credits scene. This is a loud industial rock score, with little real melody and lots of violent sounding noises, like the scraping of ,metal and what sounds like screams.The complete lack of digetic sound in the credits again confuses the viewer, while the loud music assults their senses and makes them feel uncomfortable.