Seven Opening Credits Essay

PART 1 - Chloe

A noticeably reoccurring part of this opening is definitely the books. Throughout the opening, there are many different shots involving books and this tells the audience that books will be of some importance in the film.

The first book we see looks like, what can only be described as, a schoolbook. It is black with a white pattern on. We can see that the light is reflecting off of the front of the book, showing us that it is laminated and, therefore, probably quite well kept. After this book is opened, we can are shown some writing. Though upside down, it is still readable. The fact that this shot is upside down must be important. Almost canted framing could show that the ideas of this character, or whatever he is writing down, may be strange or even completely wrong. The writing in the book is all in capitals, which would usually show anger or aggression about something. However, because we cannot see full sentences, we can not say that this is definitely true.

Letting us see what is in this book brings us into, what we assume as, the private life of whoever this character is.

The book appears to be quite an intellectual one as it uses complicated vocabulary. This could suggest that the character is intelligent. The first sentence of this book is 'when you're pregnant', this shows that the character is clearly interested in the biological wonders of life - for example, pregnancy. The theme is continued when we see what else is written in his own book. 

We are also shown a book in which the character appears to be crossing out words. This shows us that clearly these words have a significance to the character. The words that we can see he is crossing out are 'intercourse' and 'transsexual'. These are both suggest that the man probably has strong feelings about sexuality. This could link strongly with the constant religion reminders in this opening.

After this, we are shown the drawings in the book and these are much harder to understand. The picture we first see shows a man with, what looks like, a drill in the back of his head. It looks like surgery and we usually associate surgery when something is not right within the body. If we were  to link this with the words that we previously saw being crossed out, we can assume that the man has ideas about how to 'fix' those who do not fit into his idea of 'normal'. 

The final thing to be noted would certainly be the reference back to sex near the end of the opening. We see the bottom of a page with some writing on it and the word 'sex' has a box around it, suggesting that it is of significance to the character. The fact that this shot is an extreme close up of the page of writing also shows that we, as the audience, are supposed to see what has been written on this piece of paper, also promoting it's importance. 

PART 2 - Lily

The character within the scene is not shown and is only viewed by their hands, hiding their identity from the audience therefore focusing on their actions as opposed to their relevance as a character within the plot.

Hands represent differentiation between people and by using close ups (and extreme close ups) with tight framing, it focuses the audience attention entirely on the hands. 

They are shown throughout to emphasise their importance.

The audience is able to consider and question the character's intentions due to the condition of their hands that are dirty and bandaged suggesting the unusual behavior is common for the character themselves.

The tight framing and shallow depth around the hands (often out of focus background for example in the sewing shots) also alienate and isolate the character from anything around it, creating suspense and allowing us to view them separately from other characters and other events that may follow.

 
The shots are frequently entered in within the montage as cut aways, not waiting for a movement to be completed to continue, enforcing the lengthy procedure and the high level of involvement in it.

PART 3 - Lauren

By using uncomfortable distanced photographic images, we see that this is not just a ordinary scrap book, it now has a more sinister underlying motive. With the extreme close ups conveying a intimate and uncomfortable distance, we see the subjects as the photo as merely artwork, loosing their identity as a whole. With the techno and fast paced non-diegetic soundtrack being played over the scene, alienation is created between the character and the viewing audience, separating us completely from the hidden character within this scene. 

Choosing to separate the images, and use them through montage editing shows their connection to each other, but also shows that each person has lost their individuality and also their life. From positioning the camera above the image using a low angle it shows that we are dominant over those in the photograph, and also the character within this scene has a lot of power and authority over those within the images. The images are tightly framed, showing that those photographed had not choice or way out of escaping from this fate, as it was inevitable. By covering the identity of those in question it separates the audiences sympathetic response and stops empathy being created from the audience, showing us that we should not be making a connection with these people. 
By covering the eyes of the people, it shows that they are merely just a person, as the eyes are what we use to see with, showing that we as an audience are blind to what is happening.

PART 4 - Becky

Another reoccuring theme that runs throughout the trailer is also the reference to God and the idea of the Seven Deadly Sins; which then also relates to the trailer and explains vaguely what the man is doing. In the first screen shot it shows the word GOD in large capital letters which immediately draws the eye toward the idea that this person has a strong belief in GOD as it is an extreme close up and therefore is designed in order for the viewer to see it clearly. The GOD is written on a American Bank Note and this tells the viewer that this film is mainly set in America and also that the bank note is green which connotes the idea of consumption and infection which could possibly be referring to the person who is creating the book. However at the end of the scene the word GOD is now upside down which refers the idea that the belief isn’t as strong as the viewer thought, as it has been literally turned up side down. Also by cutting it out you are taking GOD out of the situation and maybe these actions are not influenced by GOD. This person is literally taking the teachings of GOD into his own hands.

Screen Shot One - GOD RIGHT SIDE UP

Screen Shot Two - GOD UPSIDE DOWN

The camera angle is a high angle which means that the camera is looking down on GOD and therefore this diminishes his importance although the word is in the centre of the screen and is then reinstating its importance although the person is cutting it out. By having the camera from a high angle it is a eye line match from the persons eyes to the word; so therefore this could also imply that the person is seen as being higher and more powerful that GOD as he has the option in order to remove the belief from the situation. Also the director could've had the person holding up the bank note up in order to make it a low angle, but in this shot I feel as though it was used in order to show that GOD doesn't have control over this person and that they are going to use his teaching in a negative way. Also the music at the end ‘YOU BRING ME CLOSER TO GOD’ ties into the idea that whatever this person is planning to do is in order to bring particular people more closer to GOD. By having this tiny bit of dialogue from the song playing at the end it tells the viewer that religion has a major part to play in the film. In particular the word YOU makes it more personal towards the viewer and that perhaps this person is going to use other people in order to bring him closer to GOD and more holy. Also the word YOU will play on the audiences mind as it is not a suggestion but more a fact. There are diagonal lines running through the letters on the bank note and this connotes the idea that there is anxiety and tension within the scene and this also subverts what GOD promotes - which is peace and calm. Also the way the bank note is placed down creates a diagonal line and therefore this shows that perhaps there is tension in this persons religion or that GOD will be used as a form of wrong doing and anxiety. The words written on the bank note say 'IN GOD WE TRUST' so therefore by removing GOD from this sentence it also suggests that we cannot trust GOD anymore and that perhaps this person is going to do GOD's job in order to reinstate this trust and that others have lost their religion. Everything about the scene promotes the idea that this person is using the Seven Deadly Sins in order to bring himself closer to GOD and punish people who are trying to get away from their beliefs.