Thriller Opening Sequence Draft

Editing - Draft Montage

Draft Montage from McFoLowes on Vimeo.

Editing - Overlaying Clips (delayed effect)

Clip Overlay from McFoLowes on Vimeo.

Evidence of Editing

In today's lesson we continued the editing of our thriller opening.


Titles Recording from McFoLowes on Vimeo.

Title Sequence Analysis - Seven

This is the unsettling title sequence for the movie SE7EN, which differs considerably from other title sequences for its individual artistic narrative. While the title sequence is conventional in its contents - such as actors titles, directors and producers, director of photography, and designers - the internal narrative is what makes this sequence differ, for it artistically links to the movie's narrative and drops massive hints to the audience without them realising. When presented with shots such as the antagonist removing his fingerprints, the audience will likely be unsettled and engaged, questioning the shots' significance to the narrative.

Using a mixture of both handwritten scrawls and typed fonts connotes a sense of narrative. For example, the handwritten scrawl looks untidy and rushed, which not only unsettles the audience, but suggests that a killer, or indeed a victim wrote the titles. The titles are placed on darkened areas of each shot, or on black backgrounds, which make the titles stand out - being white in colour - and contrast heavily with the background drawing the audience's attention to the motion of the text. The aim of this is to disorientate the audience.

Finally, one convention of all title sequences is to prioritise the cast members whom are seen as selling points for the film. Typically these cast member's names are presented to the audience earlier on. For example, David Fincher, Brad Pitt, and Morgan Freeman's titles are displayed before the other cast member's.

Filming Montage Shots

In today's lesson my group and I worked on filming for some of the shots that will make up our montage title sequence. We took various shots of an image developing in the photography darkroom and a tap dripping. The developing image links with our narrative - when the printed photograph arrives through the door in an envelope. Red lighting is used in the darkroom which has given the shots strong red highlights and very dark shadows which could look effective and lead to tension in our montage.