Research Into A Thriller Opening Scene

I am researching the opening scene from the film Seven which is a thriller. It was released in 1996 and directed by David Fincher. Arnold Kopelson Productions produced the film and it includes the cast of Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman and Kevin Spacey.

The opening scene begins with Morgan Freeman playing Somerset in his home. We can assume he lives by himself as to how tidy it is however this creates a sense of vulnerability and loneliness. He is presented as a caring man through his dialogue when they approach the murder scene and he asks if the kid saw what happened. The diegetic sound used of sirens sets the location of a busy city but also present an element of crime and mystery. The blood all over the floor in the crime scene conveys a murder which

leaves the audience with many questions. This opening scene also introduces the character of Mills played by Brad Pitt who’s character is very different. He is presented to be more of a cocky and arrogant character which is conveyed through his body language and confidence. This opening scene, therefore, establishes characters, location and sets up the protagonist. 

We are then presented a montage that displays the credits. The soundtrack used is eerie and makes the audience feel uncomfortable portraying the thriller element. It includes a variety of quick cuts combined with shadows and dim lighting emphasising the thriller genre. The lighting used also distorts the hands in one shot creating shadows as well as making the audience feel on edge. The quick snappy shots used create a sense of unease. The montage shows someone creating a file however we do not see who this person is due to the extreme close up shots used creating suspense as the audience does not know who is doing this. The montage also includes a variety of disturbing images which make the audience feel

uncomfortable. There is an extreme close up shot portraying a person cutting their fingertips with a blade. This leaves the audience questioning who this person is and why they are doing this to themselves. From this montage, the props used convey that the plotline is going to include an element of crime and mystery due to the books, files, pen, paper and photos being objects we associate with detective work. The colours used in this montage are white, black, grey and dark red connotating danger. The pace of the montage increases towards the end conveying suspense and tension but also setting the tone for the rest of the film. The identity of the
person creating this file and the location is not revealed in this opening montage emphasising this tension linking to the thriller aspect.

I believe this is an effective opening scene for a thriller as it has a simple, direct narrative for the first scene, followed by the montage after leaving the audience wanting to know more. The sound used portrays the thriller genre through the use of eerie soundtracks, non-diegetic police sirens and pleonastic heartbeats. The opening scene effectively introduces the characters and location whilst conveying suspense and mystery.