AN: Analysis of Title Sequence: Se7en (Fincher, 1995)

http://www.artofthetitle.com/title/se7en/

Order of Titles

0:02-0:05 'New Line Cinema Presents'

0:06-0:08 'An Arnold Kopelson production'

0:10-0:12 'A film by David Fincher'

0:14-0:16 'Brad Pitt'

0:18-0:20 'Morgan Freeman'

0:23-0:27 'Se7en'

0:29-0:31 'Gwyneth Paltrow'

0:33-0:35 'Richard Roundtree'

0:38-0:39 'R. Lee Ermey'

0:41-0:42 'John C. McGinley'

0:46-0:48 'Julie Araskog  Mark Boon Junior'

0:54-0:56 'John Cassini  Reginald E. Cathey  Peter Crombie'

0:57-1:00 'Hawthorne James  Michael Massee Leland Orser'

1:04-1:07 'Richard Partnow  Richard Schiff  Pamala Tyson'

1:10-1:13 'Casting by Billy Hopkins  Suzanne Smith  Kerry Borden'

1:16-1:18 'Music by Howard Shore'

1:22-1:23 'Costumes designed by Michael Kaplan'

1:24-1:25 'Edited by Richard Francis-Bruce'

1:26-1:27 'Production designed by Arthur Max'

1:34-1:36 'Director of photography Darius Khondji'

1:40-1:42 'Co-producers Stephen Brown  Nana Greenwald  Sanford Panitch'

1:43-1:45 'Co-executive producers Lynn Harris Richard Saperstein'

1:50-1:52 'Executive producers Gianni Nunnari  Dan Kolsrud  Anne Kopelson'

1:53-1:54 'Written by Andrew Kevin Walker'

1:57-1:57 'Se7en'

1:59-2:00 'Produced by Arnold Kopelson  Phyllis Garlyle'

2:04-2:06 'Directed by David Fincher'

Analysis of the Typography

The typography used in the title sequence of Se7en is a combination of scrawled handwriting and typewriter lettering. The typewriter font is used for descriptions of the people's roles e.g. 'Director of photography' and the main title, whilst the handwriting is use for the names of the actors and crew. Most of the titles are shown on a dark screen with seemingly random placement for each title; titles which are superimposed on shots though are more thought about generally being placed towards the darker areas of the shot out of the way of the main detail. All of the typography is written in white and is animated to flicker around the screen generally in small jumps with less regular large jumps on repeated or extended screen time titles.

Relationship between Text and Visuals

the visuals show close up images of a man meticulously preparing notes and hints at planning something. The typography then conjures up associations with traditional psychopaths in films i.e. meticulous, calculating and obsessive. The jumpiness of both the visual and the typography also connotes the killer's insanity, whilst the bible texts occasionally flashed up in between titles suggest religious fanaticism. The title sequence shows how through the right use of imagery and typography you can connote significant ideas around the antagonist of the film whilst still sustaining the enigma the film presents however it does this subtly and doesn't just shout it in the audience's face.

Use in our Concept

The title sequence for se7en has made me consider how we can use titles to suggest traits and motives of the film's antagonist without just telling the audience which can make the film more suspenseful and engaging as a result.