Research on the target audience for se7en and about film classifications

 Se7en

Classification: 18
Genre: Crime, mystery, thriller.

The classification for the film seven is 18. Although this is a higher classicfication than we decided to class our opening titles as we have looked in depth at the beginning shots of this film which don’t actually reveal anything to upsetting I predict that the beginning of the film would be classed as a 15 or a 12. According to a survey on a website called rotten tomoatoes, there is a high pecentage of 85% of critics reviews all posistive. Reading the reviews I can see that it has mainly attracted adults as the comments have a lot of formal language used.

Classification rules

Here are the classification rules for films. From this table you can see the different levels and what is included in each one, the definition of each classification helped us to establish what rating we are aiming to produce our film as. As we are looking at openings we wont reveal that much depth into gore, drug abuse and sexual references, so this will probably leave us with a classification of 12 or 15 as the beginning is still disturbing that may upset younger children. 

Mollie Knapp's research:

The Devil's Child:

Classification: 15

Genre: Horror

As you can see here the user who is reviewing the movie uses 'American slang', "i kept expecting this film to throw me a curve-ball at last minute". This shows that the movie has targeted a young American audience, shown by the language. 

Here is a reviewers information about them. As you can see the target audience here is a 30 year old mother, so the target audience varies to youths and adults. Meaning the target audience must be 15-30 years old.

                                                                                                                    

Timeline on the opening of the film Se7en

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJoPLY

Lighting:

(0-6 seconds)

The first shot you see in the opening titles of se7en has high key lighting in the background. But in the foreground the lighting is low key. I get the impression there is a window in the background with the object (book) resulting to the foreground being low key. There is a brown tint to the lighting almost like a mild sepia affect was used.

(8-11 seconds)

The next shot we see is very low key in places particularly near the edges of the shot. There is a use of shadows as well emphasising movement.

(11-13)

It then continues to another shot with similar lighting to the first scene, fairly natural although the camera angle is of a close up of objects moving so the lighting in the location is difficult to see, but you get the sense that the lighting is high key enabling the audience to see the objects.

(14-17 seconds)

Yet again the lighting is high key but not too bright with a similar tint as previously used, and the same affect with a window possibly being in the background. The colours are very neutral in this shot.

(19-23) 
there is very fast camera work again and it switches between high and low key lighting fast. It starts with high key lighting with a slight blue tint emphasising the water in the shot. Then it flashes to low key lighting with dark grey tinting. Then quickly back to high key again but still not very bright.

(25-30)

start of high key lighting then a shadow appears diagonally across the page. Then at 30 seconds in the lighting is very low key, you can only see the silhouette of the person in the scene.

(32-38)

high key lighting, projected onto the page of writing maybe a reading lamp although it still looks like natural daylight. Then at 36 seconds the lighting is low key but with a vibrant red tint.

(39-50)

the lighting is similar throughout this section of the opening titles, natural daylight with yellow glow tints.

(51-53)

Then the lighting is very high key when the pages of the book are being turned like a light is behind them casting a hand shadow through the page.

(1.00-1:01)

the lighting is bright again and creating more shadows from objects like the pen the actor is writing with.

(1.03-1.03)

The first scene is repeated of the book.

(1:10-1.14)

Here the lighting is low key apart from a circle of high key light surrounding a image of a man. It then flashes up a red light covering the frame.

(1:16-1:19)

there is a red light, I can see this is the light they use is a dark room (photo room) when developing a photo.

(1.19- 1.30)

The lighting is all day light affect with neutral tints.

(1.30-1.31)

The light flashes red tint again.

(1.31- 1.43)

the lighting is similar again (high key).

(1.44-1.45)

the lighting then goes back to a very low key with lighter areas where shadows are moving at fast speed revealing some light.

(1:47-2.03)

lighting goes back to natural glow high key but not bright until end of opening titles.

(As the titles appeared there were flashes of very high key lights, appearing at high speed and vanishing within in seconds almost like a camera flash.)

Camera Work:

0-6 seconds

Close up shot of book pages. Facing onwards on to the book.

8-12 seconds

Aerial shot showing drawings of hands.

12-13 seconds

extreme close up of hands turning a bolt

extreme close up of metal objects.

15-17 seconds
extreme close up of hands holding a scalpel. 
20-21
close up aerial shot of a piece of paper in water.
21-21
fast aerial camera angle of a photo of a man. 
21-23 
Aerial camera angle showing liquid with red tinting maybe used as blood 
25-31
POV (point of view)  shot/aerial angle looking down on to a hand moving a lid off a box.
27-29
aerial shot of hand opening the box and looking in.
29-30
Face on view mid close up onto someone's hands flicking pages of a book.
31-35 seconds
Side angle mid close up of pen writing on paper
36-36
extreme close up on hand writing
36-38
aerial shot of photo.

The camera work in the opening shows a variety of different angles, from high crane shots, point of view shots, low angle shots, and face on. As you can see the beginning (not finished)

Setting and Props:

(0-6 seconds)

The prop is a book that appears to be quite old and looks mistreated; the pages look damaged and frail. They also look discolored possibly from the sun causing them to appear faded. The setting is hard to see, the camera shot is a close up of the prop that is positioned in the centre of the page. Although there is a high key light in the background that makes me think there is a window creating the book to almost have a silhouette but the light wasn’t strong enough to create it to have a black outline. The book is also lying on top of something I’m guessing a desk.

(7-11 seconds)

The next prop is a detailed drawing of hands on lined graph paper. The main focus is on the drawing so we are not able to see the surroundings but again it looks like its placed on top of another object maybe a table or desk.

(12- 13)

Here we can’t see the surroundings, as it’s an extreme close up. The prop is a metal bolt like object that looks dirty. The shot continues and we see more mechanical objects twisting and turning up close, the setting still not visible.

(16-18)

It flicks quickly to another scene the prop used; a sharp scalpel. Here we see how the scalpel is cutting through the tip of a finger.

(19-23)

Here we can see a pool of water. There is a sheet of paper that is being pulled through the water. Then a fast shot of a picture of a mans face. Then back to some water with red coloring it, which looks like blood.

(26-32)

In this scene we still cant see the surrounding but a vast amount of props are used mainly books.

(32-36)

Here we see more books and a pen writing on a page information.

(36-38)

Here we have a quick scene of what looks like a dark room used for photography with a image of a man in some sort of photo developing liquid.

(39-50)

props used in these sections

photo films at 39 seconds

scissors at 39 seconds

photos of man 41 seconds

book 41 seconds

celeotape over metal 43 seconds

small photos 43 seconds

scissors 43 seconds

money 46 seconds

black and white photo of a man 48 seconds

newspaper 49 seconds

(51-52)

prop – book pages being turned.

(1:00-1:08)

Props – pen crossing out words in a book. 
A pregnancy book with words crossed out.

(1:10 – 1:13) 

Props –

Picture of mans face

Pen scribbling out the face with lines.

(1:15)

-      more pages of writing.

(1:16 – 1:18)

More photo’s being developed in a dark room, I can tell this by the red lighting and the photos being dipped in the photo developing liquid substance.

(1:26-1:29)

Here we see a mental object with hocks coming off it and someone’s hand layering it on to some paper.

(1:30)

More pages of writing.

And a clip of the dark room again.

(1:31 – 1:34)

photo’s of people in a photo book.

(1:37)

someone’s hand covered in plasters 

Mollie Knapp's analysis post on The Shining

The Shining Analysis

Post by Mollie Knapp:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgCejsyS0t8

The first thing you see in the opening scene is a peaceful and beautiful place shown by an establishing shot. However it is not so peaceful when they use juxtaposition with eerie music the use of non-diagetic trumpets making deep sounds make the setting become dark and you realise how isolated it is and it could be a potential risk it also makes the opening serious.

Here the we notice a car from the establishing, extreme long shot from an ariel view and it is being tracked this impacts the audience by subconsciously allowing them to make up that someone/something could be tracking and following this car and that they could potentially be in danger.     

We are shown again and reminded that the car and whoever is in it is travelling in a isolated area creating suspense and enigma to the opening scene. There are shadows created by the trees which also creates enigma as they linger which makes the audience think something else could be lingering in the shadows.

The colour blue on the font signifies tranquility and calmness which is eerie as it juxtaposes with the serious and edgy music. The colour blue is also associated with water and the sky which is being shown in the establishing shots. Also the placing in the frame with the font being centered makes the audience's vision to see whats going on in the middle of the screen is obscured and is controlled by what they want you to see which is shown throughout the opening. This impacts the audience as it draws them in on the edge of their seat as they want to see where the car is going but also makes them feel edgy as they are afraid a 'jump' is used. 

1:40-1:52: at this point in the opening titles the music starts to sound wild and erratic with sounds almost like peoples voices purring and haunting sounds of voices almost crying for help but it is hard to work out what you are actually listening to. I feel is another technique used by the producers as they are controlling what you hear and see creating a helpless situation that the person/people in the car could be in as the hollow and echoing sounds represent the loneliness and isolation. The establishing shot leaves the car which makes the audience worry as the car is even more alone as now we are not even with them making them seem vulnerable and helpless. The suspense is also built at this point as the camera speeds up as it is in the establishing shot making the audience think something is going wrong for the people in the car.

1:53: at this point in the opening titles you can see that the car is entering a tunnel that is hidden and dark which is created by the shadows from the natural lighting. The font comes across the screen not allowing you to see the car clearly entering the tunnel which again is giving the audience limited vision.

Here is a shot where you can see another car which makes the audience question, who is this? who's car is that? but it also allows the audience to settle for a moment that there are people there and they are not alone and safe but also question could these people be a threat. It gives the audience a moment of peace until the care is all alone again impacting the audience to be confused and worried. 

However it does not let you control what you see or let you see it for long as under the font there is the car crossing another car but you cant see it clearly who or what it is which impacts the opening by creating enigma.

2:13: at this point the music comes back as before it was subtle allowing you to focus on the tracking of the car which creates suspense and shocks the audience as it quickly comes back in all of a sudden. 

The shot we are shown is a house it is grey which makes it blend in with the setting making the location seem mysterious and as if it wants to be hidden allowing the audience to question who is inside and why the person is going to it. The rocky mountains are shown throughout the sequence and are is most of the framing shots. This represents to the audience that during the film there is going to be some violence near the rocky mountains. The snow on the mountains shows the colour white very strongly as it contrast with the grey mountains the white signifies innocence which in this horror film could be the victim which also helps build suspense.  

The use of natural lighting throughout the opening sequence harmonises with the setting however with the eerie music it creates a uncomfortable feeling as the two contrast. However it being set in broad daylight allows the audience to relive tension and not expect the worse this will impact the audience when the killing happens much more than if it was stereotypically set like many other horror films these being dark and spooky.

The music inspired us as we liked the way it built suspense and created an eerie atmosphere highlighting the genre. In addition we liked the idea of isolation and the way the camera angle makes someone or something look in danger. Also the high key lighting impacted us as we noticed that it juxtaposed with the music making it unnatural and uncomfortable for the audience to watch which wee want to apply this to our opening sequence.

Mollie Knapp's Se7en analysis

In order to futher develop and establish an effective opening for our film, we needed to look at existing successful openings in our chosen genre, horror. I have decided to look at Se7en, which may  be described as a thriller, however features many aspects of a horror and in particular the opening, which displays the features of an effective horror opening.

Se7en.

0-10 seconds:
Music: The beginning of the opening the first thing you hear is a hard beat/clang with a mechanical sound to it with a metronome ticking and beat which sounds like a heartbeat. This shows the film is about life or death and also very violence. Also the music sounds very edgy and grime like. There is also a creaking noise which sounds very mysterious and can make the audience feel like they are being watched and this gives an impact of making the audience feel uncomfortable but intrigued about the storyline. This noise can also symbolise a stalker and makes you feel also uncomfortable and that you want to stop watching but you don't because it makes the audience ask who this noise belongs to. The scratchy sounds an explosive sounds can also symbolise the persons character, indicating that they have lack of stability.

Sight: Opening on a close up of a book which makes the audience wonder what the book contains, what is this person reading and who is it reading the book? Also the colours are browns and beiges, this can create the effect of grime and a dirty and unsightly look to it. The images are very textured and layered therefor implying a more gritty and grime backstreet effect. You are also shown two hand prints which also makes the audience ask who's are they, why does this person need them. By the look of the hands you can defiantly tell they are masculine rather than feminine because of the size and un-feminine look. Close ups of someone peeling off their fingerprints gives you the impression the owner of the fingers intends to do some malicious and indeed illegal things as the lack of his fingerprints will make it  difficult for him to be traced back and hard for forensics to find evidence of their presence. Also the close up used on the persons grim, dirty fingers implies that the person isn't worried about their physical appearance or how others see them, indicating a life of solitary or social insecurities, this could also be the reason why he seems so abandoned and shut himself away.

Lighting: The lighting is very low key which creates a very dark an sinister feel, this makes the meaning of the film enhanced and highlights the genre and the mystery of the first 10 seconds creating an intense atmosphere. The Mise-En-Scene in the opening is predomitly dark showing the person has locked themselves up away from the social part of life. 
Shots: All shots are extreme close ups or close ups this magnifies the audiences attention to certain objects that could be significant later on in the movie. Also being close up makes the audience feel as if they are with the person watching what they're doing making the audience feel uncomfortable and as if they shouldn't be there but want to know more about who and what the man is doing. It also highlights his actions focusing on that they are not typical everyday doings. For example removing his fingerprints. 
Typography: The credits are and scratched into the film roll which makes the audiences instantly connected to the man in the opening, it makes it very personal to the man who the hands belong to. It is also effective as they come out x-rayed and that is associated with broken bones and pain which shows them movie will be thrilling. Also there is a red haze around it showing a symbol of blood therefor making the audience expect death. The typography has an edgy insecure look to it, indicating back to the persons personality. Also the hand written titles look very scribbles and childlike which could imply the person has a bad unsteady childhood.

Molly Hetherington's analysis of Woman in Black

Post by Molly Hetherington:

Woman in black

As a continuation into our research we decided to look at woman in black. We like the storyline and how you was introduced to the film straight away, immediately drawing the audiences attention this is because it uses small children playing focussing in on their vulnerability. The film is a thriller movie although it does contain elements of horror which we want to try and replicate as a group and use in my title sequence to add mystery and confusion with the use of editing. The editing gives the audience a disorientating feel with the credits shown against a smokey background showing that something bad has happened which is out of the ordinary. 

Enigma is constantly being created, as an audience we wonder why the children stop playing and who it is that they are looking at. What makes them jump? 

The lighting at the beginning of the clip is very natural, linking into the children's personality. This could suggest that they are young and that their future is bright. 

The sounds is this scene tell us a lot about the film and the possible dangers ahead, immediately making the audience awear of the horror genre. We are first aware of a noise which is similar to what you would hear from a toy box calming and very child like however it starts to build tension as we can not see the whole pictire. The noise of the china tea pot also has a reference towards a clock, ticking suggesting that time is running out. The child like music contrasts to the image seen making the audience feel un easy and building tension. This has an immediate effect due to the music being non digetic. 

The use of the shots also helps to play on the audiences mind, showing both close up of the dolls, hands and individual faces as well as the surrounding area of the bedroom. The music helps to build on this tension almost slowing down. The music begins to fade and copy the sound of wind, suggesting that there is a new presence, something has changed. The zooming in of the camera when at the window emphasis them suggesting that this is the danger and the next move for the girls. Everything appears to be in slow motion emphasising the danger and building the tension. A close up of the feet suggest that maybe they aren't in control this is further explored as the go on to walk over the dolls and tea cups, this isn't in there nature something or someone has made them do this we know this because the girls were playing with them seconds before. The use of the broken props suggest that them girls have gone now their personality has changed. As the music dies down the audience may start to relax however this isn't for long as they are suddenly caught off guard by the next collection of noises, helping to scare and frighten the audience more while they are slightly off guard. 

The long shot of the girls standing on the window is uneasy the audience want to scream at them telling them to get away. The close up of the hand emphasis how young the girls are and they danger that is approaching them. As the handle is fully realised and the window starts to open the music almost makes us jump. Telling us of the danger. I think the sounds used have worked very well here as they are great at building tension. The dies down to an almost stop as the girls come out of frame suggesting that the girls have died and the presence has now dissapeared. The camera zooms out from the window helping to make the audience reflect on what they have just seen, the cries of scream coming from down below help to make the audience come back to reality. The close up of the doll again emphasis their age. The audience are then shown the opening titles, black font against a cloudy background.The cloudy background helps to connotate the confusion and the reality of what has just happened. The black text is the danger, standing out from the clouds and suggesting that the danger isn't over, it is just the beginning. 

The clothing of the girls was very pale showing their age and particularly their vulnerability. In the 1:50 that we watched we have learnt and seen a lot, already showing us the horror genre and building suspense as to what we are going to see next.  

As well as the previous analysis of the opening titles we then went on to focus on the sound that is portrayed further on in the film. We wanted to focus on the sound because we wanted to see what message it portrayed. As the scene played we focused only on what we could hear and wrote down our thoughts individually.

We felt that this build tension more as we were unaware of what was going on. However it gave us a huge insight as to dangers and how important sound is to any movie.

The fire scene was a particular example of this. The volume increased suggesting that the level of danger was also. Gradually increasing the suspense and tension especially as we could not see what was fully going on we could only assume. These sounds made us feel like we were apart of it being in the same position as the characters, helpless. The noise of fire and realisation of it quickly turns the mood of the audience knowing the consequences and danger that come with it. The louder it gets the more fierce it is as well as the higher level of danger suggesting a lower survival rate. These sounds closely relate to a horror film.

Post by Molly Hetherington

Salt Analysis

As part of learning a fully understanding the Mise En Scene, we practiced on many different films to gain a better knowledge. An example of one of these is the film Salt, looking into the first couple of minutes into the opening title until we knew that we had come to an end. I already knew that this film was a Action learning from the DVD case that the gender representation was un stereotypical with the main character being a woman, we would assume for it to be a male. 

We are first introduced into the film by the use of credits, the main text is white suggesting purity and vulnerability however the background which is black also suggests that there is danger and a sense of violence. Through the use of the opening titles we learn that what we are about to see what has happened in the past, this helps the audience to understand what is going on giving a sense of mystery. The background noise used in the opening titles is both digetic and non digetic. The music used is non digetic however we are quickly introduced to the digetic sounds of voices and particularly shouting. What is said is almost echoed suggesting that there danger, falling in and out of conscious. The sounds used associate and link in well with the setting, creating a sense of mystery. The dark colours used in the camera shot also help to do this. The digetic sound of the heavy door opening shows they they is no escape, taking two men to open it. There is a point of view shot first show from the victim as the door opens. We are first introduced to the victim, who we later learn the be the main character, using a high angle shot looking towards her this shows that there is a level of authority. The digetic sound of the heavy door opening shows they they is no escape, taking two men to open it. 

The uniform of these men is of a military style and colour, green, this uniform contrasts the victim. The colour green suggest a sense of camouflage and authority because of the uniform, it looks unfamiliar. The victim is dressed in very little and in white which also adds to the purity along with the blonde hair which is related with femininity. She is then dragged, adding to the danger and higher authority. 

After being dragged out and changing to another location, of what we have recognized to be a prison, we are introduced to many more men wearing the same style uniform, we gain this information from a point of view shot adding to the danger as she is surrounded with no where for her to go or anyone to go to. We are then introduced to a close up of the victim, showing the look of fear on her face and venerability. The digetic sound of ‘let me go’ is begged by the victim shows that she doesnt want to be here and that they are causing her pain. This is evident in the close up of the ropes around her wrist showing that she has been trapped with very little movement. As the rope is untied she then goes on to beg ‘I am not who you think I am’, this suggests that she knows that something bad is going to happen. The ropes also suggests that she is a deprived area suggesting a unfamiliar location. The point of view shot shows the danger from her perspective, putting the audience in her position, expressing and experiencing their own emotions for this character. Expressing the threat of someone looking down at you. 

The establishing/long shot shows the size of the room with the victim lying on the floor with many of the men leaning over her. We learn that there is a little window, as a audience we immediately sense hope with that little ray of light showing the time of day. 

The setting and location of this scene is in very grim, she is lying on wet floor connotating the deprived location. The shot is behind bars suggesting that we are either caged in or that we are caged out, looking in. After this shot we then come to a close up with the victim screaming her plea. We then have a shot verse shot with her shouting in a small, dainty voice with her struggling, suggesting that she is weak and she cant get out of this alone.

The lighting then changes to high key as the location changes again, being introduced to the daylight as she is released. The audience then want to know what happened, and how she got to this point.  She is also wearing white, from the colour used we make a suggestion to showing her innocence, contrasting the uniform of the men. We are then introduced to another male character who it wearing a suit, from his body language we learn that he has a high authority, telling her in a stern voice what to do giving a strong direction. He is keeping calm and protecting her with his right arm guiding her on the lower of he back, this also suggests that he is keeping her up. 

The long shot used shows the location and just how outnumbered they are. However the male is still keeping calm. This long shot is also tracking them as they walk to safety, showing the long walk helping to build the tension. The body language of the victim shows her vulnerability and pain as she clutches her hands to her chest holding on to something. The rule of thirds is used throughout this section to show the conversation between the victim and the man, we have not yet learnt either of their names. From their conversation we also learn that there is another man is involved, the victims boyfriend. We are then introduced to a shot of him. He is also wearing a suit of pastel colours however he is much more casual with the shirt slightly loose and wearing no tie, he is blending in with the solders. The use of the pale colour of the suit suggests that he is of a calm nature with it being a cool colour. This shows his authority, he has come to rescue her. The victims clothes colour are also of a similar nature with her hair being styled in a feminine way suggesting her femininity and innocence. From the positioning of all the characters in the shot we learn that the army are on their side along with the use of the same colours, we can also suggest this from their body language protecting them. 

As they appear on safe ground the screen then dissolves into the title of the film, ‘SALT’. Salt has been written twice, using two different font sizes, fonts and colours. The large font is in red, this colour used relates to blood and the danger suggesting that this is a bigger part of the film even though the text is both the same. We suggest that she is actually a spy and that there is going to be more danger. The font involves a Russian letter, suggesting that the foreign uniform was in fact Russian and that the victim is a Russian spy, she is very dangerous and that the vulnerability is all a act. This has been placed in the middle of the screen, suggesting that she is the main character with the film centering around her, she is who is important, the main character. The smaller version of the title is then is white with it being placed on top if the larger font. The colour white suggests purity with this only being a small part of her. Black is the main background which is what we immediately relate to danger and mystery, this is much like the victims character. 

After analysing this film I believe that I have improved my knowledge and understanding of analysing a film and I believe that I would be able to do this again.