1. MEANING IN SEVEN
L.O To analyse the film seven to enable you to
understand the key micro elements and how they are
used to create meaning

2. Homework
 A film of your choice
 What is the bigger meaning?
 Pick a key scene which uses micro elements
to create meaning
 Support with stills

3. Seven
 In groups of 3/4, discuss what meanings you
think the film seven had:
 Did you enjoy the film? Give reasons
 What was the purpose of the film?
 How did it make you feel?
 What meanings do you think it had?
 Did you notice any elements that created
meaning or added to the experience of the
film.

4. Key themes
 What do we think the key themes are within
the film?
Key ideas/themes
within the film

5.  Apathy
 Violence
 Intelligence
 Modern society
 Sin/ wickedness
 The seven deadly sins

6. The seven deadly sins
 Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes
with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has
been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also
known as Vanity.
 Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or
situation.
 Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that
which one requires.
 Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body.
 Anger (wrath) is manifested in the individual who spurns love
and opts instead for fury. It is also known as Wrath.
 Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the
realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or
Covetousness.
 Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work.

7. Coursework
 1500 word analysis of a film sequence
 Understanding film language: Mise-en-scene,
cinematography, editing and sound.
 Film as construction
Why are we doing this?

8. Connotation and denotation
This connotes that.........

9.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SEZK7mJo
PLY
 Watch the opening credits- how do they create
meaning for the viewer?
 Take stills from the clip to support any key
ideas that you might have

12. Remember to consider:
 What is being filmed (Mise-en-scene)
 How is it filmed (Cinematography)
 How is the material put together (editing)
 We will be looking at all of these features in
preparation for your own analysis

13. Mise en scene literally means everything
Mise-en-scene that you see in the scene
Figure,
expression
Costume
and
movement
Costume
Setting and
make up

14. Considering mise en
scene, what information
can you find out from this
still?
What other elements might
you consider?

15. David Somerset
Characteristics used Characteristics used
Watch the opening five minutes of the film:
consider the two key characters.
What features are used by the
director to highlight the
difference between the two
characters?

16.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWZU3pPZ
Wig
 Consider how this clip sums up the major
differences between the two characters

17. Apathy
 Apathy is a state of indifference, or the
suppression of emotions such as concern,
excitement, motivation and passion.
 “He’s the best tenant I have ever had” the idea
that no one cares enough to know their
neighbours or have any idea about what was
happening to that man in the apartment

18. Costume and props
 When we consider costume we must also
consider props and how these both work to create
meaning and symbolism for the spectator.
 Costume and props refer to items of clothing
being worn by the characters or objects seen
within a given setting
 In simple terms the costume can act as a uniform
which places the character within a particular
group and role within that group
 The props allow an authentic sense of place or as
symbols.

19. Costume
 Does the costume suggest a certain historical
period?
 How does the costume indicate genre?
 What does the costume suggest about the
characters’ social, cultural, national background?
 Do the characters significantly change their
costumes over the course of the film? If so what
does this indicate about their changing
feelings/fortunes/status?
 What do the costumes suggest about the way a
character feels about themselves? The
impression they want to make on others?

20. Costume
 http://www.tubechop.com/watch/95413
 In terms of costume and props, how does this
scene indicate to the spectators, the character
of somerset?

21.  Methodically laying out his clothes
 Picking up a series of carefully laid out items
 A sense of carefulness in the way he gets
himself ready
 Meticulous

22. What do the costumes highlight about
each character?

23. The way in which they approach the crime and solving is reflected in their different costumes.

24.  Re watch the two scenes where they are trying
to solve the crime: how does this scene
highlight their differences?

27. John Doe

28. Costume
 What is the importance of the similarity of
dress between Somerset and John Doe?
 What does this mean for the audience?
 Does it link in with anything that the director is
trying to do?

29. Costume
 What is the importance of the similarity of
dress between Somerset and John Doe?
 What does this mean for the audience?
 Does it link in with anything that the director is
trying to do?

30. Props
 Books act as a key prop throughout the film
 For Somerset they provide KNOWLEDGE
which reveals the killers motivations
 For John Doe books record his thoughts and
reasons for his sins, they provide
KNOWLEDGE a key idea that links him with
Somerset
 For Mills- He has the cliff notes which are seen
several times throughout the film, this is
reflective of his character in what way?

31. Setting
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8m69o_1PoQ
&feature=relmfu
 The sex club scene
 Consider how setting is used to create meaning
for the audience.
 What other micro elements are used to create
meaning for the audience?

32.  The editing between the two different
interviews is used to reinforce the juxtaposition
of ideas between John Doe and the people of
society.
 The sex club worker seems to feel that its just
the way life is- does matter if he likes it or not-
apathy

33. John Does apartment
 Re watch the scene from John D apartment-
what does this mise en scene connote to the
audience?

34.  The irony of the cross and the holy bible
 Red cross symbolises his thoughts
 The books connote his intelligence and
perhaps he sees himself on par with the
authors of great literature.
 The red light under the door symbolising the
idea of opening the door to hell
 Similarities in terms of use of colour with the
sex club scene

35. When we are considering
mise en scene we can
consider what we connote
with the use of constant rain.
How does this foreshadows
events?
The idea that the rain
suggests a hopeless and
never ending situation.

36. Darkness and de saturation:
grime, dirt- just like the
society that they are trying
to save.

37. Cinematography
 Colour
 Lighting
 Camera angle
 Saturation

38. Lighting in seven
 Throughout the film the lighting is minimal to
reflect the darkness of society. There are
moments however when it is lighter.
 The light is brighter in Seven when they are in
Brad Pitts house
 This would be three point lighting used here
 http://www.tubechop.com/watch/98130

39. The darkness outside
the room could be
symbolic of what?

40. http://www.tubechop.com/watch/98131
When they begin to discuss
the murder again, the lighting
changes and you see more
use of shadow and darkness.

41.  At the end the light is an odd colour
suggesting the use of a filter. The colour is
almost one of decay and represents the events
to come.
 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGhFmDl2D
Ng&feature=related

42.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXn0aPTvY
eY&feature=related
 Consider the changing light in this scene-
especially with the lighting that has been
around her in previous scenes.

43. John Doe chase scene
 Re watch the scene and focus on how sound
and camera angles are used to create a
response in the spectator

44.  Canted angles
 Camera movements hand held
 Use of diegetic sounds

45. Sound
 Listen to the opening of the film: what do you
hear?
 What does this aim to achieve

46.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7J02CRoY
Uk
 The sloth scene