Conventions: Seven (Analysis)

Seven has a lot of conventions that suit a thriller film. In the mise-en-scene the lighting is very dark and there are very earthy colours, the bland and dark colours will make the brighter and lighter colours stand out more, for example blood, the colour of it stands out a lot more. The costumes of the characters also fit in with the conventions of a Thriller film, the costumes which are also part of the mise-en-scene portray the characters and give the audience an idea of the characters personality, even though the costumes are bland in colour, there are differences in the clothes worn. Morgan Freeman's character is a smart and organized man, this is seen through the organization of his daily routine and his clean, smart clothes. Brad Pitt's character is the binary opposite of Morgan's. Pitt's character does not wash and wears unwashed clothes. He also has his ties tied on a coat hanger.

Morgan Freeman's character is isolated, he lives on an estate with lots of loud neighbours. However his house is very clear, and smart. There is a metronome used in this scene showing his difficulty in sleeping, and the psychological themes of the film. When he's getting ready Freeman's character has lots of props, and looks at himself in the a mirror - the use of reflection is a key convention in thriller films. The isolation of this character are also shown when we see that he doesn't get on with his colleagues and appears to not have any interest in anything other than his work. It appears as if he is psychologically haunted by the murder scenes which he has to deal with, it's become part of his life.

The use of mature; expensive actors means that the film should be more serious and appealing to a wider audience. The actors should generally act out the thriller better as they are experienced and reputable. The title of 'Seven' indicates that the film may be about 7 days, or 7 murders. The credits definitely agree with this, with a montage used to show a 'killer' working on some documents that are linked to the murders.