THE BUTTERFLY EFFECT
The Trailer for The Butterfly Effect
The first 10 minutes for the Butterfly Effect shows us as an
audience what it is like to be in Evan’s shoes. We understand how he feels and also
feel very sorry for him in a way because he is only 7 years old and yet gone
through so much in his life. For example he has lost his father and even though
they weren’t very close, he is still his father and that will always mean
something inside for the rest of Evan’s life. Secondly, he has done
something that should never happen to anyone
especially not a 7 year old and also it must be confusing for him to have these
black outs, one because of his age and secondly, this things that are cut out he
and also the audience wants to know what happened during those moments. Anything
could of happen and the audience want to reassure them of what did happen.
First thing that you see it’s this quote. Why? Because this
will give you the inside of the story and what could happen in the film.
48 seconds in and the audience must feel on edge
because it had just placed that quote onto the screen and now a outline of
something. It is mysterious and not even a minute onto the film and the
audience are already anxious for what is about to come.
In this shot, the music is quick tempo to suggest he must
feel rushed and in a hurry. The camera is looking down on him to suggest that
the director wants the audience to see some surroundings and where he is and
what he is doing.
'Save her' -
An insight of what the Butterfly Effect is about. could make the audience feel uncomfortable while the skill is on the screen because it isn't an everything image to like at and also they would want to know why they is a skill in the movie.
'thirteen years later' suggest time goingback and may suugest also a flashback with his life to tell the story of his life and what happened to her. Before, it was rushed and at the start it is confusing for the audience because so much what going to at a period of time. This shot shows the audience that Evan started of as a normal boy, typical boy, playing with his dog on the front lawn.
Evan is just in the for the bell (again) which suggests it isn't the first time that he is late. He is rushing up the stairs to get into class and be with his friends.
Why can't the audience the this lady's face? This is because it show authority, power and it is a mystery who exactly she is. Perhaps it will make the audience feel uncomfortable beause we do not know who she is and why she is talking to Evan's mum.
The first line in this scene 'Tommy' this suggest that Tommy is doing something wrong by hitting someone in his class with a blown up toy. It also suggest how aggressive Tommy is and shows he anger.
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Genre - Thriller
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Conventional (Typical)
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Unconventional (Not Typical)
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Lighting
Costumes
Props
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-Dim lighting is used for dramatic
effect, so you know something is going to happen – suspense, mystery, only
character, tension,
Audience is jumpy. The blind distorts
the light which makes the scene distorted, don’t know anything about the
character, and only see an outline – uncomfortable.
-Casual clothing.
-Everyday person.
- Office stuff.
-Office desk, sofa, notebook
-All the stuff is dark which makes
the room seem mysterious and creepy. Seems like something is going to happen
in that office or it’s important in the film further on.
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The Journal is a very important prop, it is not normally in a typical thriller as it would give too much away about the character but in this film as it actually helps us understand him better and the way he is feeling mainly about the blackouts. |
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Characters
As adults:
Evan – Ashton Kutcher
Lenny – Elden Henson
Kayleigh – Amy Scott
Tommy – William Lee Scott
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Evan is a quiet boy who doesn’t like
to talk much and has black outs when something bad things happens- he doesn’t
remember what has happened.
Lenny followers Evan and Tommy and
do as they ask for example the letter box scene.
Kayleigh is a sexually abused child
by her father because she stars in his ‘movies’. She is very close to Evan.
Tommy is a troubled abused child who
is a bully at his school because the way he gets treated at home from his
father. He gets in trouble at school for the way he acts and he is Kayleigh's
brother.
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Plot
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Putting text at the start of the film gives some information about
what will happen in the film. Normally it would be a shot of the scenery of
where the first action or opening scene begins. The scene with Evan holding
the knife is not common in a thriller as you as the audience don’t normally
see a seven year old with a knife. It put more mysterious into the film
because a few seconds later, he drops it and says to his mum ‘I remember what
just happened’ - spooky
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Setting
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After the start of the film with Kutcher as Evan, writing that note and after the credits, the next scene
is random but conventional to
a thriller because it will keep changing scenery to try and create wonder and
mystery to the audience. The opening shot with the two children playing to
their bikes and Evan playing with his dog shows Evan had a lovely normal
childhood and also starts that the film has gone back in time ’13 years
earlier’.
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Non-diegetic
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Creepy, fast pace music in this genre of film is very important
because it gets the audience on the edge of their seats and gets their hearts
pumping faster and faster and the beat of the drum in the sound could
repreent someone hearts beating.
This makes this scene seem more tense as the music and sound effects,
lighting and all of the props all go together to give off an overall feeling to
the audience.
In the scene where Evan’s mum comes into a classroom, the music
becomes creepy and mysterious.
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In the opening scene while Evan is writing the note he says what he is
writing to tells the audience how exactl he is feeling and that isn’t usually
in a typical thriller has as the opening scene, Especially when the camera is
not on the note and the audience can’t see what and is writing so he speaks
what he is writing down. The last two words that he writes/talk to ‘save
her’. Again it creates a sense of mysterious because the audience now wants
to know who he is talking about and who she is which makes the audience think
that something has happened to some girl close to him.
There also sound effects which matched to the pace of the music to build
up some suspense within the film. Evan does a voice over when he is writing
in his journal, this is so the audience knows we exactly he is writing in the
journal at that point in time.
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