GW Analysis of the opening sequence from 'The Butterfly Effect'

Although more of a psychological thriller (though some people do think of it as horror), I researched ‘The Butterfly Effect’. The first scene is a flash forward, which I believe could be an interesting idea to play with.

Genre

Although the genre allows a lot of creative scope, the clip fits conventions in some ways:

• There is a sense of mystery.
• The protagonist seems to have done something wrong, but the audience is still encouraged to empathise.
• There is tense music
•   He is being hunted
• It is located inside the confines of an institution, which is a stock location.

Form and Style of opening

The opening is a flash forward, where foreboding is introduced by the panicked nature of the protagonist, as well as the tense music. Character exposition is brought forward by the letter that the man is writing, expressing his need to ‘go back to the beginning’ and his need to save a girl, likely to be a love interest. The dialogue introduces his feelings through expression.

There aren’t any credits, possibly to increase the fluidity of the very tense scene. The titles are integrated through a close up of his writing paper, which falls apart to create the movement of butterflies, thus introducing the title ‘The Butterfly Effect’, which suggests a chaos theory driven plot, as it is associated with the quote shown before the footage.

Film Language

•  Mise-en-scene conveys meaning through the use of low key lighting, suggesting a darker, twisted nature to the piece. The use of blinds with gaps suggests that the protagonist is trapped in his situation, or possibly in his own mind, as they are reminiscent of fences or prisons. The torch lights give the impression that the man is being hunted. The protagonist is wearing a robe and pyjama–like clothing, which could mean that he is vulnerable.
•   High angle shots are used to show the vulnerability of the protagonist, whilst mid shots are used to show expression, and encourage the audience to relate to the man. A tracking shot gave a sense of being followed. 
•  Non diegetic sound includes music to build up tension and highlight a sense of danger. The background noise of staff shouting ‘Evan’ also gives a sense of being followed. The dialogue anchors the image by explaining why the man is hiding and in a rush- he has a plan to carry out, as well as telling the audience what he is scribbling on his notepad.
• His non-verbal language shows that he is scared, as Evan rushes around, blockading the door. He then retreats to beneath the desk, which is a small, safe, womb-like spot, suggesting that he needs to be protected.

Narrative

The narrative is linear within the opening sequence, but is a prolepsis within the entire film. The audience is placed there to observe Evan, but is ignorant of why he is there and starts to become curious.

The audience is encouraged to identify with the primal fear of being caught when chased, as well as being able to identify with his need to ‘save her’, due to the idea that love is all encompassing and necessary. Mid shots of expression assist with empathy. They are alienated by their lack of understanding as to why the man is there, as well as the fact that he is behaving in a disobedient manner- authority figures are searching for him.

Tension is created by the chase and is maintained by the continuous shouts from those looking for the protagonist. His hurried writing and fast-paced talking further emphasise it. The music is fast and the beat connotes impending doom.

Representation and Ideology

Those with mental health problems are represented in this clip. The ideological discourse that those with mental illness are erratic and somewhat dangerous is highlighted by the tension in the clip, as well as the fact that Evan is being hunted down. High angle shots are used, which could make the audience feel superior to the protagonist. On the other hand, it is challenged by the coherency of the speech and the references to common emotional needs i.e. Love, creating a relatable character.

Media Audiences

The target audience for this film is likely to be males aged 19-34, though the emotional elements would appeal to a female. The dominant reading of the text is that the man is in trouble and should be helped, as he needs to find the person he loves: The protagonist may have been placed in the situation wrongfully, due to a supposed mental issue. An opposing reading could be that the mentally unstable man has caused trouble, and the authorities need to prevent it from occurring.

What could I take from this opening sequence?

·         I really like the use of music to build up tension.

·         The ambiguous references to ‘her’ are an easy way to introduce mystery

·         Low key lighting

·         Static or slow camera shots, with the movement being provided by the actor and editing.

·         Sense of being trapped is very effective

The clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNw7Y-BSMh4#t=58