Section 2: Research into examples of comparable products (The Butterfly Effect)

  



The Butterfly Effect is a 2004 American psychological thriller film directed and written by Eric Bress and J. Mackye Gruber. The film stars Ashton Kutcher, Amy Smart and Eric Stoltz and was distributed by New Line Cinema. The title is a reference to the so-called Butterfly Effect which represents a claim within the scientific discipline of Chaos Theory that the beating of a butterfly's wing can ultimately contribute to the creation of a typhoon half a world away

Narrative structure
From the very start of the film, the audience are presented with a dis-equilibrium, as the protagonist appears to be extremely anxious and scared and appears to be running from something and writes a note that makes no sense at this moment in time, causing the audience ask several questions, and they mjust watch the film in order to gain answers.

Mis-en-scene

• As the sequence begins, the camera focuses on the frosted glass of an office’s windows from the inside where a character walks behind them, his identity at this point unknown as our vision is blurred due to the opaque of the glass. Not being able to see the character, who later is revealed as the protagonist, creates tension and presents questions with the audience. From the moment the scene begins tension rises, preparing the audience and establishing the genre of the film. This could also be a visual metaphor, presenting the idea of ‘blurred vision’ and that things are not always as they seem, or certain aspects me be unclear, themes that are later explored in the film.

• Once the character behind the glass reaches the door, he kicks it open, enters the room at speed, using a sofa to block anyone else entering and reaches for a box, appearing to be in a rush and then hides under a desk and begins to write a note. As the character breaks into the room, implies that the character shouldn’t be there in the first place, and the character appears to be frightened and running from something, and wishes not to be followed as he blocks possible followers’ entrance to the room. In the opening seconds of the film, the audience are provided with vast amounts of information; leading them to answer more questions again, establishing genre. Also, the fact that the protagonist is encased with fear and worry, it adds to the tension and causes the audience to fear and worry.

• Ashton Cutcher’s character is first presented to us wearing a blue mental asylum costume, this is the first time that this character is seen and the audience can already gather that he belongs in a mental institute, this again forces the audience to ask questions as to ‘why’ and ‘how’ he was incarcerated in the asylum. The colour blue also connotes gloom and misery, features which are also presented in the narrative, including aspects of paedophilia and death.

• Also after this, the scene dramatically changes and the credits '11 Years earlier' is seen at the bottom of the screen. This perhaps releaves the audience as the countless questions that may have risen, are about to be answered.

Sound

•  At the very beginning of the film, when we are presented with a black screen, the very first sound that is heard is a high pitched and echoing sound which creates an eerie and sinister atmosphere. The sound resembles a child’s laughter, which indicates childhood innocence; however the echoing and high pitched sound adds a supernatural feel to it, suggesting the exploitation of childhood innocence, also explored in the film. First with the theme of paedophilia, and secondly when the protagonist travels through time, in order to alter his life which best suits him. 
• As the film begins and the character is seen behind the frosted glass, the non-diegetic background music is slow and also high pitched, which sets the threatening and disturbing tone of the film. When Ashton Kutcher’s character kicks open the door, the loud direct sound of the door being kicked jolts the non-diegetic sound to increase tempo and volume; this increases the tension and quickens the pace of the sequence. 
• Questions are again presented when the character begins to write a note, we at first question who the note is for, but the character begins to say things like “I am dead and my plan didn’t work/I could go back and save her.” All unnaturally occurring things to say, again evoking questions with the audience.

Editing and camera work

• At the start, the camera pans from inside the office, slowly following the character, however when he kicks through the door, the panning quickens, as does the cutting from shot to shot, where at the start, before the door was kicked in, the panning existed through one single shot. This adds to the tension of the sequence’s ambience. 
• The camera zooms to a CU of Ashton Kutcher’s face while he is writing the note, his face display’s fear and a nervous disposition, again adding to the tension and making the audience feel nervous. 
• When the security guards begin to notice that someone has broke into the office, the shots cut from them to Ashton Kutcher’s character, the closer the security guards approach, the quicker the cutting between them and the protagonist. This increases tension and aligned with the music, suggest that as they approach, trouble approaches.

Graphics 
As the film begins, the first credits seen is a quotation about the chaos theory.