In the butterfly effect the first camera angle used is panning as you see a figure through rippled windows which hides the face of the person running which adds suspense as you wait to see who the character is. The fist effect used is slow motion when Aston kutcher is seen threw the glass running and then kicking the door with force causing it to open abruptly.
This shows that from the beginning the character is in a hurry and panic. To illustrate my point is the non diegetic sound being played, as it is fast paced to suit the mood and actions of the character.
Camera angles are also used to show kutchers panic or hurry as the camera zooms in on the pad which Aston is writing a note. As the camera does this you are able to see Astons hand moving vigorously across the page as he tries to finish writing the note he plans to leave. As he finishes the note the camera continues to close up until there is an extreme close up of the words “Save her" this shows that there is another important character yet to come.
After the camera has stopped its extreme close up another effect is used which makes the paper Aston was writing on crumble and form into butterflies. As they begin to clear the film title is shown with a picture of an x ray scull containing the human brain. This foreshadows that the film is going to be a psychological thriller. The transition of the images of butterflies turning into the x ray picture of the human skull and brain is quiet smooth and neat and may give the impression that that is what the film will be like even though the scene before that was quiet fast passed and jagged.
The music used for the appearance of the film title is quiet mysterious and gradually gets louder. This builds up the tension of the film even before it has truly begun. The sounds used do the same thing as you can hear what sounds like a rattle snakes warning before it attacks to warn others that there is danger. This could be used to warn the viewers that there is going to be danger.
The next scene opens with an extreme long shot of a road in a suburban neighbour hood. It pictures a peaceful and quiet area that is very homely. At the top of the road you are able to see two people riding down it on bikes. This again adds to the homely picture presented by the extreme long shot. Again adding to the scenery is the diegetic sound of birds tweeting, the sound of the bikes mounting the pavement and also the dogs growl as he plays with his owner.
A shot reverse shot is used in the next scene while the child is in convocation with his mother. This helps the audience understand the feelings and emotions of the characters as it zones in on the characters reactions to their convocation. For example in this scene the child asks if his farther will be able to come along to an event, as he asks you can see the hesitation on his face as the subject of his farther is a tricky situation between him and his mother even though the audience does not know why you are still able to gather this information.
Later on when the child’s mother is called into school to look at a drawing her son has made and finds he has drawn a picture of himself standing in the middle of two dead bodies on the floor with a blooded knife in his hand. As the parent views this, the camera faces the drawing and does a sharp movement along with a close up, the sharp movement is the movement that the mother has made in shock but instead of the camera showing her move it acts as if it is her. The close up afterwards shows the immensity of the situation and the disturbing illustration. Also the music being played in the background adds to the tension of the film and also adds to the tension of what had just happened.
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