Convention: Trailer opens with the green 'audience approved' notice by the Motion Picture Association of America, which features the certificate of the film - Rated R, which means that in the US kids under 17 can't watch the move alone in the cinema, but can go in if they've got an adult with them. In the UK, this film was rated a 15. That generally means that there'll be some swearing, some nakedness, some violence, maybe some drugs....
From about 00.06 to about 00.11/12ish you'll see the text, "Some people want to forget the past..." and then the writings moves so it says "Some people want to change it". This immediately sets up the idea that this film will involve time-travel and playing with the past (doh).
Convention: This then transitions into the New Line Cinema logo. Almost all trailers involve some sort of promotion for their distributors.
Next, we have the character Evan setting up the plot by mentioning his black outs as he walks next to Kayleigh. Then, the 'voice-of-God' voice-over man picks up and talks over some flashbacks and memories, further implying that this film is about time, etc etc. There's an explosions, which immidiately grabs people's attention, and some screaming and sirens. There's a really nice pan transition too, which might be interesting to try recreate.
Here's some other things I noticed;
- There's bits of dialogue revelant to the plot, like "Remember when we were kids..." or "If I go back to the beginning, I might be able to save her..."
- Lot's of CGI used to create surreal things, like walls melting, the writing in the diary shaking, the illusions of time travel...
- Transitions between black, white and sepia show differences in time and alternate realities.
- Montages of the past - flashbacks of memories with quick transitions of white flashes. This may be a reference to the sort of 'white-light' people report during outer-body-experiences?
- Close up shots of key plot devices, such as the stick of dynamite rolling across the floor or the note Evan drops onto the coffin.
- The trailer features a song with lyrics relevant to the plot - Staind's 'It's been a while'. You can see all the lyrics here;;;
'It's Been a While' Lyrics
- Clips of the plot twists to get viewers attention - Like seeing Evan walk into the prison after hitting Kayleigh's brother, him waking up in bed with Kayleigh...
- Flashes of text saying "this winter" to promote the film and let the viewer know when it'll be out. This is usually accompanied by the logo, and with the jumbled typeface. Consistency helps the audience identify the film easier, and be more likely to remember it.
- Flashes of more text supporting the plot - "Change one thing... Change everything.", which is on top of the cgi butterfly flapping it's wings - hence the title The Butterfly Effect.
- Clips of the film reflecting what the voice over is saying, like the camera spinning around Evan in time with the voice over saying "fast forward... rewind..." 00.57ish to 01.03ish.
- Images of brain scans and skulls, showing the audience this is a psychological thriller. Also images of embryo's, cell activity and hands. (I especially like the hands, I might adapt that idea.)
- The actors names appearing alongside clips of them from the film
- "Coming soon"
and
- The film's website address
