‘The Plan’Short Film Analysis

‘A man quits his job, leaves his girlfriend and drives to Vegas to put all of his money on red on the roulette table.’

Plot Summary

• The plot revolves around the protagonist ‘Mitch’. Mitch is currently undertaking his ‘plan’ which stated that he shall leave his old life and start a new one by leaving his past behind (e.g. job, girlfriend ‘Claudia’) and heading to Vegas with all of his money. During the journey he meets a girl named ‘Eve’ who he takes a picture of, she consequently steals his camera (not long after he took a picture of her) and she gets away with it. When he arrives in Vegas he loses all of his money on the roulette wheel. After this he returns to the location of where he met Eve but he simply sits alone (as she’s no where to be seen). During the entire journey his girlfriend Claudia has been calling him attempting to drag him back into his old life. When he eventually answers the phone he drops the call in astonishment to see a picture of himself on a message board. He flips the image and sees Eve’s address; the narrative concludes with him driving off to the address she left him.

Narrative Structure Theory

• Equilibrium: When Mitch is undertaking the ‘plan’. Trying to start his new life.

• Disequilibrium: When Eve steals his camera and is unknown as to where she made off to.

• New Equilibrium: Mitch drives off to his new life (location Eve left for him).

~ Tvzetan Todorov

Narrative Structure Theory• Hero: Mitch – Protagonist, Male, Successful Quest; Central to the Story.

• Villain: Claudia – Attempts to pull Mitch back into his old life.

• Donor: Eve, recommends him the Red Line Casino.

• Helper: Eve(?)

• Princess: Eve/New Life.

• Dispatcher: Mitch (Dispatches himself to embark on the journey).

• False Hero: --

~ Vladmir Propp

Narrative Structure Theory

Conflicts created within the short:

• Mitch vs. Claudia

• New/Unexpected Life vs. Old/Predictable Life

• Mitch vs. Eve

• Tranquil Soundtrack vs. Tense Soundtrack

• Movement vs. Stillness

~ Claude Levi-Strauss

Message behind ‘The Plan’:

The message behind ‘The Plan’ is risks in life reap rewards, be it: love, money or just a path to follow (‘No matter what the outcome is… at least it won’t be the life I live now.’).

This message is achieved through three techniques:

• Voiceover: This one is the largest and most obvious point. Mitch gives an overview of how his journey has progressed so far, constantly linking back with idea of ‘a new life’ and his determination to continue. The last voiceover Mitch speaks is also cyclical to what’s spoken at the beginning.

• Ending: The ending gives evidence of the rewards for Mitch being so risky, he has purpose, a potential love and a new journey to embark on. (This also accommodates the first technique.)

• Claudia’s Contact: This one is more subtle, by consistently linking back to the ‘old life’ Mitch had through Claudia, it juxtaposes the two lives. The old life is perceived as horrid and boring whereas the ‘new life’ is seen as happy and adventurous. Furthermore, our perception of Claudia is negative from the very beginning due to the conversation over the phone ‘You’re such a fucking child, you know that?’; consequently giving us the negative view of the old life. (Also links inwith the first technique.)

(and how it is achieved.)