Black button[1]
- 1. Black ButtonBy Sarra Reyes-Wilson
- 2. Genre & Target audience The genre for this film would be Thriller and this targets teenagers and adults, as younger audiences may not understand. There is also a religious message in this film about temptation and morality and this especially targets these age groups.
- 3. Mise en sceneLighting- the lighting is bright and aluminous, this gives an unreal and dreamy atmosphere, and the colour white connotes heaven and goodness. Also, people with near death experiences have said they have seen white lights, which society can associate with.Costume- the younger character is wearing a white shirt and a black tie and trousers. This indicates what kind of job he has, which seems to be an office job. This also indicates he has a high and stable status in life. The whiteness of the shirt links with the meaning of the white room and light, this is then erased when the red blood leaks down him, as red connotes hell and evil.Props- the room is almost bear, giving the audience hardly any information apart from a simple chair, black button, desk, lamp, paper work, stamp and briefcase. All these props suggests an important office job. The two chairs show which character has more status, the older character behind the desk has a taller and more detailed chair then the other, suggesting he has more importance. The metallic, shiny briefcase is a modern version of the old fashioned leather briefcase, situating the audience in a modern time period.Location- the location is unknown to the audience as it the film is set in this one, plain, white room that gives the audience no information. But they later find out that this is purgatory.
- 4. SoundNon- diegetic- the background music is constantly playing through out the whole film. It is high pitched at the beginning to create tension, then a deep, church organ sound appears, reinforcing the religious theme. As the atmosphere intensifies, so does the music, and a beat is included to represent the young characters heart beat becoming more frantic. At the very end, the viewer hears screams, ascending, then a heavy door slamming, indicating there is no way out of this situation. There is also a quiet wind blowing at the end, this suggests that in hell there is nothing but emptiness, which anchors the dialogue.Sound effect- the sound of the stamp hitting the paper is enhanced and echoed to emphasise the drama of the situation. As the character goes to pushes the button, an accelerating sound lasts until he presses the button and when he has done, a singe and dull church bell rings to finalise his decision.Dialogue- the dialogue gives no information as to where this film is set as one character is English and the other Australian. However in their speech, a lot of religious words such as ‘salvation’ ‘God’ ‘soul’ and ‘purgatory’, this indicates the main themes. Also, they mention car accidents, which the viewer will find out that this is what actually happened to him in the first place, creating a sense of irony.
- 5. Camera AnglesHigh angle- a high angle is used to make the main character feel small, weak and helpless when he is faced with the money, as he is stuck in the middle of a tempting situation. This also makes to the money appear bigger and more in control.Low angle- a low angle is used when the older man reveals the truth, the briefcase of money is just visible beneath him, and he is towering above, giving him more power and control in the situation.
- 6. Camera MovementPan- a fast pan is used from one character to the other, as the young man is forced to make a decision quickly, this portrays his sense of panic and unease.Tilt- camera tilts upwards from the key on the desk to the older man, showing how he has control over the key. Hand held- the camera during the car accident scene is hand held to create a sense of panic and chaos.There are more shots and composition then angles and movement as this is vey simple film with not a lot of moving action.Dolly- the camera dolly’s around the young mans face, as he is confused and uneasy, whereas the camera is still and focused on the older man, as he is held together, comfortable and at ease because he is aware of the situation.
- 7. Camera ShotsEstablishing shot- this shot establishes where the film is set which is in this unusual, bare room. This already creates an odd and suspicious atmosphere. Close up- close ups are used quite a lot in this film, as it reveal the characters facial expressions, and who they are different. The younger character is always distressed whereas the older character is calm and carefree. Another close up is of the character attempting to open the door. This shot emphasises the fact that he can not escape this situation.Over shoulder- an over shoulder shot is used to see the amount of blood leaking out of the young mans body, this makes it clear for the audience to see this and understand what is happening.
- 8. Camera compositionsFraming- an example of this would be when the older character presents the money in front of the young man. This shot is positioned to include all three elements, the briefcase, the man presenting it, tempting the young man sat in the distance, to clearly show the this link.Depth of field- during the car crash, the shot it unfocused, this is because it is a memory that is unclear to the character.Zoom- this is used when the black button is first mentioned. This draws the audience in and directs their attention to the button. This also highlights the mysteriousness of it.
- 9. Editing Title- the title is a transitions of shape coming together to form the words ‘Black Button’. This relates to the mystery of the story at first and then the pieces come together to make sense.Transitions- this is seen at the end, where the black screen closes together, imitating the action of shutting a door, indicating there is no way out of the situation. Continuity- short, quick cuts are put together in a series of options and decisions. These short cuts consist of the old mans face, the key, the button and the money. This shows the characters thoughts and the quickness of the shots show his panic to make these decisions.Shot reverse shot- this is frequently used to show the different flows of conversations these two characters have through out the film.
- 10. RepresentationAppearance- the appearance of the main character is slightly sloppy and messy, this is seen through his hair style and missing jacket. The other character appears tidy in his smart suit, showing he has more status and importance over the younger man.Personality- the young mans personality is portrayed by his actions. His decision to press the button shows his greed, however the close ups of his face shows he is torn between two decisions, which actually shows he cares and he is not happy about it. Event- the audience gets an idea that this event is purgatory, due to the bare, white room which acts like a waiting room and the desk gives the impression this is a formal interview, which is practically what purgatory is, a place to wait and a something to passTime period- the only things that tell the audience that this is set in a modern time, is the fancy briefcase, the smart costumes and car crash scene. As these are modern elements.
- 11. Narrative structureThis film has a slightly confusing structureThe film starts off with a disequilibrium. The main character is uneasy and confused, and so are the audience.A solution is presented and seems as though it will solve the situation he is in.However this makes the situation worse and a punishment ends the film. There is on equilibrium in this film which is rare and but very different and interesting and it shocks the audience.