'Black Button' Textual Analysis

For research on short films, especially ones of the thriller genres since our film places itself in that field, I have decided to analyse the short film ‘Black Button’ (Dir. Lucas Crandles, 2007).

The first image that is seen on screen is a quote from the Bible. This immediately tells the viewer that this film will most likely have some sort of dilemma involved in it. The faint ambient sound in the background is slightly intimidating, and as the image switches to the title of the film the sound heightens and changes smoothly to a sound not dissimilar to a clock ticking. In the very first moments of the film, without and characters or iconography being shown, the audience already knows that some sort of unsettling predicament will cling to a particular character.

The first shot after the opening images is a mid-shot of a man sitting in a large chair, looking directly into the camera. His first lines uttered are “Ah, Mr. Roberts...” Though the words are spoken softly and calmly, they have a very menacing feel to them, as if the man has been waiting for Mr. Roberts and already knows that he is complete control of everything that is about to happen. After the line is spoken, the audience realises that the camera is situated so they are looking through the eyes of Mr. Roberts himself. This gives the first line shot even more menace, as it gives the feeling that not only is this man talking to Mr. Roberts, but every person watching and is subconsciously telling them that they are in his shows and are in the same predicament that he is.

As the shot changes to a wide shot also showing Mr. Roberts sitting opposite the man in a smaller, flimsier chair (already showing the balance in power in the room), the audience sees that the whole room is white, and almost dream-like. There is no obvious ‘end’ to the room and no obvious way in or out. The man asks “where the hell am I?” and the audience is made to ask the same question, and wonder how the man got to this place at all.

The next shot-reverse-shots are close ups of either Mr. Roberts or the other man behind the desk. The man begins to explain why Mr. Roberts is here as he has difficulty figuring out how he got there after driving to work moments ago. As the explanation starts, a slow non-diegetic tone lurches in the background, like a panther ready to strike, waiting for the right moment to give Mr. Roberts and the audience a huge revelation.

Because of the blandness and ghost-like quality of the room there is not much iconography at all. This could turn out to be a problem in some films, but this film uses the plainness of the room to focus on the controlling idea, the black button situated in front of Mr. Roberts. The first shot of it is a close up that steadily zooms in, showing the audience that this is the most important object in the room and in the film itself.

The man explains Mr. Roberts’ dilemma and places the briefcase full of money on the desk. Mr. Roberts is exasperated and tells the man he’s leaving, but the door is locked. As Mr. Roberts stands up, the audience can see that he is wearing a white shirt that matches the colour of the ghost-like room itself, giving a clue to the audience of the revelation that Mr. Roberts is already dead himself.

The threatening nature of the man is heighted with the clever use of dialogue throughout his speeches. Without any back story, the audience can already tell that this man is well educated and used to getting what he wants. The use of phrases like “I’m a powerful man, a man that can change your life...for the small cost of someone else’s” and when Mr. Roberts whispers “my god” in a shocked tone, the man replies “Oh, he’s not yours Mr. Roberts”. This dialogue is threatening while laced with a hint of sarcasm and power behind every word, again telling the audience that the man has power of Mr. Roberts and them also.

The man shows Mr. Roberts the suitcase full of money that will be exchanged if he pushes the button that will kill someone, and also shows him the key that he can use for the door if he chooses not to push it. As he places the key on the table, the shot switches to a close up of the key as the man gently pushes it forward. The shot is very cleverly done, as the man pushes the key towards the camera, asking the audience to make the same decision that Mr. Roberts has to make. As the conversation continues, the man makes a comment to Mr. Roberts “eventually, everyone’s time is up”. The use of a close up and the slow way the words are said tells the viewer that the climax is coming and that everybody’s salvation may be coming to an end.

As the climax builds, the editing becomes more rapid, symbolizing the panic that Mr. Roberts is having trying to make this decision, and perhaps also symbolizing the enjoyment that the man is trying to hide from behind that behemoth of a desk. The close ups of the man also become closer, giving the impression that he is inside Mr. Roberts’ head and is manipulating him to push the button. The editing suddenly gets even more rapid as shots of the two men are mingled with quick flashes of the button, they key and the briefcase full of money, showing the alarm of Mr. Roberts and the urgency of the man behind the desk, especially as he punches the desk and yells “push it!”

Mr. Roberts then stands up and prepares to push the button. As he does this, a sound of an opera or a choir sounding like angles singing covers up the ominous non-diegetic sound. This angel-like noise gives another clue that Mr. Roberts is dead, and is as if the angels are already accepting him into heaven, or perhaps damning him to hell. As he pushes the button, a slight musical still cuts the angel noise short, and it is replaced by the sound much a like a gong. The sound is very bleak and gives the impression to the audience that Mr. Roberts’ fate has been sealed, though that fate is as yet unknown to the audience.

After the button has been pushed, for the first time in the film there is no diegetic sound. It is silent, yet there is still a feel of dread in the air. There is a sense that this moment, though less worrying that before, is the calm beneath the storm. But, as Mr. Roberts reaches for the briefcase the non-diegetic sound starts up again, though this time much more threatening and ominous. This time it feels less angel-like and more devilish and it starts getting faster, as if it wants to pull Mr. Roberts away from his salvation as quickly as possible.

As the man tells Mr. Roberts that he is already dead, there is a slight musical sting, but rather than a loud bang of some sort, it has a feel of scurrying rats or snakes covering a body and wrapping it in venom. The non-diegetic sound is now much louder and wraps the audience up in the events that are unfolding on screen. Shots of Mr. Roberts having a fatal car crash are now shown through a flashback, and the camera is tilted and pushed around to give a sense of alarm and dismay as the crash is in progress, making the audience feel like they are actually there.

Blood now starts to run down Mr. Roberts’ body from his forehead and many close ups are used, along with rapid editing between the blood and Mr. Roberts’ shocked expression to give him and the audience the revelation that the non-diegetic sound predicted and wanted them to feel from the very start.

Edits now become rapid between the man behind the desk and Mr. Roberts, as the man explains who he is and what he does and how he feels this helps make the world a better place. The man is now much calmer, giving the impression that there is only one sinner in this room, and it is not him. Mr. Roberts asks what it going to happen to him, and the man leans forwards and with a smile that is usually only seen on the faces of small children on their birthday, and replies “well you’re going to hell Mr. Roberts!” This expression shows the audience that the man was always in control and though he may have done this exact game to thousands of others, he never loses any enjoyment out of it, and takes pride in that he knows the correct answer should have been to take the key.

The man then stamps ‘processed’ on Mr. Roberts’ file, which is accompanied by a slight musical sting that is the sound of a door being slammed, perhaps telling the audience that not only is Mr. Roberts going to spend eternity in hell, but so is everyone else.

The man shows Mr. Roberts the key he should have used, and in that particular camera shot the black button is next to it, showing the choice he had to make and possibly being a metaphor for what all of the audience have to deal with every day – the choice between self-preservation and being unselfish. Mr. Roberts then asked who he killed, and the man replies “oh, I shouldn’t worry about that...I’ll be seeing them next.” This is the final shot of the film and leaves a lasting definition on the viewer – they could be the next person the man is seeing and they could end up just as much of a sinner as Mr. Roberts. The words ‘Black Button’ are then shown on screen again to the non-diegetic sound of screams – most likely the victims of this cruel game and who now must spend eternity in hell.

Overall, this is a very intriguing short film that creates many enigmas for the audience and makes people question themselves. This film has become the subject of many debates long after being watched because of its subject matter. The use of excellent iconography and locations allowed the viewer to focus on the things that were important in the film, and the cinematography was very impressive, allowing the viewer to be sucked into the film and feel like they have to face the same predicament.