Black Button - Short Film
-YouTube Awards 2007 - Top Six Finalist, Best Short Film-WINNER: Fitzroy Short Film Festival (Melb, Aus)-WINNER: DearCinemaFest Short Film Festival (Int.)and more...Mr Roberts finds himself awoken inexplicably in a white room. A man sits before him at a desk and in between them stands a black button. If Mr Roberts pushes it, he will receive a briefcase filled with millions of dollars. Or he can take the key to the door and leave penniless. The catch? Pushingthe button will result in the death of a human being. What would you do?
EDIT 1: Some people have observed a similarity in the premise of this film and an revival episode of The Twilight Zone in 1986. Please note (1) We had never seen the episode and only learned of it long after we'd finished thefilm. (2) The Twilight Zone weren't the first to do it. There was a short story before that, which was in turn based on an old premise called the 'Faustian Bargain', around since the 16th century (deal with the 'devil'). An almost identical premise exists in several cultures. Richard Kelly is even making a film with this premise called 'The Box'. (3) Our film is similar in premise, but different in plot, characters, dialogue, aesthetics, setting, moral meaning, religious undertone, twist etc. Each version, including ours, aims to bring something new to an old idea. Please have the respect tonot accuse us of plagiarism.
Additionally, we have no particular religious affiliation; this is a fictional work and its ideas are designed to encourage thought and debate, not comment on any particular theology.
Our first professional short film. We made it for $200 and shot it on the stage of our old school in Melbourne, Australia. Fortunately, professional actor Robert Grubb agreed to act in it for free after reading the script. This film took nearly a year to put together, working on it in stages and creating the 'white' effect on a home PC. Please note that the younger actor, unlike his father Robert Grubb, has no formal acting training whatsoever.
The Making of "Black Button" is now on YouTube.
Two of our other shorts have been released on YouTube, 'Campsite' and 'The Window'. Click on our profile if you'd like to see them and subscribe for updates on new films. Thanks!
Channel: Film
Uploaded: January 25, 2007 at 7:49 pm
Author: DarkHeartProductions
Length: 00:07:06
Rating: 4.66
Views: 1110288
Tags: intense Grubb short film Dark Heart Productions Faust Crandles drama Black Button
Video Comments:
fearthebeard (January 8, 2009 at 5:10 am)
Romans 3:23 - "for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God"
Romans 3:10-11 - "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."
By being human we don't "measure up." Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit because of their pride and selfishness, we are born into sin. God is perfection, and he orders us to follow him.
Matthew 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Romans 3:10-11 - "As it is written: 'There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God."
By being human we don't "measure up." Ever since Adam and Eve ate the fruit because of their pride and selfishness, we are born into sin. God is perfection, and he orders us to follow him.
Matthew 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Stevenstar13 (January 8, 2009 at 12:22 am)
The point is he's willing to kill someone for lots of green paper (Money). You're make the choice of killing one person that may or may not agree to this.In short, your killing someone on their mercy just so YOU can help other people.
If this doesn't make sense, I can try to explain it better.
If this doesn't make sense, I can try to explain it better.
Stevenstar13 (January 8, 2009 at 12:17 am)
Do you even know what you're talking about?Maybe you should actually READ THE BIBLE before talking about how we can't "measure up" to God's holiness.
PivotMakerPX (January 7, 2009 at 8:33 pm)
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jrk7501 (January 7, 2009 at 4:02 am)
oh, shut the fuck up you fundementalist fucker.
LevitskiSRGE (January 6, 2009 at 11:32 am)
the main char i laughing all the time, but the idea is not bad.
Rexonius (January 6, 2009 at 5:44 am)
Impressive.
fearthebeard (January 6, 2009 at 4:56 am)
We were born into imperfection. We all deserve to go to hell b/c of falling short of God's standard of perfection. No matter how much good we do, we can't measure up to God's holiness. If do all this good but slip up just once, we are as guilty as a person who has done a terrible crime. The only way to get out of hell is through a relationship with Jesus Christ. We can't obtain salvation on our own. We need help! That is why Jesus came. Forgive me if I sound arrogant or prideful in this.
tylergimbo1 (January 6, 2009 at 3:24 am)
wowowowowowowowowwowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowoowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowwowowowowowowowowwowowowowowowwowowowowowwowowowowowowowowwowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowwowoowwowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowwowowowowowowowowowowowowoowowowowowowwowowwowwoowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowwoowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowowo
disneee (January 5, 2009 at 6:49 pm)
TO KUECHENKRAFT: i think about it too, but the mean thing in it that devil not give you choice on his bad things to use it for a good purpose!his way always a dark buttom you know, so if you can be persuade by him you chose the black bottom.../thats it i think/..The video is very instructive!thx
people choose the black bottom day to day...
we need change!You have to change in it!
people choose the black bottom day to day...
we need change!You have to change in it!
Kuechenkraft (January 5, 2009 at 6:17 pm)
so what if he would have chosen to use the money to save the lives of many more than just one person?
mobifest (January 5, 2009 at 4:32 pm)
Well done! Great concept and clean shooting. Looking forward to more films from Dark Heart Productions.
GRAFFMOVIES (January 5, 2009 at 10:20 am)
dam good film.
19avis (January 5, 2009 at 2:58 am)
brilliant.... this is so true.. so you know what... we must repent and walk the way of jesus christ..... salvation not condemation
5henangn (January 4, 2009 at 10:11 pm)
this was an excellent eye opener, we could think like this in our everyday deeds:)thnks dude great movie
mcshnee (January 4, 2009 at 3:16 pm)
Nice idea. Although for pressing the black button I didn't feel very sorry for him. Still it was interesting and made me think. And that's what good films do!
triskelionPROxy (January 4, 2009 at 2:53 pm)
asteeeg......
this video is so COOL....
inspiring
this video is so COOL....
inspiring
flavouredblack (January 4, 2009 at 5:11 am)
mmm yeah.
Stevenstar13 (January 3, 2009 at 6:33 pm)
Then I'm that really stupid person.
LJNdeed (January 3, 2009 at 3:38 pm)
good film,however the guy seemed like a genuinely nice, good person, one moment of weakness does not in turn deserve an eternity of hell. And as for commentators, they're lying if they say the idea of pushing the button never crossed their mind. A million ideas raced through my head thats for sure, i could pay my all my bills, not have to worry about paying for school, give my family a good life, but that's just part of being human. While you may have thought it, it doesn't mean you would do it.
mamahashna (January 3, 2009 at 2:17 pm)
super
resandelantis (January 3, 2009 at 10:43 am)
well i guess fucking everyone would be going to hell then. only a really stupid person would choose not to press that button.
bennyy100 (January 3, 2009 at 5:57 am)
haha doesnt it kill ppl if you do it
LifeUpsydeDown (January 3, 2009 at 4:45 am)
i've always thought that something like that would happen when you die...somehow a choice...
It seems that we can "measure up," but not through works.
Ephesians 2:8-9 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works so that no man can boast."