Black Button - Short Film

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-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? Pushing the 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 the film. (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 to not 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 & Animation
Uploaded: January 25, 2007 at 2:49 pm
Author: DarkHeartProductions

Length: 00:07:06
Rating: 4.66
Views: 1080008

Tags: Black Button Dark Heart Productions drama intense short film Crandles Grubb Faust

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Video Comments:
jdd94 (December 2, 2008 at 8:12 pm)
but ur in hell so its pointless :S
PeonRushingFTW (December 2, 2008 at 8:09 pm)
what if mr. robert had chosen to save lives with the money

he did not know mr. robert's true intentions with the money,
spare one life to save hundreds of others seems reasonable
KryptoniteFilms007 (December 2, 2008 at 7:40 pm)
Most amazing short fim I've ever seen.

A lot of meaning to it.
Redsummr08 (December 2, 2008 at 6:39 pm)
"ill be seeing them next"

omg amazing!
trevdagamer (December 2, 2008 at 1:47 pm)
So many people here say how the would never push the button. but in reality 95% of all of us would push the button, given the choice. i know i probably would. That's just todays society for us.
theclassicweirdo (December 2, 2008 at 5:56 am)
pretty good, mate.
lawsonbutcher (December 2, 2008 at 3:36 am)
I really liked the vid though.

Although to be honest my first interpretation was cooler than what was really meant. As in, I thought the "life" who died was his own, and he was choosing whether he'd wake up in a hospital bed or die. (Rather than heaven/hell, I'm not into Christianity)

I can't stand being told how to think. I'm gonna make up my own morals whether you like it or not.

The rules of Christianity are too rigid and robotic to ever apply to such free animals like humans.
lawsonbutcher (December 2, 2008 at 3:18 am)
I guess we differ on that m8. To me 10 million dollars is something of completely material value and in reality its just a bunch of paper that we all agree is worth something.

To me life is priceless. Its not so much preservation as it is having love for other people. Its having respect for them and their lives. Again this is just my opinion.

To me its like trading something totally imaginary (money) for something undeniably real (life).
Edengoth (December 2, 2008 at 3:53 am)
you have a good point. money is only paper. and only people with lives in the first place give it value. I just meant if we measure life by money,
$10,000,000 is no contest in my opinion.
leaherss (December 1, 2008 at 10:17 pm)
well done