The document provides a detailed analysis of the 2008 short film "The Black Hole" in 4 paragraphs. It summarizes the film's narrative, genres, representation of characters, ideological messages, and connections to narrative theory. The main points are: 1) The narrative follows an ordinary office worker who discovers a mysterious black hole that gives him power over objects, leading him to increasingly greedy and illegal acts. 2) The film uses genres of crime, comedy, and science fiction to tell its story and convey a message about human greed. 3) The film represents a stereotypical bored office worker through mise-en-scene and explores how power can corrupt individuals. 4) A key ideological message

1. JordonClifton1
Short film analysis: The Black Hole, 2008
Long shotusedto show the scene and directthe audience’s
attentiontothe title.The cameramovementmovestothe right
at a slow almostwalkingpace,panningoverthe office to show
the setting.Editingtechnique toshow the shotthrougha
circularframe,similartothe Black Hole andtopic of the film.
Editingisusedto have the title overthe topof the shot,
showingitsdominance andsignificance.
Low-keylightingused throughoutwithgreycolourschemes,
showingit’sinsideanoffice andismaybe dull/ordinarythe
setting.Characterwearingoldoverwornworkclothes,shows
it’sthe endof the day due to the scruffytie notop buttondone
up.Dull,messyordinaryworkoffice throughthe use of props
like computers,desksandfiles. Mediumclose upof a man,
showingthe characterssignificance atthe startof the narrative.
Mid shotof the printing,withdiegeticsoundof the photocopier
and rustlingof paper.Nobackgroundmusicor dialogue,creating
an intriguingnarrative asitreliesonthe charactersactionsand
plot.Nosoundusedalsoholdsthe audience’sattentionandsets
up the filmwell in.Propof the blackhole whichlooksordinary
due to the shot showingitcomingoutof the printerinthe
office.Shownasunorthodox andoutof place inthe office.
Mid shotusedto show the maincharacter by the photocopier
and hisreactionto the blackhole,whichshowshe didn’tprintit
off. Several straightcuts,midandclose up shotsof the man
tryingto use the photocopieranddoingactivitiesbeforehe
discoversthe blackhole.These shotshowevercreate continuity
editingasthe filmflowswell,andshowsthe man’sstruggle with
the photocopierandhisactionswell throughthe camerashots.
Diegeticsoundsof movingthe paperandcrinklingthe plasticcup.
Low angledshotshowingthe camerafromthe blackhole,also
shownbythe circularframe that it’sviewed from. Mise-en-scene
of the propof the plasticcup to indicate whatwill happentothe
cup and the blackhole.The angle alsoshowsthe man’sface
dominantlyandmakessure inthatshot the audience cansee his
face,and actions.Aswell ashisreactions tothe discoveryof the
blackhole.
The low angle isalso usedaftera shortstraightcut froma
mediumclose upof the man’sreaction.The same circular frame
isusedto show that the black hole causedthe plasticcupto
disappear.Thisisusedeffectivelyasitneedstobe useddue to
there beingnodialogue.Italsorepresentsthe genre of comedy
as couldalmostbe seenas slapstick,asthere isnodialogue but
shotsshow what’shappeninginthe narrative.

2. JordonClifton2
A low angledshotisthenusedafterthe camera tracks the man
downto the blackhole.It thenbecomeseyelevel withthe
character showinghow he hasdiscoveredandisnowanalysing
the hole.Nosoundisstill used,butonlythe soundof the
photocopierandthe movementof the paper.There are then
soundsof the man makingsoundsof disbelief inthe formof
huffsandgasps.Howeverwhenthe manengagesorgoesnear
the black hole the soundbecomesmuffledandsynchronous.
Alsomakingthe soundof electricityandvoltage,whichcould
connote itspower.
Straightcut usedeffectivelycreatingcontinuityediting,while
usinga mediumclose upof the man now puttinghishandin
the black hole.Byusingthisshotitemphasisesthe powerof
the black hole,andhow he can put hishand intoit.Therefore
revealingthe powerof the blackhole tothe audience andits
purpose.Italsoshowsthe characters amazementbyit,and
how he isstartingto become curiousof whathe can do withit.
A midshotis usedto show the vendingmachine andwhatthe
character isgoingto do next.There isnocamera movement
but the character walksintothe shotfrom the leftupto the
machine.Thisshowshisnow fasterpace and excitementat
discoveringthe powerof the blackhole.The same low-key
lightingisused onthe machine andkeepstothe theme of grey
and metal.Thiscreatesthe impressionthateverythingisthe
same and ordinaryinthe setting,exceptthe blackhole.
Close upusedwiththe diegeticsoundof the muffledhumof
the black hole,whenthe characterputshishandin it.
Illustratingwhathe isdoinganddirectingthe audience tohow
the character is usingthe blackhole fora glutinousaction.
More straightcuts are usedcloselytogethershowingthe
character lookingaroundforotherpeople,andthe pace
quickeningdue tothe man’suneasinessandexcitement.
Close upisusedshowingthe maneatinga stolenSnickers
bar, whichisrepresented,ashumorousashe decidesto
steal a chocolate bar.The shotshowshimeatingthe
chocolate andthencomingacross something,asitshowshis
reactionbefore the thinghe’slookingat.Thisconveysits
importance asit’snot showninitially,andhowthisnext
thingisgoingto be more glutinousandwrongthanbefore.
Mediumclose upis cut froma mid-shotof a door labelled
‘keepout’. Byusingthisclose upemphasisesthe factthat
he isn’tmeantgo inthe room.Howeverhisgreedhasgot
the betterof himbecause of the blackhole anditspower.
Thisshot thenshowshishurriednesstogetin that room,
and how he is becominggreedier.Italsoshowshisfacial
expressionswell inthe shot,andhow he’sfeeling.

3. JordonClifton3
Thirteenstraightcutsare usedcontinuously,whichcreates
continuityeditingeffectively.There are alsovariedcamera
shotssuch as midshots,close upsand mediumclose up’s
usedineach straightcut. Thisisusedto show the fasterpace
the narrative isbuildingupto,as well asthe rushedandfast
actionsof the character.It also createsa tense atmosphere
and anticipationof whetherthe manwill getcaughtstealing
the money,or will be able togetitand leave withitall.The
diegeticsoundof the photocopierisstill presentinthe
background.Combinedwiththe noiseof the manentering
the black hole and the safe,whichbecomesmore frequent
and quick.Asthe character is puttinghishandand then
head,andthenbody intothe hole toget more money.This
connoteshisgreedformoneyinthese shots.Whereas
before ithighlightedhisgreedforfoodwiththe chocolate
bar. The mise-en-scene of the safe andthe propsof money,
showswhatthe character is doingandhow he is
manipulatingthe blackhole tobenefithim.Withthe fast
pacedstraightcuts in termsof editing,impliesthe buildup
to somethingandthe increasingexcitementof the man,as
he believeshe cangetaway withstealinglotsof money.The
close up’sshow the man’sfacial expressionsashe getsmore
and more money,andconstantlycheckingtosee if anyone is
coming.Highlightingthathe knows he shouldn’tbe doing
thisbut hisgreedhasgot the betterof him.The dominant
ideologyshowninthisshortfilmisthatif humansdiscovered
somethingextraordinarytheymayuse ittobenefitthem,
and inturn be doingsomethingmorallywrong.Meaning that
humanscan’t be trustedwithsomethingthatispowerful.A
sleepdeprived,ordinaryoffice workerisbeingrepresented
inthe text.Andrepresentshisboredomforhisjobandlife,
therefore whenhe findsthe blackhole he becomesdrunk
withpowerand greed,as hislife issoboringto him.
A midshotis usedwhile the diegeticsoundof the photocopier
printingoutsomethingisheard.Howeverthe soundisn’tthe
ordinarysoundthat the audience hearthroughoutthe short
film.Thiscouldmeanthere issomethingwrongwiththe
photocopierorthat ithas automaticallyprintedsomething
else off,potentiallyanotherblackhole orsomethingmore
powerful?There isnocameramovementforthe nextdifferent
shots,butwitheach shotthe camera is zoomedoutwhile
havingsynchronoussoundoverthe top.The nextshotisa long
shotof the safe and the money,conveyinghow the manis
stuck inthe safe due to hisgreedand carelessness.

4. JordonClifton4
Genre
The genre is clearly conveyed through the short film, and conveys the genre of crime as the main character is
stealingthroughout. Thereforethisisatypical conventionof the genre, as it shows the character breaking the law
and doingsomethingmorallywrong. The genre of shortisillustrated,asthe shortfilmisonly 2 minutes 48 seconds
longwiththe filmhavingaclear beginning,middle and end. Although comedy is the most significant genre as the
man getsstuck inthe safe due to hisgreed,which can be seen as humorous to the audience. As well as the man’s
character and reaction to the black hole, demonstrated through camera shots and editing creating humour. This
filmfeaturesthe genresof all the above asthere are clearconventionsthat are illustrated throughout. To indicate
that ‘The Black Hole’canbe categorisedintoseveral genres.Specialeffectsare asignificantfeatureof the film as it
isusedseveral timestopresentthe manexperimenting and using the black hole. It is also used to show what the
blackhole does, so the audience can see what it will lead the man to do next. Therefore to a large extent special
featuresare usedinthe filmtocreate the genre of fictionintermsof the black hole.Ibelieve thatthisgenre of film
is aimed at young adults and adults who will understand the concept of a black hole. While finding appropriate
parts humorousandunderstandthe issue of greedanditspotential impacts.Meaningtheywill understandthe film
as they can relate to how people could act in society due to too much greed. But appreciate the clever way the
narrative is demonstrated in the short film, to put across this morale.
Narrative
The narrative orderof the short filmisthatthe black hole,asit’sthe first thing that comes out of the photocopier.
Meaningthisisthe thingthatwill cause the change inthe charactersnormal day, andbe the maintopicof the film.
Therefore byhavingthe blackhole appearingsoearlyoninthe film highlights how it is the most significant thing.
The logic and order of these components then allows the rest of the narrative to take place, leading to a more
interestingstoryline andchange in the characters evening at work. Specific narrative techniques have been used
such as a cliffhangeratthe end,leavingthe audience towonderwhatwill happentothe manlockedinthe safe. As
well as having a clear beginning, middle and end even within the short time of the film. In this film characters
haven’tbeenusedintermsof representingaclearhero,villainetc.asthere isonlyone characterinit.However the
maincharacter couldbe seento be a villain,thatalthoughisn’ttryingtostopa herodoinghis quest he is behaving
immorally.
Representation
The personbeingrepresentedisastereotypically bored office worker who is staying after work to finish off work
he needstodo. Thisis shownthroughthe mise-en-scene as there are no other people in the office and he checks
his watch. The main character is seen to be sleep deprived as he yawns at the start of the film, while looking off
into the distance. Indicating that this is his daily routine or has done this many times before and is bored. The
locationisrepresentedasanoffice asthere are desks, file cabinets, paperwork and computers in the background
indicatingwhere the manworks.The low-keylightingandrepetitionof the grey metal in the work place, creates a
lifelesscharacterlesssettingforthe film.Conveyingthe stereotypicallyordinarylifestyle and job of office workers.
Which could represent office workers in a negative way, as ‘The Black Hole’ reinforces the view that all office
workersare mundane andrepetitiousdue totheirjob.Thisisrepresentedbythe mise-en-scene of the setting and
costumesputtogetherbythe producersand directorsof the film.Forthe purpose toemphasises how unorthodox
the black hole is, and how the man’s greed has taken him over due to his supposedly boring job.

5. JordonClifton5
Ideology
The significantmessage beingshownisthatif there wassomethingaspowerful asthe blackhole in society. There
is a potential that people could take advantage of it and use it to do morally wrong things for their benefit. A
similarmessage isthere isthe ethical problemthatpeopleif discoveredsomethingbeyondhuman power/reality.
Theymay become drunkwithgreed,poweretc.ashumans can be seen to be weak like this. Therefore this short
filmpresentsthesemessagestoitsaudience,althoughinahumorouswayas thisisthe genre of the film.Meaning
that althoughthere isa more seriousmessage beingconveyed/behindit.Throughthe use of comedy it shows the
viewers that it’s a hypothetical situation. On the other hand there is a more humorous message being
perpetuatedinthe film, asitcouldbe that sleepdeprivedandboredoffice workers.Coulduse ablackhole totheir
advantage andcouldleadto negative repercussionsorbreakingthe law.Inadditionthe dominantideology is that
people are greedyif itcame to the situation,where peoplecouldhave whatever they want. And they would take
advantage of the power they then held, potentially breaking the law like the character did in the end.
Theorists/Theories
Due to ‘The Black Hole’beingsucha shortfilm there are aspects of different narrative theories that link with this
film.Howeversome aspectsaren’tlinked with them as the film goes against the grain in terms of some narrative
theories.Firstlythe filmlinkwithClaudeLevi-Strauss’snarrative theoryof binary opposites. As the main character
could be seen to at the beginning be good, however after encountering the black hole. He becomes bad as he
starts to steal thingsfroma chocolate bar to large amounts of money. This narrative theory effectively highlights
howquicklyanindividual couldturnbadwhenpossessingsomethingwithsuchpower.Additionally,the man could
be seento be the villain,which is a theory put forward by Vladimir Propp. The man is the character type who has
the purpose to seekriches,gloryandpowerwithinthe narrative.Whichisclearlyillustratedwhenthe mandecides
to steal thingsforhisownbenefit.Furthermore,similar aspects can be linked with Todorov’s narrative theory, as
the equilibrium is the man in his office photocopying something. With the disruption in the narrative being the
blackhole that suddenlyappears.Andfinallytowardsthe endwhenthe mangetslocked inside the safe is seen as
the crisis. But due to the specific narrative techniques, the film leaves on a cliffhanger. Meaning we don’t get to
see the resolution or the new equilibrium, conveying that this film doesn’t fit in with all of Todorov’s theory.
However,links withsome of it showing a clear narrative has been thought out to engage the audience’s interest
and show how ‘The Black Hole’ defies conventions/expectations of short films.