The Black Hole - Holly Stone

The Black Hole

Media Language

The opening sequence of "The black hole" begins with a "de-saturated" scene. The colors of the scene we open up on may project an idea of misery as the camera tracks in and establishes who appears to be an office worker.

Above is the progressing shot we see at the beginning of the short film. 
The colors are pale and dark, which essentially works like "pathetic fallacy."

As the shot is stopped at a "close up" of the protagonists face, his facial expression and body language suggests that he is potentially "tired" and "fed up". A direct cut  to a close up of a printer/copier continues with him pushing the button which appears to be unresponsive. Another "direct cut" takes us back to the protagonist once again, facially showing hes annoyed with the fact that the machine isn't working, a technique of misc en scene. There appears to be no music track in the beginning of this film, the sounds of the machine and the character are amplified to be the loudest sounds in the room, Diagetic sounds.

As the protagonist begins to get more irritated, he continuously presses the button but his body language shows his patience is growing thin. Continuous cuts show his body language change to grow rapidly more impatient as he begins to kick the machine, a close up demonstrating this. 

Above is one of the close ups used from a direct cut to show the impatience of the character.

Another direct cut in the above image shows the protagonist kicking the printer.The diagetic sound appears to be edited as if to echo through the audience. 

Once again a cut is used to bring us to a "high angle shot" of the printer, as it prints out a piece of paper with a black circle imprinted onto it. "Match on action" is used to show the protagonist picking up the paper, and a direct cut shows his confused facial expression as he analyses the paper.



After appearing shaken up, he puts the paper to the side and investigates the copier, only to find there is nothing in there which could have been copied into a black circle. The protagonist shakes his head in confusion, once again a use of "misc en scene" to show his emotion in this situation. The continuous beeping sound made by the printer builds tension, it makes the audience feel nervous and uneasy. 

After he looks at his watch  we are given a "worms eye view" from what the audience would presume is the black hole. The non-diagetic sound which appears to be edited into the worms eye view, almost acts like a stereotype for the black hole on the piece of paper. As scientists cant explain where a blackhole leads or what it sounds like, the deep music which is used from the blackholes perspective stereotypically adds to its mystery. This sound may keep the audiences attention. 


As the protagonist places his cup down onto the piece of paper, the blackhole appears to swallow it. Once again proving the stereotype of objects disappearing into a blackhole. Our protagonist puts his hand down onto the piece of paper, only to find that the blackhole swallows it, and then returns it with him holding the cup he put down. The sound of the protagonists breathing becomes louder as he begins to panic , the diagetic sound may make the audience aware of something which may be happening soon, raising tension but at the same time confusion. 

Above is a screenshot of he protagonists shocked and scared facial expressionto what he has just witnessed. The use of Misc en scene attracts the
audiences attention and may also make them want to be involved in the mystery.

Through all the tension demonstrated by our protagonist and his reactions to the mysterious black hole, the next shots appear humorous if anything. He begins to jab his arm into the blackhole, the non-diagetic sound repeatedly playing as he does so, and then places the blackhole onto a vending machine. This may confuse the audience but in the same way humor and delight them as it is a unexpected plot twist to what they may have expected to happen with all the tension built within the scene. 

This mid-long shot shows the humor side of the protagonist.

As our protagonist walks towards the camera with the food he stole from the vending machine. His facial expressions show a change in mood, as if he feels powerful. He then chooses to break into an office which was locked.

The dark lighting and the protagonists facial expression may suggests he is up to no good. The lights flicker as if to highlight his evil scheme.

He then places the blackhole on the vault and begins to steal money. Close-ups on the money he places on the floor and cuts to him as he progresses in taking more money may begin to raise tension to what may happen next. He then climbs into the blackhole, the sound of the hole getting louder as it swallows him, only for the tape
to fall off the vault and the paper fall to the floor. This pronounces the end of the film.

The camera zooms out of the scene, the beeping of the printer still continuing. We hear banging from inside the vault, suggesting the protagonist is trapped inside. A humorous and
confusing ending to the short film.