Cognizance by Michael Green
Cognizance is a 2007 brickfilm made by the YouTube and Brickfilms user CometGreen. It depicts an assassin walking to a job, and seeing children playing in a park, and is helped up from having fallen over by a stranger. At the end of the film, the assassin throws his gun in a bin and walks off to have another try at his life, but finds a gun pointed at his head. He closes his eyes and smiles, and the screen goes blank. The film is set to the song "Don't Panic" by Coldplay.
Meaning
The film is made to convey a simple yet deep meaning, which is this: that the hitman decides that killing others is not how he wants to live his life, and discovers the true community and humanity that is in his community. Then, at the end, when a gun is pointed at his head, the hitman smiles and lets it happen. This is because he wants to 'forget all his sins', and the only way to do this, he feels, is to die. He takes the ultimate sacrifice.
Use in other media
Cognizance was used many times in other medias.
Cognizance in the Wall Street Journal
Cognizance is regarded as a brilliant example of the Brickfilm industry, and was featured in the Wall Street Journal. It was used as an example of a Brickfilm, and was used well, for it is much more than that. It reflects the simplicity and unity of the human race's inner bonds.
Markus and George from Faithless watch Cognizance in george's bar.
Cognizance in 'Faithless'
In the film Faithless, the main character is at a bar, and is watching Cognizance. When the film finishes, he confers with the barman about what it means, and the barman explains:
"I don't understand. Who shot him?" - Markus
"That's the point. It's irrelevant who shot him. He accepts his fate." - George
Faithless's director, Gray Scale Studios, was given permission to use the short clip.
Choice of music
There have been many compliments about the choice of music in Cognizance, and it is one of many Brickfilms to have used Coldplay music.
Reviews
Below are the reviews of this film.
Brickfilms.com Review
"From the very beginning of this film, you can see that there is something that separates it from the rest of the similarly oriented films avaliable for viewing. With the introduction of the main overture [the chillingly powerful Don't Panic by Coldplay], a shiver quickly crept up my spine as I was overwhelmed with emotion. Cinematographically, this film is definitely not lacking. From the introduction of the main character to the very end, the camera shows you exactly what you need to see to understand the story, and does it in realistic color. The animation is perfect, even though you might be able to spot a few flaws if thats all you're watching it for. All of the camera movement is deadly accurate, making you believe for a second or two that it might have been done digitally. I realise how soppy this all sounds, but this is one of my truly favorite films that I force people to watch whenever I get a chance. The picture may be blurry, but it only adds (even if un-intentionally) to the environment created by the director. One for the collection, I can guarantee it." -Ladon (Brickfilms.com Reviewer)
Further Links
The film can be found: YouTube Cognizance Brickfilms Cognizance