I've never heard of this concept. It sounds like a course specific topic. Maybe it's time to ask the professor?

I've never heard of that either.

What is the on line class you are taking?

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Hi. First time I have used your forum and love the info provided. The hot buttons referred to are trigger levels which make you respond to a situation with violence, e.g, someone calls you names and you may respond violently. I dont know what the 9 buttons are however. See amazon link below for more info.
http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Buttons-Resolve-Conflict-Everyone/dp/0060196998

Excuse my ignorance, but what does that have to do with filmmaking?

I just googled hot buttons and looked at what came up.
I dont think the ?9 hot buttons? are anything to do with films but seem to be a pyschological idea. I agree that if the course admin want you to use those ideas within a subject assignment then they should cover said ideas beforehand. The student could then cover a film where several emotional factors led to violence. Of the top of my head I can think of film ?Unforgiven?by Clint Eastwood. In that a cowboy was ridiculed by a prostitute about the size of his manhood. He responded by slashing her badly. I?m sure you all can think of other films with violent responses to things. The original poster hasn?t actually said what course he is doing but it could be anything. He may be doing an online course in film studies, where you are often asked to critique films from varying angles. Perhaps bodegas 411 could enlighten us, as certified instigator asked earlier, on which course is being studied.