Zero (2010)

Zealous Creative is a LA based production company that makes ads, corporate videos and short films. The creative talent like the director of Zero hail from Australia.Zero is a stop motion animation with yarn puppets with a message of rigid social structures particularly that of caste and the Untouchables.The zero of our story is an untouchable. A nothing who will never rise from the bottom. He will always amount to zilch.At school his life is tormented because he has a zero stamped on his chest. Others have numbers from 1 to 10. A number 1 may just be a lowly cleaner but even that amounts to some kind of ranking denoting a status.Zero struggles through life and into adulthood but is determined to survive the system knowing that he will never beat the system. He meets a female Zero and suddenly feels his life has meaning.Even though their love is forbidden in such a society they persevere to make it through together.The film has nice simple but smooth animation with clear cut narration. I would like to have known more of this society like where do Zeros come from? I guess there is only so much you can show in a 10 minute short but it is a thoughtful film on social status discrimination.

I came in to this short film thinking it might have something to do with mathematics . My own memory from schooldays reminded me that " everything is based around maths " but for some strange reason it's not a subject that figures very often in cinematic subject matter . Off the top of my head only two films feature the theme , one being Darren Aronofsky's feature film debut PI and Ron Howard's Oscar winning A BEAUTIFUL MIND . As it stands ZERO doesn't need to join them in the cinematic maths box because it has nothing to do with mathematics and everything to do with social hierarchy The subtext is a bit too obvious but social structure is important - perhaps far too much - to the human race . It differs in some cultures . Despite not officially existing in the Indian sub-continent the Hindu caste system is one of the most rigid social structures on Earth . Nazi racial hierarchy - itself owing vague connections to Hinduism and Indo-Aryan culture - was an example of a social order with zero social mobility . On the opposite side of the idealogical fence communism had party hierarchy where someones standing in the party allowed them privileges such as state house , sate car and state shops where party members didn't have to queue all day unlike non party members . Not even a secular democracy can guarantee true meritocracy and often social class is a life sentence except for a gifted few This might be the problem of ZERO . I constantly found myself asking what this type of society was and wanted to learn more about but it's an animated short that appeals more to the heart than the head and being animated means the animation is everything . This shouldn't be taken as a criticism because I did find the woollen puppets impressive both as a concept and as characters and you really do feel for the characters and their predicaments even if you're equally aware you are being manipulated to a degree . Perhaps in a world where Pixar animation is becoming far overused a film studio might like to employ Christopher Kezelos and his puppet animation for a feature length family blockbuster . I'm sure with the right screenplay the results would be impressive

Zero is born into a world of strict social class and order, with him being born of the lowest denomination and thus destined for nothing. Oppressed, mocked and mistreated his whole life, Zero holds to the belief that somehow even he amount to something, even if mathematically it is impossible.Although it ultimately has a message that is a bit clichéd and obvious, this short film is nicely paced to deliver it and has an engaging spin on the message thanks to the animation and the use of math throughout. The story sees yarn puppets with numbers on their chests going through life and we focus on a 0, who we see suffer and struggle with the system – not fighting it so much as being beaten by it. In telling the story it is never really funny but it does still manage to engage because the pacing of the telling is well done, with a steady tone delivered by the narration. Indeed McKay's steady and warm voice helps it a great deal, by gentling telling the tale with enough empathy that we feel for Zero, but not overdoing it to the extent of forcing the point.The animation matches this as it is oddly satisfying to see the simple yarn figures move around within the world. The ability to play with the faces of the figures is really limited by the approach but the animators compensate this by taking their time and also working the body language and physical actions effectively, so we understand feelings even though they are harder to show. It is a slight film without a huge reveal or impact, but it seems to know this and the pacing and construct helps it in this regard, playing to its strengths and limiting its weaknesses so that it plays quite smart and satisfying.

A short with an easy but still very much needed message created in a very nice stop-motion style.The story should not be new to anyone over the age of twelve, but is brought with such an elegance it is worth watching anyways. The animators did a splendid job of creating a variety of characters within the limits they gave themselves. This makes for an enjoyable watch even for grown-ups.The narrator's voice is pleasant and clear, the scenery simple and yet complete, and the music simple yet supporting.I hope the creators will use their techniques to also make some more off-the-beaten-track stories.