Art & Design Magazine

Zero: ‘Nothing’ Can Be Truly Something

By Utpalpande @utpalpande

Zero is a stop motion animation by Australian husband and wife filmmaking duo, Christopher and Christine Kezelos. This dark fairytale takes place in a world where the inhabitants are born into a numerical class system. Faced with constant prejudice and persecution an oppressed zero walks a lonely path until a chance encounter changes his life forever: he meets a female zero. Together they prove that through determination, courage, and love, nothing can be truly something.

Zero employs innocently cute characterization that directly contrasts the dark themes of racism and intolerance that underlies the story. It shows how love and the ability to see beauty in the darkest of places allows us to transcend our loneliness and despair and find an authentic connection to our world.

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Narrated by international voice over veteran Nicholas McKay, the crew comprised of multi-award winning filmmakers including director Christopher Kezelos and producer Christine Kezelos, director of photography Matthew Horrex and composer Kyls Burtland.

Zero has screened at major international film festivals and has won the award for ‘Best Animation’ from LA Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island International Film Festival, been the recipient of two awards from the Australian Cinematographers Society and received ‘Best Achievement in Sound‘ from the Flickerfest International Film Festival. It has also recently been nominated for an AFI Award in the ‘Best Short Animation’ category.

Film Stills

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Behind the Scenes

Concept Sketches

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Making Prototypes

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Making Molds

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Building Wire Armatures

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Casting The Puppets

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Fabrication: Strings, Hair & Accessories

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Turning Heads

Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something
Zero: ‘Nothing’ can be Truly Something

Awards & Nominations

  • 2010 LA Shorts Fest: Best Animation
  • 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival: First Place – Best Animation
  • 2010 ATOM Awards: Best Short Animation
  • 2010 Grand OFF – World Independent Film Awards: Best Animation
  • 2010 Naples International Film Festival: Best Short Film
  • 2010 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Script
  • 2010 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Design
  • 2011 Shorts Film Festival: Best FX
  • 2010 Flickerfest International Film Festival: Best Achievement in Sound
  • 2010 Australian Cinematographers Society: Golden Tripod – Experimental & Specialised (National)
  • 2009 Australian Cinematographers Society: Gold Award – Experimental & Specialised (NSW/ACT)
  • 2010 AFI Awards: Nominated for Best Short Animation
  • 2010 Inside Film Awards: Nominated for Best Short Animation
  • 2010 APRA Screen Music Awards: Nominated for Best Music in a Short Film

Visit the website at zeroshortfilm.com


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