PRESS KIT
Short Film: Stop Motion Animation
Duration: 12 minutes 32 seconds
Written and Directed by
Christopher Kezelos
Produced by
Christine Kezelos
ZEALOUS CREATIVE
Los Angeles, California
USA
chris@zealouscreative.com
www.zealouscreative.com
A Zealous Creative production, produced with assistance from Screen NSW.
ABOUT ZERO
TAGLINE
How can nothing be something?
LOG LINE
Born into a world of numbers, an oppressed zero discovers that through determination, courage, and love,
nothing can be truly something.
SYNOPSIS
In a world that judges people by their number, Zero faces constant prejudice and persecution. He 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.
DETAILSSALES AGENT
Narration:
Writer/Director:
Producer:
Genre:
Length:
Aspect Ratio:
Language:
Shoot Location:
Completion Date:
Website:
Nicholas McKay
Christopher Kezelos
Christine Kezelos
Animation
12’32
16:9
English
Sydney, Australia
November 2009
zeroshortfilm.com
Name:
Mail:
Flickerfest Short Film Bureau
PO Box 7416
Bondi Beach
NSW 2026
Australia
Phone: +61 2 9365 6877
Fax:
+61 2 9365 6899
Email:
manager@flickerfest.com.au
Website: flickerfest.com.au
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
AWARDS, NOMINATIONS & SCREENINGS
AWARDS / NOMINATIONS
- 2010 LA Shorts Fest: Best Animation
- 2010 Rhode Island International Film Festival: First Place - Best Animation
- 2010 Grand OFF - World Independent Film Awards: Best Animation
- 2010 ATOM Awards: Best Animation
- 2010 Naples International Film Festival: Best Short Film
- 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 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Script
- 2010 Bondi Short Film Festival: Best Design
- 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
- 2010 Australian Screen Sound Awards: Nominated for Best Sound in an Animated Short Film or Program
SCREENINGS
- 2010 Palm Springs International ShortFest & Film Market: Official Selection
- 2010 Savannah Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Hiroshima International Animation Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Seoul International Cartoon Animation Festival: Official Selection (SICAF Choice)
- 2010 Anima Mundi International Animation Festival of Brazil: Official Selection (Panorama)
- 2010 Bradford Animation Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 St Kilda Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Lucania Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Australian Effects and Animation Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Anim’est International Animation Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Bumpershoot - Seattle Music & Arts Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 North Country Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 ANIMANIMA - International Festival of Animation: Official Selection (Panorama)
- 2010 Anaheim International Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Foyle Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Montreal Stop Motion Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Science Fiction + Fantasy Short Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Animated Dreams Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Etudia&Anima Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Dawn Breakers International Film Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Open Media Festival: Official Selection
- 2010 Adelaide Film Festival: Official Selection
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
CAST & CREW BIOS
NICHOLAS MCKAY
NARRATOR
Nicholas studied acting at Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Arts and graduated with
a Bachelor of Dramatic Art in Acting. (B.D.A. NIDA)
Nicholas has an amazing vocal range, matched only by his diverse client base. Nicholas
can play the part of a 5 year old boy or an 85 year old man. From epic, international movie
trailers, to ads and animations.
He’s a signature voice/actor and a favorite with many big brands, radio stations, television
channels and corporations… national and international.
Nick is now represented by renowned manager, Winter Artist Management and famed
agent, Danis Panaro Nist (DPN) in Hollywood, who are taking care of Nicholas’ international
movie trailer voiceover career.
CHRISTOPHER KEZELOS
DIRECTOR
In 1996, Christopher graduated from Sydney University’s ‘Sydney College of the Arts’,
majoring in film production. For more than a decade he has worked as a writer, producer,
director and editor on ads, online videos and award winning short films through his
production company Zealous Creative.
In 2009 Christopher wrote, directed and animated a stop motion short film called Zero. It
has won 11 awards including ‘Best Animation’ from LA Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island
International Film Festival and has been nominated for an AFI Award in the ‘Best Short
Animation’ category.
He’s recently finished his latest film, a stop motion short called The Maker which is currently
touring film festivals. He’s also developing a number of new projects including a stop motion
animated feature and live action TV series.
FILMOGRAPHY
The Maker (2011)
Zero (2009)
For Doris (2008)
DentaMate (2006)
Become One (2005)
Reflections (2005)
Annie, Forget Your Gun (2005)
A Tasteful Bunch (2004)
Nature’s Wonder Fruit (2004)
Margaret (2004)
SMS (2003)
No Butts About It (2003)
Dentophobia (2001)
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
CHRISTINE KEZELOS
PRODUCER
Christine is the co-owner of Zealous Creative, a boutique production company based in
Los Angeles. She has been writing and producing award winning short films, ads and online
videos since 2001.
In 2009 she produced a stop motion animated short called Zero. The film has won 11 awards
including ‘Best Animation’ from LA Shorts Fest and the Rhode Island International Film Festival
and has been nominated for an AFI Award in the ‘Best Short Animation’ category.
Christine’s latest stop motion short film called The Maker is currently touring festivals. She also
has a number of new projects in development including a stop motion animated feature
and live action TV series.
MATTHEW HORREX
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Matthew Horrex has been working in the Film and Television industry for nearly 15 years. He
is currently employed as the series Director of Photography for “All Saints”, one of Australia’s
most watched dramas. His most recent work on the series has received accolades from the
Australian Cinematographers Society, winning several NSW silver and gold awards and a
national ACS Award of Achievement in Cinematography.
In addition to his work in television, Matthew’s cinematography has been featured on many
award winning international short film projects. His film DentaMate was screened in the
‘Rhode Island International Film Festival’ in 2006 and Annie, Forget Your Gun was awarded
first prize at the ‘Young at Heart’ Short Film Festival.
His work on Zero has recently awarded him two awards from the Australian
Cinematographers Society, a NSW ‘Gold Award’ and the coveted ‘Golden Tripod’.
DAVID COX
ANIMATOR
David Cox has been illustrating, sculpting and animating since 2000. After graduating with
honours in 2001, specialising in illustration and animation, he went on to work at the Jim
Henson Company.
Working for the Sydney-based Creature Shop, David’s expertise in moulds and prosthetics
was first shown on the TV series Farscape.
David has since created his own stop-motion animation film, illustrated two children’s books
and worked as a Production Artist for various leading publishing and digital companies.
His most recent stop motion animation is the multi award winning Zero, where David was
responsible for concept illustrations, character modelling and animation.
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
KYLS BURTLAND
COMPOSER
After winning Best Score on graduation from A.F.T.R.S (the Australian Film and Television
School), Kyls went on to be nominated for Emerging Talent of the Year by the Film Critics
Circle in 2003. She has composed music for over 40 films, and 300 TVCs and idents, and her
scores have shown at festivals all over the world, winning two events in particular; La Shorts
2005, for ‘A Letter from Fallujah’, and the St Kilda Festival for ‘Swing’ in 2008.
Kyls is perhaps best known for her musical rebranding of ABC TV which won a Gold Promax in
New York in 2007 and again in 2008.
In 2009 she was nominated for an ASTRA award for her musical children’s show ALPHABREAKS
for Disney channel. And three TV series for free to air have followed this accolade; Recruits,
Guerilla Gardiners, and Jesters.
BRETT BIMSON
PRODUCTION DESIGN
As a graduate of Visual Communications, Brett has been involved in digital design since the
mid 1990’s working for a variety of digital media agencies and traditional agencies such as
Clemenger BBDO and Host.
As a Senior Art Director, Brett has directed and co-developed a number of projects that have
been recipients of prestigious awards locally and internationally, including an AIMIA, several
ADMA Awards, 2 IAB Awards, a New York Festivals award and most recently a Gold Pencil at
The One Show. Clients include Sega, RTA, Uncle Tobys, Mitsubishi and V Energy Drink.
Brett also works as a production designer having recently completed work on the multi
award winning short film Zero. He was also responsible for designing the film’s matte
backgrounds.
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
ZERO CREDITS
Produced with assistance from the New South Wales Film and Television Office.
Narrated by
Nicholas McKay
Written and Directed by
Christopher Kezelos
Produced by
Christine Kezelos
Director of Photography
Matthew Horrex
Animated by
David Cox
Christopher Kezelos
Assistant Animators
Mark Lagana
Christine Kezelos
Original Music by
Kyls Burtland
Matte Painting &
Production Design by
Brett Bimson
Sound Design, Foley & Mix
Brendan O’Brien
Visual Effects Supervisor
Justin Alvarez
Compositors
Justin Alvarez
Carlo Monaghan
Brad Roddy
Chris Jackson
Mike Foxall
Heather Galvin
Desmond Waterman
Douglas Njegovan
Kieran Kenny
Darrin Hanley
Bevan Lynch
Erik Fazekas
3D Artists
Robert Mack
Chris Burness
Jorge Arturo Hernandez Ruiz
Bevan Lynch
Michael Yates
Online Editor
Billy Wychgel
Offline Editor
Christopher Kezelos
Edit Consultant
David Maurer
Colourist
Billy Wychgel
Credit Roll
Heather Galvin
Sculpting & Models
David Cox
Carpentry
Jim Kezelos
Set Design & Construction
Bonnie Tulloh
Ai Ikeda
Elisabeta Goanta
Jim Kezelos
Ziad Jamal
David Cox
Christine Kezelos
Christopher Kezelos
Painting
Olivier Strobel
David Cox
Props
Bonnie Tulloh
Ai Ikeda
Rueben Carlsen
Olivier Strobel
David Cox
Ziad Jamal
Susan McClymont
Christine Kezelos
Shelley Hepworth
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.
Fabrication
Christine Kezelos
Costume Designer
Katie Nimmo
Children’s Drawings
Hannah Jamal
Singer
Robyne Dunn
Additional Voices
Reina McAndrew
Shelley Hepworth
Anthony Clarke
Kyls Burtland
Keely O’Brien
Tully O’Brien
Lisa Hill
Brendan O’Brien
Christine Kezlos
Christopher Kezelos
Recording Studio
Linear Studios
Colony NoFi
Love Htz Studio
Producer Mentor
Warwick Burton
Script Editor
Christine Kezelos
Catering
Mama Kezelos’ Kitchen
Thanks to
Valerie Allerton
David Cox
Justin Alvarez
Ridwan Hassim
Nick Doherty
Marshall Heald
Margaret Murphy
Special Thanks to
Jim & Nina Kezelos
Reina McAndrew
Nathan Stewart
Brett Bimson
Matthew Horrex
Ziad Jamal
Matt Smith
Andros Walsh
Tia & George Gialouris
Toby Wilkins
© 2010 Zealous Creative. For enquiries, contact chris@zealouscreative.com.