Zero
Movies

In a sense, Zero is the ultimate fall guy. He follows in the tradition set by the likes of King Kong, the Creature from the Black Lagoon — except that Zero is a necessary enemy. Unlike his predecessors, he is no killer. In fact, there is no sound basis for the townspeople to hate or fear him, beyond unsubstantiated propaganda from the Authorities. Even within a utopian system, there remains a need for conflict — real conflict — and for the townspeople, Zero is the only enemy there is. There is no malevolence in his make-up; his disposition is entirely passive.

There is, however, a group — apparently from outside the town — who make contact with Zero at critical moments to restore his self-belief when the odds against him seem overwhelming. Representing a coterie known as Questor, they appear at intervals beginning with Catherine (Catherine York) in Displaced. But is their presence real — or merely a product of Zero's imagination, pure wish-fulfilment on his part?

Perhaps he is indeed intended to be the enemy of the town. But is this good or bad — and is he destined to always hold this balance alone?

Practically all my Zero Movies have been shot on celluloid. I like the 'one step removed from reality' quality that cine film offers. When I first began working with Super 8mm, I had doubts about its long-term viability — but I liked the look, and so I persevered regardless of commercial trends.

I confess to a deep fondness for the groundbreaking Hollywood silents of the nineteen twenties, and I approach colour as something precious — a great asset — rather than the somewhat blasé attitude of an era where technology makes everything simpler.

The Zero Movies are strongly anti-formula. In the conventional narrative sense, they have no beginning, no middle, no end. Their duration is only as long as I feel necessary. For me, this approach works within the framework of the concept.