Critique of Shane Acker's 9

Critique 9:

9; the short computer animated student film, directed by Shane Acker (2005) evokes a visually amazing and intricate world, opening up revenues for curiosity within the audience. Though Tim Burton turned the short film into a feature and expanded on the universe of 9, Acker successfully paved the way for the creation of the world and story, utilising a terrifying obstacle, a quest for the hero to overcome, and a resolution to the film using ingenious story structure; all within the short duration of 11 minutes, as well as a lack of dialogue or narration to deliver such a feat.
Though arguably the short story is a feast for the eyes, with a beautifully told story, it is far more then a visual display of computer generated graphics. Acker successfully creates a high stakes plot, as well as developing deeper themes of which the audience can relate to.
The contention of this essay will argue that Acker’s 9 is a demonstration of successful use of story structure, as well as meeting criteria for successful film making, covering and expanding on facets such as character, obstacles, environments, themes and lighting.
This essay will critique both the visual aspects of Acker’s 9, as well as it’s use of story arc and structure, character development and design, lighting and environment.

After being introduced to the protagonists 5 and 9, the first element of the story that the audience is shown, is the world and environment the characters exist in. The world compared to our miniature hero’s is dark and post apocalyptic, riddled with discarded gems of debris and treasure, which the two characters cultivate for an unknown and intriguing purpose. The striking backdrops of the film, being shattered ruins of civilisation, are reminiscent of “Old photos from Chernobyl and bombed-out European cities during World War II.” When watching 9, the viewer can get a “sense of a fully developed world that’s just begging to be explored and fleshed out”

By making the props that the character collect enormous in size, dwarfing our hero’s, an audience is affected by these visuals in a simple sense, they can deduce two things: that the world is big and our heroes are small and vulnerable. Through the use of props, straight away the characters are given a vulnerability which adds to the tension of the films progression.

The lighting, being dim and eerie is also complimentary to this tension building aspect of the short film where in the green light coming forth from 5’s talisman, which warns the two of danger. Usually, red is commonly used as a symbol of immediate danger, micking the colour of blood and fire. Acker uses sophisticated facial expression and character acting to tell the audience that green is in fact representing a threat. This play on colour adds a new dimension to the film, as it is both unique in it’s delivery and also helps give a green monstrous glow to the scenery and characters, helping to show the audience that something ghastly, sickly green and monstrous is approaching. The green talisman become central to the plot shortly after, and begins to play symbolically by representing two things; both the character’s ‘soul’ and ‘danger’ given the different circumstances of the plots development. Using a symbol that comes to represent two things is tricky to pull off and commendable in this case, as if it were poorly executed the result would be confusing. “Containing powerful, thought-provoking science fiction themes.”

After gathering visual hints towards the theme of the film, the speculation that the audience is teased with opens up great avenues for questioning, and expanding on these themes. “The film is set during a near future in which humanity has been wiped out, a victim of destruction at the hands of the machines man himself created. “All that’s left of humanity resides within 9 tiny creations, man-made creatures that each carries with them a different piece of the human spirit.”


After 5 is killed, Acker uses the design of his monster, being entwined and draped in the slain characters clothing, to reveal two things to the audience, that the monster is killing the heroes of the story, that this threat has been around for quite some time, and that 9 the protagonist is directly in danger of being hunted down next. This adds a threatening, imminence to 9’s situation, ingeniously creating an obstacle for the character to overcome as well as building more tension, all through the use of visual design. “The monster seems almost perfect for the environment they come from, and the characters are very well emotionally presented considering their darned faces.” Again adding to the post apocalyptic nature of the short film, we can critique the 9’s design. “These 8-inch tall creatures, which Acker describes as "stitchpunk" beings, are pieced together from scraps of material, reflecting the desperation of the time.”

To deal with the threat, the items 9 collects in the start of the film, begin to be utilised again for the purpose of crafting a trap, tying up the loose ends neatly by explaining why in the beginning the two were harvesting junk, also satisfying the audiences curiosity in a timely and well executed manner. Further more, this also reveals to the audience 9’s central character traits, which helps paint the characters personality and development. Already we can deduce that he is cautious, patient, and very clever.

When the monster or antagonist falls for the bait, and is destroyed in the process, 9 collects his fallen comrades clothing and prepares them for ceremonial burning. After collecting the talisman, 9 watches in awe as the spirits of the fallen walk off to rest in peace, after receiving a nod of approval from 5. The concept of rest, and moving on to the after life, as well as being avenged allows the resolution of the story structure to come to a close, leaving 9 and the environment alive with a dabble of intrigue, which was obviously enough to spark the interest and creative of Tim Burton.

The rag doll design, with an interwoven wool texture has been mimicked and used within popular culture and games after 9’s release. Little big planet used a similar design, creating doll like creatures that had a similar texture attached to them and even had a zip similar to Acker’s characters. The woollen rag doll texture has also popped up in numerous animations and designs over the years, reinforcing the fact that 9 was innovative and contagious in its delivery and design.

To conclude, the visual aspects of 9 were original, dark, and refreshingly creepy. The characters’ design contributed both to their development as creatures within a believable world, and helped to deliver story elements visually. Colour and lighting was ingeniously used to symbolise multiple facets, allowing the audience to soak up different themes. Visually one could conclude that 9 was flawlessly beautiful, which is odd considering the world itself was post apocalyptic in design. Shattered buildings were complimented by soft lighting, mixing two contrasts together in a seamless and artistic fashion, “resented through faction fantasy pretty much existing as never-before-seen.”

“Despite its technical and artistic innovation’ however ‘perhaps Acker's emphasis on story will be what “9” is ultimately remembered for.” Often concerning the animated film world, it seems rare to find a balance between visual aesthetics and story, where in directors place emphasis on one or the other, rarely both. 9’s success I feel is largely due to the mastery of both these fields.
Wasting no time, the audience is hit with one tension packed plot point after the other, propelling our hero forwards against perilous odds. Acker has no need for lengthy shots that show off the modelling and texturing of his world, but rather wastes no time in feeding the audience a masterful build of tension and release. Each shot is filled with information, always contributing the stories development, and never overly glorifying, or rubbing the visuals into the audience’s faces.
Without dialogue, or narration Acker takes no easy path in telling his tale; portraying a “simple yet profound story telling without words, transcending past language barriers producing a universal story for all.”

“its clear why Tim Burton produced a feature film version since the film is full of possibilities.” One feat that can be attributed to 9, is that although it is fairly short in duration, the story found within each scene creates so much intrigue, with monsters, creatures and their origins so tempting to explore. Some of the best writers master the art of showing, not telling, and usually the greatest part of a story is not the part that is stated, but of all the thousands of possibilities and interpretation that a clever director can hatch within the viewers mind. “Acker also leaves much to our imagination, such as how the universe in 9 came to what it is now, a post-apocalyptic wasteland. The meaning of the ending, and the meaning or moral of the film itself, is also open to interpretation.”

To conclude Acker’s 9 is a demonstration of a beautifully and difficultly told story, matching Pixar’s high end standard of lighting, character movement and acting, as well as story arc. Creating multiple themes and symbols that come to represent so many different things simultaneously. By meeting criteria for successful film making, covering and expanding on facets such as character, obstacles, environments, themes and lighting, the greatest must redeeming quality of 9 is its originality and the intrigue it sparked in the viewers mind, who begs for more, and eventually got it.












Bibliography:

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Churchill, Steven. "Shane Acker discusses his award winning film '9'". AnimationTrip.com. http://www.animationtrip.com/item.php?id=742. Retrieved (January 15, 2010)

Amidi, Amid (February 9, 2007). "Shane Acker's 9". Cartoon Brew. http://www.cartoonbrew.com/cgi/shane-ackers-9. Retrieved (January 15, 2010.)

Focus Features (March 21, 2007). "Animated Epic 9 Sets All-Star Voice Cast". Press release. http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=19457. Retrieved (January 15, 2010)