Operator: A Disturbing, Stop-Motion Animated Short

When our friends at GeekTyrant described Operator as “creepy,” they seem to have hit the nail right on the head. But it’s so well done we think it’s worth watching through to the end regardless  of the creep factor.

Operator is a stop motion animated short film about a man named Bob, attacked by a bio-mechanical parasite, fighting for his life and family against forces much greater than himself.

Directed by Sam Barnett, who describes his approach to the film: “I was inspired by a few things to make this film. Firstly, Cordyceps mushrooms which infect and control the minds of ants, causing them to climb up as high as possible so that when the mushroom finally bursts from the ants head the spores are spread as far as possible by the wind.” Secondly, “parasitic ideas” – such as ideologies designed by cults or oppressive regimes explicitly to weaken and control the holders of such beliefs, and the callous mechanization of corporate bureaucracy. sprawling bureaucracies in super massive organizations can have so many moving parts and conflicting interests that no human maintains real control.”