Zombies!

Ferguson Films

Ferguson Films

We have put out a casting call for Zombies for one of our next short films,

A quick question; you all enjoy film's

I'm just a little stuck, do I go for the original walking zombies.... or these 'new' running zombies?

Thanks in advance for your help guys!!
 
Thats the thing, as its only going to be a 3 - 5 min short I thought it would of been better to have running zombies keep things flowing, but I do like the milling about mindless zombies when they are in a large group,

either would fit into the film as its ment to be more funny situation then the danger of zombies....
 
It doesn't sound like you've written this yet, I'm guessing because this would change the action in the script dramatically. Also, you have to look at what you're able to get. If you can get 15+ zombies...then having a group will work, but if you're doing a short and you want basically extra's to be in full makeup (possibly without pay?), it may take some finagling. You have to look at every angle. I wrote a zombie short that had 0 zombies. It made sense for me because I'm a comedy writer and my strength is in dialogue. Having actual zombies for me would take away from the relationship of the characters in my piece. They may add in yours.
 
I'm oldschool, but largely due to deconstructing the metaphor. Classic slow-moving zombies (if I really want to be pedantic, I'd say call them "ghouls", but zombie has stuck, so we're left with that) are representative of human mortality and the inevitability of death. The characters are forced to literally face their eventual fate, and all the conflict in a good zombie film comes between the humans as they deal (or fail to deal) with that. Other layers of metaphor and horror can be added but the bottom line is that slow moving horde is your future. What are you going to do about it?

That's for horror movies about zombies. Fast moving zombie films tend to be more action films than horror films (though there's definitely a sliding scale there). Acceptable targets for mass slaughter (who feels guilty about shooting a zombie?) that provide action-style conflict (rather than horror style). Fast zombie films have more in common with war movies, specifically a "behind enemy lines" type film than they do with horror films. So, not that there isn't a place for that, it's just not my personal taste.

So then, following up on Zensteve's line of thought, does being in a horror-type situation or being in an action-type situation lead to the humor you're looking for? Either way, there's your answer!

Addendum:
bez said:
I wrote a zombie short that had 0 zombies. It made sense for me because I'm a comedy writer and my strength is in dialogue. Having actual zombies for me would take away from the relationship of the characters in my piece. They may add in yours.
Click to expand...

Fantastic! And like a good horror-type zombie film, it's about what happens in the situation, rather than being about the situation! Did you ever film it; I'd love to see it!
 
How about BOTH types.. Level 1 just animated...Level 2 got them some brains! and energized. Might make for a good suprise, first one encounters the slow ones, then BAM ! fast zombies ! WTF ?
 
you guys have helped so much.

I have had a lot of intrest for unpaid zombies within the first 12 hours of putting out the casting call.

We have decided to break it down into three linked shorts we start the storyboarding on Sunday,
I will tell everyone we are going for the slow moving horde of zombies and when the living think they have out witted them...... then we will pull out the big guns.

again - Thanks guys
 
Just because Video Games are a main part of what I do, I would draw your attention to Left 4 Dead and Left 4 Dead 2, two very popular and successful zombie survival video games.

What makes me bring them up is that they deal with the subject of different "types" of zombies (called The Infected) in a unique fashion.. You have your brain-dead zombies who stand around and ignore you. If you set off a car alarm however, they swarm and move very quickly towards the source of noise.

To make things a bit more interesting, they then have several other subclasses of zombies who each have certain abilities. One of my favorites is this giant hulking beast of a monster who is, essentially, a proximity bomb who explodes when coming close to your character. On the other spectrum, you have an extremely swift urban-ninja kinda zombie who specializes in chasing and taking down your characters.

It sounds like you've already got the casting call out, but it might be some food for thought.

http://left4dead.wikia.com/wiki/The_Infected - Ctrl+F "Boomer" and read from there for the specialized ones.
 
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Does your story begin in the midst of a zombie apocalypse? As the type of 'zombie' should be based around the way in which the zombies have come about. If there is no back story for their arrival then you can go for any type you want. Also, it depends what kind of feel you are going for, mindless zombie killing fun and action (Dawn of the Dead, Zombieland etc) or a post apocalyptic, dystopian feel (28 Days Later). If you want the audience to feel threatened and scared by this 'invasion' then definitely go for the fast, infected type as it has a sense of reality to it, the idea of infection is easily believable and some do believe that something like that is actually possible and will therefore create a tenser more atmospheric film. If going go for just an action, slasher genre then take the slow zombies, everyone loves a bit of zombie brain smashing. But as I say, it depends entirely on what audience you are aiming at and the effect you are trying to create
 
Personally I prefer the slow mo zombies as I `grew up` on that type with Romero. I think they can still give plenty of menace and allows the tension to build up before the character gets it. On faster pace zombies they are more the immediate unexpexcted shock types. Both kinds have their place though and it depends, as other people have said, what kind of movie you are wanting to do.
 
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