Zombie Movie Questions

sinister0101 · Dec 20, 2011

If this is in the wrong section ill delete it.
Im gonna write a little short film based on a zombie infection that goes through the town turning people into zombies but a select few are immune and struggle to survive. What exact type of materials would i need as far as make -up, and since i can't afford any of the video copilot effects for blood splat and gun shot flashes.

mad_hatter · Dec 21, 2011

Sorry, but it's almost impossible to answer your question without knowing exactly what you're trying to achieve, what equipment/computer software you already own and what your capabilities are.

For example, I'm guessing you don't have AE right? What NLE do you intend to edit with? If it's iMovie or WMM you'll struggle to add any digital effects, like muzzle flashes for instance. Most other NLE's will allow you to add these effects, some of which you can find for free with a simple Google search.

As far as blood splatter goes, why go digital? Can you not just throw some fake blood about the place?

harpsichoid · Dec 21, 2011

CGI blood splatter looks stupid, all the time.

sinister0101 · Dec 21, 2011

mad_hatter said:
Sorry, but it's almost impossible to answer your question without knowing exactly what you're trying to achieve, what equipment/computer software you already own and what your capabilities are.

For example, I'm guessing you don't have AE right? What NLE do you intend to edit with? If it's iMovie or WMM you'll struggle to add any digital effects, like muzzle flashes for instance. Most other NLE's will allow you to add these effects, some of which you can find for free with a simple Google search.

As far as blood splatter goes, why go digital? Can you not just throw some fake blood about the place?

I have a Mac Book Pro with iMovie, Premiere, FCPX.

HedgesPictures · Dec 21, 2011

Plenty of good fake blood recipes online to do practical effects. And it's cheap to make. The one I use is just water, food coloring, and cocoa powder. Tastes like chocolate milk and looks great.

My personal opinion is that anything you can do on set, do it on set. Then enhance with digital fx.

JoshL · Dec 21, 2011

Just a thought, if you can't afford an action movie with zombies, why not make a horror movie with zombies? No guns, monsters in the dark and/or barely glimpsed (which is both spooky and covers for makeup skills). Focus on people trapped and trying to stay alive, who have no idea what to do. Capture fear and panic. You can do good horror inexpensively.

(this message paid for by People For the Reduction of Explosions in Zombie Films. Support your local PFREZF chapter today)

John@Bophe · Dec 21, 2011

I agree w JoshL. People are generally more impressed with a simpler movie done really well, then a more elaborate movie done ... well, not as well. And CG effects (as mentioned above) are rarely convincing unless you have major financing to have it done by a professional FX studio. Figure out what you can afford to do effectively and really well, then base your story / action around those items.

John@Bophe · Dec 21, 2011

BTW - there are lots of tutorials on youtube for applying zombie makeup. All you should need is a bottle of liquid latex and several face paint colors. These are available at costume supply stores.

knightly · Dec 21, 2011

detonatinofilms.com has some free stuff still for digital assets, but they'll still look a bit digital... better jawsing the badies (not showing them because they're broken/look like carp -- typo, fixed then changed back 'cause it was funny)... far freakier.

Murdock · Dec 21, 2011

knightly said:
detonatinofilms.com has some free stuff still for digital assets, but they'll still look a bit digital... better jawsing the badies (not showing them because they're broken/look like carp -- typo, fixed then changed back 'cause it was funny)... far freakier.

1. This man was obviously shot with a harpoon gun.

2. Why is that?

1. I don't know exactly. It just looks like carp.

rayw · Dec 21, 2011

Murdock said:
1. I don't know exactly. I just looks like carp.

LOL!

I love it!