Fellow Zombiephiles, you understand, like we do, that the Zombie as a modern cultural object is derived almost in its entirety from the Zombie Movie, that classic, George Romero-esque horror movie archetype.
You’ve seen them. Probably more of them than you would like. We’ve all seen them.
But seeing zombie movies isn’t enough. Sometimes you just have to blaze out on your own and write a zombie movie. That’s where the Zombiephiles step in. You see, we’ve isolated five easy steps you can quickly take to create your very own zombie movie.
How to Write a Zombie Movie (In Five Easy Steps):
Sure, it sounds hard at first, but consider this: most zombie movies fall into one of three categories:
The Survivalism Zombie Movie
Most of the modern zombie classics are, in fact, zombie survivalism movies. Think Night of the Living Dead. What’s the plot? Zombies eat some chick’s brother and she takes refuge in a farmhouse with a bunch of random people. Zombies attack and eventually everyone dies. Simple. Elegant.
The Zombie Escape Movie
With more and more frequency we’re seeing the Zombie Escape Movie archetype – instead of simple survivalism, which usually brings with it necessary social criticism, the Zombie Escape Movie is a far simpler creature. Think 28 Weeks Later. Plot: some people become zombies and kill lots of other people. The main characters try to escape. Again, fairly simple plot design.
The Zombies-Aren’t-As-Bad-As-Humans Movie
This one’s really coming into its own. Movies like Fido and The Zombie Diaries tap into the basic premise that as terrible as the living dead may be, they’re got nothing on the kind of horror that human beings inflict on each other. If you’re short on zombies for your cast, you might want to consider this one.
Make like you’re in a zombie movie and scavenge for every available resource you can acquire. If your budget is particularly small, (like most of ours are), you’ll want to consider going for a single camera, low-production “documentary” style, as seen in the recent UK Zombie movie, The Zombie Diaries. Recruit friends, coworkers, family member, and homeless people – the latter require a far smaller makeup budget but pose a higher risk of actual infection. Once you’ve got a camera or two and a small handful of world-be zombie food (and a couple of zombies too, of course), you’re ready for step 3.
Check out my zombie movie at YouTube. Doesn’t exactly fit into the paradigm, but worth your time, fer sure.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qadKJzBx_uw
Hey!
I just wanted to turn your attention to a site I recently launched with a friend, http://www.zombiemeter.org. Sorry for leaving this as an offtopic comment, but I can’t find an email or contact link, so I figured this was the only place.
The site has proved to be a lot of fun over the past couple weeks, and I’m sure we’ll have fun with it in the future.
And on a sidenote, great blog! :)
Ron
Hey,
I worked with some folks to create a zombie PSA for Halloween. It’s not a fully developed zombie plot, but seemed like it would make for entertaining viewing.
You can view it here: http://www.commoncraft.com/zombies or on the wiki: http://www.zombiesurvivalwiki.com.
Viva Humanity!
Hey,
Your guide to creating a zombie movie is quite interesting. I am hoping to create my own zombie movie soon , probably set inside an apartment block..
I have many ideas on how to set out this movie but I am having trouble putting them all together.
can you please email me at Tomberry_kingz@hotmai.com
Awesome Guide. I plan to take full use of it in a “How to” movie on zombies that I’m working on. Thanks for the good work
Hi!
Nice guide you have here!
My first music video will be a zombie movie in short format…
and hey if anyone needs music for their zombie flic….. shoot an email.
NV
This guide will come in handy when my friends and I shoot our zombie movie and put it on youtube. Its going to be mostly indoors in a house in a heavily forested area. It ends with my character running into the crowd of zombies with a gun and a hand grenade and blowing myself and the zombies up, and then the other characters get to the quarintine gate so they can leave the infested area but when they get there the guards are dead and the zombies have already gotten through, so it ends on an creepy note. if anyone has any suggestions for scenes, send me an email, my email is jpmcmann@hotmail.com.
Ummmm can someone tell me how to make a Zombie website for free
Well, cody, if you’ve got zombie content you want to get out on the internet, we’d be happy to create a zombie blog for you here on the zombiephiles – and that goes for anyone else out there who wants to share their thoughts on all things zombie.
yo!
this will help me for our class project^^
pls watch my vids on youtube^^
http://www.youtube.com/xXbhenzXx
Hey, this really helps. I am thinking of making a “zombie” movie (it’s not exactly zombies… more like alive/possessed soldiers) and this helps with some of the ideas. The only thing I am really having trouble with right now is the amount of people available… seeing as our movies usually only have 3-4 willing-to-work actors
Mac-x – Since writing this article, our resident Zombiephile has begun using Twitter and has learned quite a bit that could be applied to making your own zombie movie. We suggest using social networking platforms like Twitter to drum up support for your project. Check out a Twitter user called IndywoodFilms to see how you can successfully raise both funds and actors for your own zombie movies by leveraging the power of social networking.
Zombiephiles of the world, get on Twitter!
oh ya ya! im planning on shooting a documentary style film, and had this brilliant idea! you dont need lots of zombies, two or three at a time! you could still make good hints towards their being hundreds of `em- hands against the window, guys covered in pig stomachs, ect. f your doing this documentary- stylee, it`s even easier `cos everything`s blurred and you dont need to spend mini fortunes on the zombies makeup!
cool, eh?
…now i just need a place to shoot…:(
my friend and i are making a movie and we’ve been watchin zombie movies and watchin clips on youtube and this website has helped us so much, thank you zombiephiles!!!!
Ah, Thank you, I have planning zombie splatter film and this gived me idea for plot . . . We and rest of cast live in a contryside, and near by us is a old house, perfect place to shoot a movie . . . But I dont know howto get my friends voluntarily in that place, it gives us creeps O.o
I realy like this website. It is really usefull for anything zombie realated. Good job.
I really enjoy your website!
hey, i want to be able to write a blog on here…please contact me at stevec1995@hotmail.co.uk thanks…..i have some awesome ideas
i am doing my first zombie film but i na documentry style lol this is going to be fun
Hey ZombiesAREn1c3, if the place gives you the creeps, just tell your friends that if you make a profit off the film you’ll give them a fair share. If you don’t make any money, it’s okay! You don’t have to pay them, AND you have a good zombie movie. Plus, if the house gives you creeps to begin with, that gives it more of a realistic feeling because you guys will already be scared. :D