Zombies from Ireland

On Sunday the 17th I awoke at 2am an odd thing to do, as this would normally be the time I finished painting and went to bed…. So why was I getting up at this hour? Simple, Ryan Kift needed zombies!
Musician/ Director Ryan Kift, and Co-Writer/Star Sian Davies are producing a local based independent movie entitled Zombies from Ireland shot mostly on the Isle of Anglesey, the story tells of the government’s misguided attempts to test swine-flu vaccinations on convicted criminals with dire consequences! The call was issued on the film’s facebook page for zombies to lurch over the Menai Bridge for the film’s dramatic climax all that was required was that you show up at 3am in your own zombie regalia! I could not refuse such a tempting offer and so I started to think of ideas for ‘my’ zombie!. I like a zombie to have a back-story, a little clue as to what this person was doing on the unluckiest day of his/ her life and so I decided ‘Hazmat Zombie’. I imagined that an attempt would have been made to contain this problem and someone would have been sent to the bridge to report on the situation and prevent possible contamination amidst the confusion he meets one of the contaminated and voilà one Hazmat Zombie!
The getup was made from a DIY coverall drizzled in red paint combining a modified joke shop mask and a pair of green wellies (for a more agricultural department look) with the getup in the car I made my way to Menai Bridge to meet my fellow zombies.

Arrived at 3am it was wonderful to see so many had showed up despite the weather everybody was in high spirits and uniquely made up chatting about inspirations and methods complimenting one and other as photographers wandered around taking photos. The actors arrived to be made up by makeup artist Anwen Peters as zombies continued to arrive on foot, by car and bikes! Ryan Kift greeted everyone and informed them that fake blood was available should they require more gore. The weather improved as dawn started to break the sound of Gulls and Oystercatchers could be heard as we made our way to the bridge. Our instructions were to make our way over the bridge in one take, action was called and we did just that. It was amazing! Lurching along with 100 zombies their scraping feet and moaning echoing across it really set the mood. It all went well apart from one incident involving a rather eager, uninvited freelance photographer who almost ruined the whole take! Thankfully precautions had been taken for such measures. One more retake from midway and it was a wrap and everyone broke character and cheered! Wonderful, a great time was had by all. Like-minded creative people had the opportunity to meet up and fulfil a wish to walk across Menai Bridge as a zombie (so glad that I wasn’t the one that wanted to do that!)

Check out the film’s facebook page for more information about the film

UPDATE: The North Wales Chronicle ran a story on the zombie shoot

© Arfon Jones 2011. All images are copyrighted throughout the world.