Homegrown Zombie Movie

The finishing touches are being made on a new film involving everyone’s favorite flesh eaters – zombies. A bloody and horrifically hilarious good time, Dead Over Heels is a short film written, produced, and directed by three students at Brooks Institute of Film and is soon to be released for public viewing.

“Dead Over Heels is about relationships that are created between humans and zombies,” said Jonathan Ward, director of the film. “Sometimes zombies want to eat you and sometimes they just want to be your friend.”

The film follows Wally, a newly revived zombie who develops an infatuation with a coffee shop barista named Stella. Along the way, Stella’s co-worker, Tom Tom, befriends the undead, calling Wally’s blood lust awesome.

The film takes cues from classic zombie genres, allowing Wally to walk toward its prey, and the apocalyptic radio and televisions broadcasts of viral outbreaks involving humans. It also works some new aspects in as well; this film is a comedy and it follows a love story. “I’ve always enjoyed zombie films because of the inherent comedy,” said screenwriter Zachariah Groll in email. “So it just seemed natural to make this film a comedy.”

The film was made for a modest $10,000. Some of the money came from the school and some from various donations and promotions. “You try and sell the film before you make it,” said producer Margaret Ward.

Dead Over Heels was made possible through the guidance of professors, and between 60-65 crew members and actors. The actors were hired through a casting agency in Los Angeles, many of whom have had previous experience in films and television. It was shot using 16mm film, and this project usually marks the end of a second year at Brooks for most students.

The project has become more fantastic than the average student film and has reached levels that professors and even the students didn’t expect. “We had a philosophy around our crew to go big or go home,” said producer Ward.

Big may be an understatement for the vision of these filmmakers. There is a Facebook group set up for promotion of the film. Also, there is a Web site under construction and talks of attaching a charity to the project. The film is even set to have a premiere. It is scheduled to hit the big screen in Los Angeles on December 14 at the Downtown Independent on South Main Street.

The film may be short on running time, but when it comes to flesh tearing merriment, the film succeeds. The three filmmakers said it best as a group answer in an email: “We just wanted to make a fun film. So many film students try to tackle heavy dramas with complex roles and life-changing themes. We decided to take a different route; we just want to entertain a few people.”

For more information on the film and its premiere, email Margaret Ward at margsward@yahoo.com.