treatment

A zombie is defined as a “will-less and speechless human capable only of automatic movement who is held to have died and been supernaturally reanimated.” The idea of the resurrection of the dead and the inevitable creation of an inhuman manifestation has been a part of voodoo folklore for centuries. A voodoo shaman would control a zombie, and command it to wreak havoc on those who did not favor the controller. The creature was reanimated to server the only his leader, and answer to no one. But defines this “manifestation”? Is it the horrible creatures depicted in Hollywood films? Or could it encompass something a bit more contemporary?

The cultural industry seems to “zombify” the average American. Although they promote a “democratic” mindset amongst their citizens, this industry has been able to cripple the average citizen’s ability to think freely. This is surely not democratic. When did we lose the right to choose our own opinions? From the politicians, to the massive cooperation, to our television sets; we have all lost.

An average American consumes five to six hours on media a day. This form of media is exclusively controlled by six major companies: Disney, TimeWarner, and Viacom are just a few. Most people just stare at the television mindlessly, while advertisements and idealized sitcoms tell them how to think and act. We are discouraged to question this phenomenon because this same system shuns those who disrupt its efficiency. The system has made Americans in particular “will-less and speechless”. The only difference between its take over, and that of a zombie horde, is the nullification process that it promotes. The consumer willingly and knowingly engages in a practice which, in the end, corrupts his own inhibitions and freedoms. This industry inherently feeds consumers their idea of “ethical” ideology so as to maintain control over consumption itself. This process exists only to ensure that the viewer always returns to the source of consumption: the television set.

The line between fiction and non-fiction is blurred and lost through mass media’s strangling hold over our ideologies. This cliché is what separates zombie films from most other horror films. They are a supernatural species which is controlled and willed only by the same surroundings that led to its demise. The zombie does not separate reality from fiction nor does it differentiate sanity from insanity, instead he/she acts upon a type of supernatural “control mechanism.”

This film is meant to be suspenseful with fast cuts and moody lighting. The audience should have to work to understand exactly what is going on throughout the film. This affect should make the scenes with the zombies more intense. This will also help to eliminate any biases in setting.

Certain audio techniques will also be used in a surrealistic manner. Some of these techniques will include a lack of tangible dialogue throughout the film. There is so clear beginning, middle and end in terms of a literal plot line. However, other techniques will be used so that the audience recognizes patterns, and in turn connects scenes together using mostly their subconscious. The only tangible dialogue will come from the television set. This creates a specific thematic device: the inability to voice an opinion, or convey meaning, without the direct influence of mass media. There will be found footage of old news reels to juxtapose the zombie take over. While those not infected try to communicate the immensity of the invasion, only clips from news stations and other forms of media will be heard. This is meant to agitate the audience. A strong goal I have is to create a sense of surrealism and vagueness around the protagonists, and each individual in the film. Individualism has vanished; the consumers are the infected, they are the horde of viscous zombies whose ability to formulate reason is lost.

Rough Scene by Scene/Screenplay

Scene 1: -Open with blank T.V. (Black background, strong highlights on sides of T.V)

-Cut to same T.V with static screen, audio slowly increases to static/ambient noise.

-Camera slowly pans around television, once we are completely behind T.V, three people come into view watching T.V. (didn’t know they were there before)

-After about 3 or 4 seconds of back of T.V, cut to pan across subjects faces

Cut to T.V with static, cut back to faces, cut to T.V with news playing, back to faces, back to T.V with different news station (found footage)

Scene 2: Montage of found footage and people watching T.V. Will be fast cut and hard to grasp each image separately, will make sense as a whole. (20-30 seconds)

Scene 3: Two people talking, faces never show, so as to eliminate the idea of the “individual”. Dialogue is computer generated voices, with different pitch voices.

Actor 1: What do you mean “takeover?”

Actor 2: Well…something is happening.

Actor 1: Something? Please elaborate.

Actor 2: They are, well… it seems they are gone.

Actor 1: Gone? Where did they go?!

Actor 2: Gone from reality. They have changed. Consumed.

Actor 1: PLEASE be a bit more specific, these are our friends, our family members, everyone we know.

Actor 2: They are gone, okay?! I don’t like this any more than you do. But they are gone. They are not how we remember them. They are something else. Something manifested.

Scene 4: -Cut back to same people watching T.V from the first scene. Same shot as before.

-Cut zooms to their faces. Slowly zoom out

-AFFECT: All three actors stand up and move towards the T.V (STAYING SQUARE WITH CAMERA) and turn into “zombies.”

- All three start to climb onto T.V.

- Cut back and forth to show different angles of them climbing on T.V.(x5 shots)

Scene 5: -Get as much footage as possible of people (not just three people from last scene) turning into zombies.

-Show zombies running through Amherst center, terrorizing. Found footage of old movies with people running through streets. (Try and get one shot of their faces, then mostly shots of their back’s, so as to eliminate special affects work)
- Time-lapse of Amherst/Northampton. Try and use as much footage without faces as possible.
- Cut to found footage of media news reels throughout chaos as much as possible.

Scene 6:

Actor 1: Why haven’t we changed like them?

Actor 2: Isn’t it obvious?

Actor 1: No?

Actor 2: I guess it makes sense. We consume it everyday. It all makes sense. It is the perfect plan. No one would ever suspect…

Scene 7: -Cut to static T.V. Audio levels are all over the place. Vague sounds of news reels, mixed with ambient noise and screams of people.

-Screen goes red. AFFECT: dripping of redness down screen (blood)

-Fade in chaos footage with low opacity over red dripping screen.

Scene 8:

Actor 1: SUSPECT WHAT?

Actor 2: Media. It is everywhere, how would we ever escape. They tell us how to think, it was only a matter of time before…this. Individualism has vanished; the consumer is the infected, we are the consumer. We are now the horde of viscous creatures whose ability to formulate reason is lost.

Actor 1: I don’t believe it. We would never let this happen. How could we?

Actor 2: Not a day goes by when we are not bombarded by media. We cannot escape. How would we?

Actor 1: You are right. How could we?