I was fortunate to take part in a great sociological experiment yesterday. I am a huge fan of these. They’re so much more fun when you have people there with a camera. And I’m good at them because I have the ability to not break character – at least that’s what the legend in his own mind thinks…
Any rate, it was our last day on the set of Zombie Chronicles (www.whataretheinfected.com, peep it) and we the shot list was a little erratic. We had to shoot the zombies big scene, a hallway chase then the action that follows, with the zombies camped out at the front door. (I think I’m not giving much away in anything I’ve said. Apologies if you think I am…) After that, there were some interiors between the humanoids for which the zombies were not needed. then we would finish off the night with an interior for which the zombies WERE needed.
Well, Marvin was kind enough to give us a 2+ hour break. Some of the zombies elected to take off their make up and get redone. (Shouts to Arielle for doing a great job filling in on short notice.) I, along with my boy Leon elected NOT to remove the make up. the extended ‘lunch’ went well enough at first with us just going outside the building and chilling on the benches. But that was far from enough. We decided to hoof it down to the South St. Seaport. (The location was right near the Manhattan Bridge, so not too far a jaunt.)
We took the bike path along the East River passing families with kids who were slightly horrified. We past a few couples on dates and their conversations just stopped dead. There were the guys finishing who just stopped and stared. On the way back there was one drunk who asked me if I was Michael Jackson, then proceeded to belt out a drunken rendition of Thriller.
The best part was when we did get to the Seaport though. It was just your normal average beautiful spring Saturday for many of the families, couples and groups of friends – until they saw a yolked black zombie with a gaping head wound and a big white zombie bleeding from his ear. (Such a great wound, I have to pat myself on the back for the idea…) So we rolled up on a group standing and watching the dancers/acrobats. I was hoping to get in behind a group of people and have one of them turn around and have the black family at the movies reaction. No such luck however.
We continued to the inside because the fat kid had to make pee-pee’s. the stares were just great. There was a little kid who came in the bathroom and ended up going next to me. Then he looked up and I think he won’t go again for a couple weeks. That’s how fast he stopped midstream and ran off. I felt bad for that one because I was doing my best to not make extended eye contact with anyone. I didn’t want anyone to think I was staring them down.
I liked it better just walking through looking dead ahead with unblinking eyes. I would change up my facial expressions too. At first I was going with the cold dead ahead blank Terminator stare. Then I started to mix in the pained look like I had just caught an ass whooping. (I did have a badly bloody ear as it were. Oh and a white T with dripping blood.)
Victor was great too because he took some video which I hope he posts to facebook of people stopping and staring on our walk. There was one guy who was taking pictures of Brooklyn, then stepped in front of us and I walked very close by him. He turned to see who was invading his personal space and looked right into my bloody ear. Then Leon was right behind me with the gaping head wound. Priceless.
It was overall just so much fun. Kids were scared. Adults were shocked. Short Asian people were horrified. Then we had to go back to work. And it just lacked a lil of the panache. Until I started dancing to the one song, ‘I can’t take it any longer … I hate this part right here…’ I was gettin down, son! Much love to my zombie peoples and please peep the site – www.whataretheninfected.com There are so many people’s hard work that have gone into the project. It is still my understanding that this project is just one in a series. Thank you guys for a great experience. Good times had by many…mostly those who weren’t at the South St. Seaport yesterday around 6:30 PM…
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