Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse
| Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse | |
|---|---|
 Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse US film poster | |
| Directed by | Declan Shrubb |
| Produced by |
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| Written by | Declan Shrubb |
| Starring |
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| Music by |
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| Cinematography | Miguel Gallagher |
| Edited by | Rafael Perez |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
Titan View Lightyear Entertainment |
Release dates |
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Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse (working title: Dead Exchange) is a 2015 Australian zombie comedy horror film written and directed by Declan Shrubb and developed through ScreenACT's 2012 Low Budget Feature Pod.[1][2] The film features the actors Jim Jefferies, Alex Williamson, Adele Vuko, Greg Fleet, Andy Trieu and Matt Popp, with cameos by Eso from Bliss N Eso, Jim Punnett and The Roundabout Crew.[3][4]
Background
The film is described as "the first oz-zom-com,"[5] and an Australian zombie comedy representing is the feature film debut of Australian comedians Jim Jefferies and Alex Williamson. Written and directed by Declan Shrubb, the film tells the story of three Australian telecom tradesmen who find themselves trapped in a telephone exchange during the onset of a zombie apocalypse.[6][7] Filming began January 2014 in Canberra and was completed on February 2.[2]
Production
Under its working title of Exchange, the film was one of ten projects selected out of 42 submissions to ScreenACT. The project received production funding and the production team received the benefit of a program consisting of three months of intensive development, working on script, budget, financing and distribution plans. It was one of three films chosen for production funding of $120,000 but was the only film that ended up being produced.[8]
The project is a crowd funded feature film which was made possible through indiegogo.[9] The team behind the film raised $41,439 USD with 471 backers, surpassing their initial goal of $30,000 USD and breaking the record at the time for crowdfunding an Australian feature film.[10]
The project was shot in Canberra through January and February 2014.[6][11] To raise funds for an extra day of shooting, a second indiegogo campaign was run which raised an additional $5,000 USD.[12]
The completed film was released in Australian cinemas[1] via the Tugg cinema-on-demand platform.[13] Premiering on July 24, 2015, it became Tugg Australia's most requested film, and was featured on National 7 News for this accomplishment.[14] It screened in every state and territory in Australia. It is distributed through their website where it can be rented or purchased.[6] and in stores on DVD and Vimeo-on-Demand September 9, 2015. It was released on DVD in UK on May 2, 2016 through Matchbox Films,[15] and was released in the US on July 5, 2016 by Lightyear Entertainment.
Synopsis
The zombie apocalypse has finally happened in Australia; two tradesmen, Darryl (Alex Williamson) and Joel (Jim Jefferies), meet at a telephone exchange tower to take refuge in it. The two meet at the front and Joel shows Darryl that their friend Roy’s (Greg Fleet) undead wife (Jackie Murray) is in the back of his ute, which prevents them from retrieving their beer. After an argument Darryl is forced to shoot Roy’s wife in the head. Their older friend Roy meets the two there with his daughter Emma (Adele Vuko), and Darryl proceeds to poorly flirt with Emma, much to Roy's dismay.
After discussion about their plans to survive, Joel decides to fix the 3G tower to make an emergency call to the military to alert them of their location and to get rescued by the military. While waiting for the tower to get fixed, Emma and Darryl become intimate, during which a firework goes off in the distance and the zombies surrounding their location migrate. At this point two strangers wearing paintballing gear enter the tower; they remove their masks and are revealed to be the apprentices: Ryan (Matt Popp) and Lachlan (Andy Trieu), who is Emma’s boyfriend. Joel fixes the phone line and talks with the military, telling them that there are survivors in the tower. Meanwhile, the apprentices tell the other guys that the military caused the zombie apocalypse and that calling them is the last thing they should do. The team then argues and decides to split up, Joel, Roy and Darryl wish to get picked up by the military and Ryan, Lachlan and Emma decide to hide in case the military are in fact malicious. Roy begins to show symptoms that he is infected.The military jeep drives past and misses the tower. Joel goes to the roof to launch fireworks to catch the military's attention, the firework falls and ignites the pile in Joel's arms, Joel is blown up by the fireworks.
The military pull up to evacuate the building and distracted by Roy’s poor wording of the situation, the two soldiers are then eaten by the hoard of zombies, during this a zombie picks up Joel’s access card from his severed leg. The team decides to make a dash for the military’s weapons and vehicle, during the planning, the zombie that grabbed the access card opens the building and the hoard begins to move in. The apprentices make a dash to drive off the hoard while Emma runs to the senior soldier’s corpse to retrieve his car keys. She starts the car and grabs the apprentices, Lachlan sprains his ankle running to the car.Darryl admits to Roy that he slept with his daughter, after tormenting Darryl, Roy radios Emma to tell her to just drive away and leave him and Darryl to die, and to set off a flare once her and the apprentices are safe.
At this point Darryl admits to Roy that he shot his wife. Roy and Darryl decide that Roy gets to Darryl on account of killing his wife and having sex with his daughter in the same afternoon, Darryl defuses the situation by showing Roy the grenade he found, they climb out of the fire escape and Darryl bowls the now ignited grenade into the fire escape, blowing up the zombies chasing them. The sun now rises and they believe they have made it out alive, another hoard walks around the corner of the building and the two have one last smoke before fighting and ultimately being over run by the zombies. As they lie dying they see the flare Roy instructed Emma to set off once she was far away.
Cast
- Jim Jefferies as Joel
- Adele Vuko as Emma
- Alex Williamson as Darryl
- Andy Trieu as Lachlan
- Matt Popp as Ryan
- Greg Fleet as Roy
- Jackie Murray as Roy's Wife
- Jim Punnett as Junior Soldier
- Brendan Kelly as Screwdriver Zombie
- Naomi Turvey as Athletic Girl Zombie
- Max Mackinnon as Soldier
- Dorothy Kocsi as Hysterical Towel Girl
- Adam Spicer as Ugly Zombie
- Matt Leonard as Zombie Extra
- Simon Kiker as Beheaded Zombie
- Ryan Obstoy as Metalhead Zombie #2
- Shannon Bunfield as Office Worker Zombie
- Glen Bunfield as Office Worker Zombie
- Brendan Farrugia as Zombie Extra
- Peter Lewry as Lawn Mower Zombie
- Lynelle O'Flaherty as Neck Gash Zombie
- Brad Dorrington as Zombie Extra
- Leland Neville as Zombie Extra
- Ryan Croft]as Neck Gash Zombie
- Mindy Hughes as Tunnel Zombie
- Oliver Durbidge as Cyclist Zombie
- Michael Naim as Zombie Extra
- Rob Volant as Metalhead Zombie #1
Release
Cinema Release
The film began its Australian cinema run on July 24, 2015 through the Tugg cinema-on-demand platform.[1]
Home media
The film was released on DVD, Vimeo and other VOD platforms in Australia on September 23, 2015, available for purchase at stores such as JB Hi-Fi and Sanity.[16] It was released in the UK on May 2, 2016[17] and to DVD, VOD, and digital channels in the US on July 5, 2016.[18][19]
Festivals
- Official Selection of Sitges Film Festival (2015)
- Official Selection of UK Festival of Zombie Culture (2015)
- Dead Walk Fest (2016)
Soundtrack
- Family Affair by Bliss n Eso
- Where the Wild Things Are by Bliss n Eso
- Sound Design by the Base recording studios Melbourne.
- Original score by Morgan Quinn, with additional music by Nick Moynihan.
References
- 1 2 3 Haider, Talib (4 July 2015). "Frosty times for filmmakers in Canberra with few films, jobs and reasons for talent to stay". ABC. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- 1 2 Musa, Helen (15 July 2015). "Locals fight Zombie Apocalypse". City News. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ Miska, Brad (18 April 2015). "Summer Fun With 'Me and My Mates vs. The Zombie Apocalypse'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ staff. "Me and my mates vs the zombie apocalpyse / Shoreline Entertainment and Gorgon Films present a Sanguineti/Solar Picture Production in association with ACT Government and ScreenACT in association with Silversun Pictures and the Academy of Interactive Entertainment.". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ staff (20 April 2016). "An Oz-Zom-Com, And It Looks Deadly Amazing!". Yell! Magazine. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- 1 2 3 Colley, Clare (23 July 2015). "Canberra film Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse cinema premiere". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Gomez, Sergio (19 April 2016). "Nuevo Tráiler De 'Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse'" (in Spanish). IGN. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ staff (9 May 2013). "ScreenACT announces finalists for low-budget feature film initiative". If Magazine. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
- ↑ Sanguineti, Daniel. "Me and My Mates vs The Zombie Apocalypse - feature film". Indiegogo. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ Murphy, Daniel. "The Social Movie". University of Canberra. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ Haval, Georges (21 April 2016). "Les morts-vivants attaquent l'Australie dans le trailer de Me and my mates VS the Zombie Apocalypse" (in French). Ecran Large. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Sanguineti, Daniel. "Be a zombie in 'Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse'". Indiegogo. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ staff. "Me and My Mates VS The Zombie Apocalypse". Tugg. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ Sen, Djuro (2015). "News report: Me and My Mates Vs The Zombie Apocalypse" (video: news broadcast). ABC News. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ staff. "Me & My Mates VS The Zombie Apocalypse, Released on DVD 2 May". Matchbox Films. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
- ↑ http://www.sanity.com.au/products/2300003/Me_And_My_Mates_Vs_The_Zombie_Apocalypse
- ↑ http://store.hmv.com/film-tv/dvd/me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypse
- ↑ TV News Desk (19 April 2016). "ME AND MY MATES VS. THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Coming to DVD, VOD & Digital, 7/5". Broadway World. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
- ↑ Dick, Jeremy (19 April 2016). "'Me and My Mates vs. the Zombie Apocalypse' Releasing in July". Fansided. Retrieved 3 May 2016.