| Interviews |
Interview With The Man Behind to TV series
Zombie Hunters: City of The Dead
Patrick Devaney
By AL J. Vermette
When the walk again……who will you call?
The Zombies Hunters that’s who! They are the new bad ass team of
dead hunters in town and making New York City a little safer as they
fight back in a walking dead revote on the living. The new TV series is
the creation of Patrick Devaney who is also one of the shows hunters
and displays his passion for both filmmaking and the living dead
genre.
AL: Please tell our readers about Zombie Hunters: City of The Dead?
Patrick: "Zombie Hunters: City Of The Dead" is our take on what a zombie
outbreak would really be like if it happened today, right in the heart of New York
City. The main problem we’ve always had with the genre, even with the classic films
of it, is that they usually show everything being fine, then the dead reanimate, and
in days (sometimes overnight) the world is in chaos. I’ve just never bought into that.
I’ve been a New Yorker my whole life. My friends and I have been talking about
Zombie contingency plans since the early 80’s. Believe me, if the dead got up, lots
of people would do something about it. Many would ignore it. Some would even
deny it! But we certainly wouldn’t just give up!
AL: How did the idea of the show come about?
Patrick: There were two things that collided in my head that made the show. I
had been doing volunteer work for Habitat For Humanity, and we were staying in a
Pentecostal church during the build. Everywhere I looked there were posters about
“The Rapture”, which is the teaching about end of the world for non-believers of that
faith.
The other one happened while I was coming home one evening. My street was
deserted and a thick fog was rolling it. My wife (Executive Producer Jeanna Alvarez)
and I have a ground-level apartment that’s wrapped in custom ironwork. I saw my
place in the distance through the fog and I thought it would be a really strong place
to wait out a Zombie attack or some other emergency. I was still thinking about the
end of the world stuff I’d recently been exposed to, and how my street looked like
the set of a horror film, and I thought hey, why not? I could do this! And the story
possibilities just started to come to me. I went inside, and started jotting down
notes. That was in 2005.
AL: What was it like getting the show up and running?
Patrick: In a word, scary. In another word, exciting! I knew this was going to be
something that would take a great deal of work and help to be done correctly. I had
always loved the stuff Romero did, and always loved the horror scene in general,
Zombies in particular. To even consider doing a TV show about this was all-
consuming to me.
Early on, we went with the idea of a Zombie TV series, because it had never been
done before. There were attempts, like the excellent Babylon Fields, but to date we
are the only broadcast show of the genre. But without formal training, I was really
both doing it and learning it simultaneously, which is a pretty rough undertaking.
But when the first episode was aired, I knew it had all been worth it.
Starting things up to the level where we could begin filming was difficult. I had lost
my job a few weeks after principal photography began so we had to turn to outside
investors to get funding. We were blessed with people willing to take a chance on a
pack of unknowns. Now, we’re self-produced, but it’s always a tough struggle to
keep the money train rolling.
AL: Where did you get your cast from and was it easy to do so?
Patrick: After my wife had given me her blessing to go out and try to become a
TV Producer, I put out a general casting call to every person in my email address
book. The ones who responded got the parts, or became crew based on their
experience and desires. The main exception was the character of Bates, which was
written specifically for (Actor/Producer) Christopher Murphy. He and I had known
each other since the First Grade, and I knew he was always going to be involved in
this to some degree.
Through mutual friends, we’d discovered Mike Scardillo, who’d just finished SFX
work on the horror film “GAP”, and Teri Gudorp came to the family through Chris.
Little by little, starting with the people we knew best and branching out from there,
we’ve made a pretty good production team. As for it being easy, I would say yes, in
my case it was. But this had nothing to do with me; I have been absolutely blessed
with a great group of friends and family, people of quality who are willing to sacrifice
much to come out and spend days letting me dress them up like monsters and kill
them in creative ways!
AL: How many shows are you planning on making?
Patrick: The original plan between myself and Paul (Pinsdorf, co-writer/Producer)
was to come up with 3 six-episode “seasons”. We also got help writing some from
Mark (Boutros, Director of Photography/Producer). Of these original 18 episodes,
17 have been fully written, including the very last episode (yup, we knew how it ends
and what's causing it before we finished the first show!) This quickly branched out
into a plan for 3 eight-episode seasons, with several specials. I'm now being asked
to do some "Best Of" shows and recaps, so when the show runs its course,
somewhere around 2013, there could be almost twice as many shows as we’d
originally planned.
AL: What is it like working on your own TV show?
Patrick: I wish I could fully describe the feeling when it’s all coming together during
a shoot, when everyone’s “on” and we’re flying through the scenes and it’s
happening for real! I’d have to say that short of marrying my wife, it's the best thing I’
ve ever done in my life, and seeing my ideas and my stories come to life is just pure
joy. Don’t get me wrong: it’s very hard work, sometimes in petty bad conditions,
and it can be stressful and emotions can run hot, but in my head I’m jumping up and
down like a little kid! Even when I work on the stories that Paul wrote, or do a
scene that someone else has suggested, it’s just as much of a rush for me. In the
end, we’re adding to the ZH world, which for me is like watching a toddler grow up to
an adult before my eyes. But again, it needs to be said that I am truly fortunate to
work with a group of people who allow me such freedom and happiness.
AL: Do you have any plans down the road to put out a new series on other
subjects or genres?
Patrick: We’re always writing and coming up with ideas. I currently have plans for
writing two other series, one horror-based and another which is a new take on the
tried but true police drama. But for both of these, I’m looking at just writing and
possibly acting; I’m not entirely sure I have another ongoing series in me that I can
also produce on my own as well!
The main reason for that is, when ZH completes its run, we’re looking to transition
right into short and feature-length films. I have a project that’s in the works right
now which will be our first comedy. But first, I’m putting the final touches on a script
for a short film that we expect to turn a lot of standard horror-lore right on it’s
undead ear. We’re currently looking for funding to get that film made. But I can’t
tell you any more than that or my co-conspirators will have to kill me.
AL: Where can my reader tune in to watch your zombie series.
Patrick: A few of the public access channels we work with, such as BCAT in
Brooklyn, do streaming video at their site, but in general we only post clips to the
web at our site and on YouTube. But the first half of Season One (episodes 1-4) is
curretly available at www.zombiehuntershow.com and on Amazon.Com as well. The
rest of Season One will be available in late 2009.
AL: And lastly....how can I and my readers become zombies for the show?
Patrick: Oh, that one’s easy. Just go to the site, and post a comment with your
eMail, telling us what you think. We also look for PA’s or anyone with an interest in
working in film. Or, if you come to one of the many conventions we do, introduce
yourself and sign up in person! We love to meet with the fans out there and have
already found people to be in the show through these means.
If someone really wants to do this, though, coming in person to a Con is generally
the best bet. It gives us all a chance to talk and see if we all get along, which is the
most important part for me; if we ain't having fun, there's no point in doing it!
Meet the Zombies Hunters
LIVE at these locations
The Institute of Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction
March 28th at the Queens Flushing Library 41-17
Main st. Flushing NY 11355
Chiller Theater April 17-19
Fangoria Weekend of Horrors June 5-7
Zombie Hunters: City of The Dead
Patrick Devaney
By AL J. Vermette
When the walk again……who will you call?
The Zombies Hunters that’s who! They are the new bad ass team of
dead hunters in town and making New York City a little safer as they
fight back in a walking dead revote on the living. The new TV series is
the creation of Patrick Devaney who is also one of the shows hunters
and displays his passion for both filmmaking and the living dead
genre.
AL: Please tell our readers about Zombie Hunters: City of The Dead?
Patrick: "Zombie Hunters: City Of The Dead" is our take on what a zombie
outbreak would really be like if it happened today, right in the heart of New York
City. The main problem we’ve always had with the genre, even with the classic films
of it, is that they usually show everything being fine, then the dead reanimate, and
in days (sometimes overnight) the world is in chaos. I’ve just never bought into that.
I’ve been a New Yorker my whole life. My friends and I have been talking about
Zombie contingency plans since the early 80’s. Believe me, if the dead got up, lots
of people would do something about it. Many would ignore it. Some would even
deny it! But we certainly wouldn’t just give up!
AL: How did the idea of the show come about?
Patrick: There were two things that collided in my head that made the show. I
had been doing volunteer work for Habitat For Humanity, and we were staying in a
Pentecostal church during the build. Everywhere I looked there were posters about
“The Rapture”, which is the teaching about end of the world for non-believers of that
faith.
The other one happened while I was coming home one evening. My street was
deserted and a thick fog was rolling it. My wife (Executive Producer Jeanna Alvarez)
and I have a ground-level apartment that’s wrapped in custom ironwork. I saw my
place in the distance through the fog and I thought it would be a really strong place
to wait out a Zombie attack or some other emergency. I was still thinking about the
end of the world stuff I’d recently been exposed to, and how my street looked like
the set of a horror film, and I thought hey, why not? I could do this! And the story
possibilities just started to come to me. I went inside, and started jotting down
notes. That was in 2005.
AL: What was it like getting the show up and running?
Patrick: In a word, scary. In another word, exciting! I knew this was going to be
something that would take a great deal of work and help to be done correctly. I had
always loved the stuff Romero did, and always loved the horror scene in general,
Zombies in particular. To even consider doing a TV show about this was all-
consuming to me.
Early on, we went with the idea of a Zombie TV series, because it had never been
done before. There were attempts, like the excellent Babylon Fields, but to date we
are the only broadcast show of the genre. But without formal training, I was really
both doing it and learning it simultaneously, which is a pretty rough undertaking.
But when the first episode was aired, I knew it had all been worth it.
Starting things up to the level where we could begin filming was difficult. I had lost
my job a few weeks after principal photography began so we had to turn to outside
investors to get funding. We were blessed with people willing to take a chance on a
pack of unknowns. Now, we’re self-produced, but it’s always a tough struggle to
keep the money train rolling.
AL: Where did you get your cast from and was it easy to do so?
Patrick: After my wife had given me her blessing to go out and try to become a
TV Producer, I put out a general casting call to every person in my email address
book. The ones who responded got the parts, or became crew based on their
experience and desires. The main exception was the character of Bates, which was
written specifically for (Actor/Producer) Christopher Murphy. He and I had known
each other since the First Grade, and I knew he was always going to be involved in
this to some degree.
Through mutual friends, we’d discovered Mike Scardillo, who’d just finished SFX
work on the horror film “GAP”, and Teri Gudorp came to the family through Chris.
Little by little, starting with the people we knew best and branching out from there,
we’ve made a pretty good production team. As for it being easy, I would say yes, in
my case it was. But this had nothing to do with me; I have been absolutely blessed
with a great group of friends and family, people of quality who are willing to sacrifice
much to come out and spend days letting me dress them up like monsters and kill
them in creative ways!
AL: How many shows are you planning on making?
Patrick: The original plan between myself and Paul (Pinsdorf, co-writer/Producer)
was to come up with 3 six-episode “seasons”. We also got help writing some from
Mark (Boutros, Director of Photography/Producer). Of these original 18 episodes,
17 have been fully written, including the very last episode (yup, we knew how it ends
and what's causing it before we finished the first show!) This quickly branched out
into a plan for 3 eight-episode seasons, with several specials. I'm now being asked
to do some "Best Of" shows and recaps, so when the show runs its course,
somewhere around 2013, there could be almost twice as many shows as we’d
originally planned.
AL: What is it like working on your own TV show?
Patrick: I wish I could fully describe the feeling when it’s all coming together during
a shoot, when everyone’s “on” and we’re flying through the scenes and it’s
happening for real! I’d have to say that short of marrying my wife, it's the best thing I’
ve ever done in my life, and seeing my ideas and my stories come to life is just pure
joy. Don’t get me wrong: it’s very hard work, sometimes in petty bad conditions,
and it can be stressful and emotions can run hot, but in my head I’m jumping up and
down like a little kid! Even when I work on the stories that Paul wrote, or do a
scene that someone else has suggested, it’s just as much of a rush for me. In the
end, we’re adding to the ZH world, which for me is like watching a toddler grow up to
an adult before my eyes. But again, it needs to be said that I am truly fortunate to
work with a group of people who allow me such freedom and happiness.
AL: Do you have any plans down the road to put out a new series on other
subjects or genres?
Patrick: We’re always writing and coming up with ideas. I currently have plans for
writing two other series, one horror-based and another which is a new take on the
tried but true police drama. But for both of these, I’m looking at just writing and
possibly acting; I’m not entirely sure I have another ongoing series in me that I can
also produce on my own as well!
The main reason for that is, when ZH completes its run, we’re looking to transition
right into short and feature-length films. I have a project that’s in the works right
now which will be our first comedy. But first, I’m putting the final touches on a script
for a short film that we expect to turn a lot of standard horror-lore right on it’s
undead ear. We’re currently looking for funding to get that film made. But I can’t
tell you any more than that or my co-conspirators will have to kill me.
AL: Where can my reader tune in to watch your zombie series.
Patrick: A few of the public access channels we work with, such as BCAT in
Brooklyn, do streaming video at their site, but in general we only post clips to the
web at our site and on YouTube. But the first half of Season One (episodes 1-4) is
curretly available at www.zombiehuntershow.com and on Amazon.Com as well. The
rest of Season One will be available in late 2009.
AL: And lastly....how can I and my readers become zombies for the show?
Patrick: Oh, that one’s easy. Just go to the site, and post a comment with your
eMail, telling us what you think. We also look for PA’s or anyone with an interest in
working in film. Or, if you come to one of the many conventions we do, introduce
yourself and sign up in person! We love to meet with the fans out there and have
already found people to be in the show through these means.
If someone really wants to do this, though, coming in person to a Con is generally
the best bet. It gives us all a chance to talk and see if we all get along, which is the
most important part for me; if we ain't having fun, there's no point in doing it!
Meet the Zombies Hunters
LIVE at these locations
The Institute of Horror, Fantasy & Science Fiction
March 28th at the Queens Flushing Library 41-17
Main st. Flushing NY 11355
Chiller Theater April 17-19
Fangoria Weekend of Horrors June 5-7
For interview with
author Kent Robinson,
click here
For interview with Ty
Schwamberger, click
here
author Kent Robinson,
click here
For interview with Ty
Schwamberger, click
here
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