The 'Zombie Girl Diary' kills at The Eerie Horrorfest

The cast of the upcoming movie "Zombie Girl Diary" made a special guest appearance at the Erie Horror Film Festival this last weekend. This exciting new movie in the zombie horror genre will chew up the screen early next year. It was my pleasure to find out more about this upcoming movie from the film's Writer/Director and Special Effects Director Michael Pine and the films stars Vanessa Rae Bent and Jim Krut.

When is “The Zombie Girl Diary” coming out?

Mike: Hopefully the beginning of 2013.

Briefly describe the movie’s synopsis.

Mike: It’s the survival of a little girl and her mother trying to survive a Zombie Apocalypse, and meeting some others along the way. Trying to survive any way they can.

What was the inspiration of the movie?

Mike: The concept is the point of view of a little girl and what she has to go through. Which I have never seen done in film before.

The Zombie Girl herself, Mikayla Wagaman

Is there a lot of Family interaction; is it kind of a family drama?

(Mike and Vanessa both laugh and knowingly look at each other. There is obviously more than your usual family interaction in the movie!)

Mike: ah…yes…very much!

Jim: There are two twists in that family business though, not to let the cat out of the bag, but there are definitely going to be some twists.

Are there any zombie movies that gave you inspiration?

Mike: No not really, we sort of went our own little way.

Have you made any movies before this one?

Mike: No, no. this is the first one. I am by trade a special effects artist, so I have worked on a few other films like “Lovely Molly”, “South Mountain” and “Dead Love”.

And Vanessa, what movies have you done before?

Vanessa: I worked on "Jebediah" and "Garden of Hedon", but this one has stood out to me because Mike had such a comfortable feeling on set and let the actors have such creative freedom and that is something really, really special. When you get in that situation everybody just seemed to bond and help each other. I was sad to see it end, even though the end is the beginning in film making, but I was sad to see it end just because of the experience of it.

Vanessa Rae Bent and Mike Pine

So you really became a family?

Mike: Yes, definitely!

Who else is in the cast?

Mikayla Wagaman, Tim Cassidy, Hillary Styer,  Jimmyo Burrill and Eliza Jayne.

Why a Zombie movie?

Mike: Zombies have been my favorite genre from Jim’s Dawn of the Dead to night of the Living Dead. The Romero films and the independent films that are out there that are really good.

Was there any difficult special effects in the film?

Mike: Well usually there are always problems because not everything goes as planned every time. We had some issues but all in all for a film I could not ask for anything better because we got so much on first takes. I could not ask for a better group of people to work with.

Legendary Zombie actor Jim Krut 

And Vanessa how was it acting in a Zombie film?

Vanessa: Oh, I got to the point that I was the character. The intensity filming this was amazing. And as an actress that is kind of why you do this you get to step out of yourself and  become someone else and in this I for sure definitely became someone else.

Did it give you nightmares?

Vanessa: YES! YES! And I have been told that I have a really good scream so…

Mike: Ear piercing! Very ear piercing!

Vanessa: And I have to say that Jim to be mentored and to work with somebody of his caliber was an honor, truly.

Jim: that is very kind of you Vanessa, thank you.

What was the most challenging scene for you as an actress in the movie?

Vanessa: You will know it when you see it, that is all I am going to say! There is chaos and madness and you will know. And it was just awesome and scary at the same time, I have to admit that sometimes I was scared to death. You will have to guess when I am acting and when I am really scared out of my mind.

Was there any improvisation?

Vanessa: Yes and that is what was really wonderful about Mike because he allowed us to have that creative choice and that was a wonderful freeing thing as an actress, to be able to make your character come to life.

Vanessa Rae Bent autographs a poster for a fan as fellow
"Zombie Girl Diary" actress Eliza Jayne looks on

Mike: I think that personally, a script is just a guideline. Your actors are the ones that make your vision come true and if you push them to what the script actually says then they don’t feel comfortable doing it then you are not going to get the best performance out of them and I think allowing them to be able to take it in their own way but still being able to follow the guidelines of where it is going you get so much better work out of the actors.

Jim: that was great working with Mike in that way say to whether a character can go this way or that way  because it was an open book still. And we would say do you think a character would go this way or that way and he would say what do you think? And there was a lot of freedom to add and to interpret the role. And on larger sets on non independent films you don’t necessarily have that. So that is one of the beauties of independent films. When you work with someone who has a vision but they are large enough to let that vision fill in its own gaps. And so it was a pleasure to work on this film and as Mike said there were some great people to work with.

The beautiful Vanessa Rae Bent

Where are you in the film making stage right now with the movie?

Mike: We are still editing, and we still have more audio to do. We are hoping to have all that done by the end of the year. Hopefully by in the end by 2013 we will have it out there. So hopefully by next year we will be back here in Erie to see it on the big screen.

With all the Zombie Apocalypse talk going around on the Internet and everywhere, what would you do in a Zombie Apocalypse? Is there a special weapon that you would use or a special place that you would go?

Vanessa: I would try to keep my heart, as long as I possibly could. And just go out that way. I would probably just try to use the core of who I am. In a positive way, I know it would be an emotional tug of war.

Mike: I don’t know. I guess in that situation it is life or death so you do whatever you can to make it as long as you can. You are either gonna be turned or you are gonna live. So you have to fight to live and that is what I am going to do.

Mike Pine onset

Jim: It was interesting, I was at a screening last week and we had 5 authors who had written stories about Zombies. And they all talked about the preparations you need to make. And one of them said, do you have your preparations made? And the author said ‘Oh yeah I have all my stuff at home.’ And they said what if you were here in this hotel and the Zombie Apocalypse began? What would you do now? Which is kind of an interesting perspective, the author said ‘well my ready bag is in my truck with all my other gear and weapons.’ So you can prepare but if you are not where your preparations are, you will miss the boat.

It was great to meet Mike and Vanessa in person and talk to Jim on a conference line. (Jim was busy at another engagement that weekend) The cast was very open and personable and their vision for film makes 'Zombie Girl Diary' a highly anticipated film for 2013.

Coming up soon is another "Zombie Girl Diary" interview with actress and model Eliza Jayne.

For more news on 'Zombie Girl Diary' go to their Facebook Page and give it a look and like!