Cast and crew
With extended biographies and their journey with the film written by director Bill
Oliver Mitchell
Director of Photography
Mitch is an upcoming director of photography and working professional gaffer on high end productions. His knowledge of cameras, lighting and space is extraordinary. His experience is something I’ve leaned on heavily throughout the shooting of this project.
Going back through the footage in the weeks after we wrapped, there are many moments where Mitch makes small adjustments, to a certain light, certain movement or certain position of the actors that I would never have noticed.
All of the camera crew on paid contracts came via his extensive network. The cameras we hired at an unbelievable discount came via him. The lights used came via him. The camera we shot a huge chunk of the film with was his.
The man holding the camera for every shot of the film was him. Even when his back started to give out, even when I had to give last minute actors notes, even when everything was piled against us, he was there.
To make the project continue to exist he made financial sacrifices to keep the lights on, because he believed in the project. Henceforth, he must have believed in me.
In short, he’s a very smart bloke, a true professional and the biggest single contributor across the crew. He’s going places.
Tom McMillan
As Ali
I have never received so many applicants for one role before. It seemed every young man in Bristol within the profession wanted to be considered, and they all were.
During a big rewrite during preproduction I decided I wasn’t really happy with the Ali character. He was nervous, anxious and all the things required, but so plain. One dimensional. I was watching Seinfeld late one night when it struck me. George Costanza is one of the best sitcom characters ever. Why? Because of his neurotic rage. He’d pop off over anything. That’s what Ali needed, a bit of edge, he needs to lose the plot a little, just like George.
Now, it’s hard to convincingly play a nervous character, it’s not just shuffling your feet and looking uncomfortable, there’s an energy that needs to be captured, everyone who’s been anxious knows on those days you’re almost hyper, spurred on by your every fear in every crevice.
Another evening, I’d got a self tape in from a guy from a top drama school. I remember this moment so clearly, it was wonderful. I started watching it as I lit the end of my joint. It was 1am, a clear evening and after a minute I had to put the spliff down, it’s too strong. There’s no way this guys performance is this good. I must be really stoned, this isn’t a normal reaction.
I watched it again and again. How? What on earth? At the end of the tape he had a nice touch where he introduced himself, spoke about himself and the project (a lovely touch most don’t bother with), he even had an authentic prop for the scene, like the one I’d just put down. (For the record, it was his flatmates!)
It was funny, insecure and a performance buzzing with neurotic energy. It didn’t need notes.
That excitement I felt at that stage was palpable, I sent it to Joe straight away and rang Jerry the next day “we’re making a movie now”.
On Tom, he’s talented, funny, energetic and a real gem. He’s gone on to do Bait with Riz Ahmed on Amazon Prime and starred in a Shakespeare play I couldn’t get tickets for.
In short, he’s got a great career coming up. I think he’ll be Doctor Who one day. Very lucky to have him.
Patch De Salis
As Frankie
Whereas we had many applicants for Ali, none for Frankie. Not a single actor applied for just that role, some applied for both, none just for Frankie.
This was a big problem! So I had to be proactive, approach someone for it.
I was scrolling Instagram reels when I saw a fantastic video, a long haired Bristolian stealing a wrap from Biblos, running away and rapping at the same time. I thought it was cool and more importantly, it takes some bollocks to write and shoot something like that. To make something like this film and put it out there, I've had to be brave. Patch was clearly a brave guy.
Turns out my mate knew him. So I reached out via email. We had a meeting over herbal tea on Gloucester Road and he struck me as intelligent, very relaxed and confident.
I pitched him the film, pitched him the character and he was really receptive. He had his own ideas, a vaguely similar background to the character and agreed to join.
Patch’s mentality is incredible. His focus and maturity is second to none. During the week long shoot I was so busy producing and directing at the same time I felt a real worry that I hadn’t given the scenes enough attention on the Wednesday, which was a massive day. My sense of relief seeing the footage back and seeing Patch consistently hit his notes, deliver an hilarious and beautifully delusional performance was wonderful.
Patch is a successful upcoming rapper, songwriter, actor and director. His music got 70,000 streams last year, his music is a favourite of both mine and my Dad.
Check out his tunes below: (play a track while scrolling the website and donating hundreds of quid to the crowdfunder)
https://open.spotify.com/artist/6hbPq8kNGrlT1EMkqpxVNE?si=vdf6AK8qQ0agpX2iZyCXjw
I’m excited to see what he does next, hopefully the film gets attention and helps him and his artistry get more eyes, but it’s kind of irrelevant as he’s going to succeed no matter what happens.
The most important thing to say about Patch is he’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met, he really is a fantastic person and I’m proud to have worked with him.
Coni Thorne
As Maeve
I was about twenty minutes away from casting the Maeve character when I got a text, it read as such: “WAIT WAIT WAIT I’M SENDING MY TAPE NOW!!!” (not actually true, it was far more professional than that) but I decided to hold off, just to see what she could do due to her experience on stage and screen.
What followed shortly was a big headache. The tape was amazing, it opened with a flying punch, an angry shout and a playful riposte. Fucks sake, I was going to cast someone else and now I can’t.
I sat and thought about it because I liked the other candidate but when you know, you know. And I instantly knew.
So Coni comes aboard, bringing energy, professionalism and steel. In a nice coincidence she’d already worked with Tom the summer before so their chemistry was set in stone.
As a director it’s important to accept when you don’t know what to do.
The worst day of the shoot was a Thursday, I was shattered, trying to block a scene and very baffled and there was Coni, listening, suggesting ideas and getting me out of a hole when I was struggling.
I mean Coni literally got up, started putting people in place and took initiative when I was struggling like hell. That scene turned out beautifully, Coni deserves the credit for it, not me.
Coni is a class act and a very talented performer.
Mad Jerry
As Himself
I didn’t audition anyone else for Jerry, the main thinking was “If I’m going to embarrass myself by releasing this, knowing full well it could be shit, then at least I can take solace in the fact Jerry is more embarrassed.”
Thankfully, it’s not shit. So why have I cast someone who’s never acted before as one of the main characters?
Because he is Mad Jerry, every line is designed around him and I spent at least a year rehearsing, whipping him into shape and enjoying the challenge.
The first rehearsals were rough, the rehearsals six months later were rough, the rehearsal the day before we shot the film was rough. He’s, in truth, not a very good actor.
But he does alright here.
At the end of the day, Jerry is the one who pitched me a zombie film, Jerry is the one who has been with me every step of the way (mainly criticising me) and Jerry is the heart and soul of the film.
He is the perfect eccentric fifty-something Bristolian. So long as he doesn’t die before the film comes out it’ll be a wonderful adventure for the pair of us. And if he does die before the film comes out that’s just what he deserves, the bastard.
In all seriousness, during this project Jerry has gone from a random bloke from the past to one of my closest friends. Underneath all the angry vitriolic character of Mad Jerry there is a sweet, funny and genuine bloke.
I would not be sat in my mates flat writing this on a hot summer's night without him, I would not be a feature film director without him, I can't even contemplate my life without him at this point.
Meeting Jerry is one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I hope he can't be arsed to read this as he'll take the piss out of me endlessly.
(Just to note, there are so many other people who helped and contributed. From Laura Ollerton and Em Lawrence as other characters and the hordes of zombies, from the film school crew like Matt, Ben, Joey, Angel, Poppy and Max. To other crew members like Harry, Rhys Sava, Laura, Oscar, Lisa, Yolanda, Jed, Joss and many more. I owe all of these people everything and I'm so bloody proud of this and to have my name written with these guys. I am so lucky I can't believe it.)