Interview: Zombiefest

Our second celebration of all things zombie during Zombie Awareness month this May is happening right here in UK. Not unlike our first featured event last week of the zombie fashion show taking place in Oswego, NY.  Zombiefest could be Liverpools answer to an undead London fashion week as we break out the cameras once more for a SFX make up artists dream of a zombie horde showdown. It's time to shake off the rigor mortis and give a rotten round of applause to our next event organiser, Richard Fletcher!  

Welcome Richard, please start off by telling us everything about Zombiefest... where, when and what is it all about?

Zombiefest is a new event that is set for 14th October and is really all about the fun side of zombies. The day is meant to be a fun one with sfx makeovers and photography, sfx tutorials, stalls selling cool stuff and the cosplay competition. All that and the day will be topped off by a live band and DJ. It's being held at The Swinging Arm pub in Birkenhead.

(That is the best name for a pub especially for zombie related shenanigans!!- Mash)

Have you done any kind of zombie related event before and what made you decide to put on Zombiefest?

I’m massively into horror photography and that is what started me on the road to Zombiefest. The landlord of the venue let me do a couple of photoshoots in the basement and the idea for Zombiefest started off as a way of saying thanks.

Is this purely a zombie thing or will you welcome other horror influences?

The makeovers we do will be zombie based but I’ve opened up the cosplay competition to horror cosplay to try and open the event up to a few more cosplayers.

Is this a competition of sorts as in will there be prizes?

Yes, I don’t know what yet. We don’t have a big budget so we are relying on what we are donated for the prize. 

Are you personally a fan of the zombie genre? If so what is your favourite zombie movie and why?

Yes, I’m a huge zombie fan and I’d have to go with a potentially controversial choice and say 28 Days Later. Not a true zombie film but I loved it. If I went further back I’m a fan of the Return Of The Living Dead series, especially 3 from the early 90’s. I do think that the older films were better films but the modern ones are possibly more watchable with the improved production values and effects. 

Which decade brought out the best zombie movies?

I think I’ve got to say 80’s. 

What is it about zombies that is so appealing do you think?

Zombies have spawned 1000’s of conversations about where would you go, what weapons would you use, how would you cope as they embody a primeval fear. Something rising from the dead. Because they were originally slow moving it was easy to imagine escaping from them. There isn’t another horror film protagonist that could be so easily outwitted or outrun. Until the fast zombies came along.

How do you feel about the modern interpretation of zombies: are you a fan of the faster type of zombie?

It has changed the genre but I don’t mind. The scene in World War Z where the zombies were scaling the walls of Jerusalem is one of the most spectacular scenes in a zombie film. The T800’s in Zombieland Double Tap were tame in comparison. I’ve always thought fast zombies were more plausible, but they would end up slowing down as they decomposed.

Zombiefest sounds like a great thing to get involved with if your into SFX and make-up. Which artists do you have lined up so far to showcase their skills?

So far the makeup artist are myself and a collaborator from a previous photoshoot. This might sound a bit counterintuitive for someone putting on an event but its actually quite easy to do the makeup. Hence why we want to offer a few tutorials. Due to time (and cost) constraints we will only be doing basic latex and tissue work with guests and lending them some weathered clothes for the photoshoots.

Are you looking for people to help out and how can they get involved?

I am sure that we could use help from an experienced SFX makeup artist. As this is the first event we don’t know what the response will be like so I would rather be over prepared than under. 

Thanks Richard for taking the time out to tell us about Zombiefest it certainly sounds like a glorious feast for any flesh eating ghoul! Be sure to keep us posted and we will catch up with you nearer the time.

If you want to get involved with Zombiefest or want to know more follow the links below:-

Facebook Zombiefest2023

Instagram @Zombiefest2023