There’s something strange in the neighbourhood. This coming Saturday, Drumheller will be filled with the walking dead.
The zombies of Drumheller will rise as part of a new feature-length movie being filmed in and around town.
The movie, Breakdown Lane, follows a young woman forced to push her SUV through the desert after it breaks down, all the while being pursued by hungry, flesh-eating undead.
“It is the story of Kirby Lane, a woman driving across the desert to meet her boyfriend. Her SUV breaks down and she is forced to push it across the desert during the broiling hot days, so she can hide in it at night, when the zombies come out. Her only connection to the outside world is Max, the voice on her OnStar. It’s one character, a car, a voice, and as many zombies as we can get,” said Bob Schultz, writer/director/producer of Breakdown Lane.
The movie stars Courtney Moore, who some may recognize at the heroine of Birdemic.
Signe Olynyk (left), producer, and Bob Schultz, writer/director/producer of Breakdown Lane are asking Drumheller residents to dress up in their best zombie costumes to be a part of their new movie on July 13 at 2 p.m. at the Badlands Community Facility.
The producers of Breakdown Lane chose Drumheller as the backdrop of their zombie movie, as opposed to locations closer to Los Angeles for a number of reasons.
“When you’re telling a story, you want to push everything you can. We wanted a desert, so we could’ve gone to Arizona or Nevada, but you want to push things and show something unique and the setting here is so unique and beautiful, it just made sense,” said Signe Olynyk, producer for Breakdown Lane. “I grew up coming to Drumheller, going to the Museum and hiking, so when Bob told me the script he was writing, I thought of Drumheller.”
The small town atmosphere also was a factor.
“I love shooting in smaller towns. If you shoot in L.A., it’s not as welcoming. You don’t feel part of a community. We shot our last movie in Edson, and it seemed like the entire town came out and helped,” said Schultz.
Drumheller residents can get involved in the movie as well. On Saturday, July 13, zombie fans can put on their best ghoulish make up and costume and head to Badlands Community Facility to be a part of the movie. The shoot will last for the afternoon and well into the evening, so potential zombies should prepare for a long day.
“We would love it if Drumheller was empty on the big day, getting made up as zombies,” said Schultz.
The zombies are meant to look relatively normal.
A zombie coyote, unfinished at the time the photo was taken, appearing in Breakdown Lane, a new zombie movie being shot in Drumheller.
“We’re hoping to create a sea of zombies. We want normal zombies, for example what you would wear in your everyday life, just zombiefied,” said Olynyk.
Anyone wanting more information or to help out in others ways is encouraged to contact Schultz at bob@breakdownmovie.com.
“It’s a lot of fun, we’re a good team, and we’re extremely grateful to anyone who wants to come and help out,” said Schultz.
