None of his has anything to do with a zombie apocalypse, of course. These are just the stories that could eventually tie themselves together if given a longer running time to do so. Savage lays these stories out in a way that flows more smoothly with each repeat viewing. First-timers might have some difficulty getting assimilated to what is going on at first, but one has to admire the ambition of trying a multiple-storyline aesthetic in a ten-minute short.
Savage and his team pull it off with great confidence. The cast is first-rate and cinematographer Sam Heasman constructed a beautifully choreographed shot in a subway that also incorporates a clever use of subtitles. The Vimeo page for “Dawn of the Deaf” insists that the viewer either wear headphones or have a top-notch sound system in order to better experience the sound design. Not a lot of shorts will go those extra miles for the film to be as much an aural experience as a visual, but such attention to detail bodes well for the potential feature film I hope to see someday.
First, let’s clear the air on a very important topic: Fast zombies or slow zombies?
It depends on what you're after—I love the slow, creeping inevitability of Romero's shuffling zombies. The way that he makes them comical as individuals, but horrifying as they amass.
I'm also a big fan of the "Dawn" remake and other fast-moving zombie flicks like “Train to Busan,” in which the immediacy of the danger is the driving force. They represent two different approaches to horror—the slow-burn, knot-in-your-stomach school of filmmaking, or the kind that gets your pulse up. I'm a fan of both, when done well.
What was the inspiration behind this?
The original idea for “Dawn of the Deaf” came from the beautiful, f---ed up mind of Jed Shepherd who is a good friend and collaborator of mine. He's always pitching me great ideas and when he mentioned “Dawn of the Deaf” I knew that I had to make it. I've been a big zombie fan for years, but hadn't found the right idea until now.
I noticed one of your producers said the scene in the subway “shouldn’t have been possible.” What was the challenge there?
We made the film for £7,000 from start to finish, which is barely enough to afford one day's shooting, involving two actors talking in a room. Let alone a five-day shoot with almost 500 extras. This wouldn't have been possible without the skills of Douglas Cox, our producer, who is an absolute wizard when it comes to making the impossible happen.
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