Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse

Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse is a 2015 Australian zombie comedy horror film written and directed by Declan Shrubb and developed through ScreenACT's 2012 Low Budget Feature Pod.[1][2] The film stars Jim Jefferies, Alex Williamson, Adele Vuko, Greg Fleet, Andy Trieu and Matt Popp, with cameos by Eso from Bliss N Eso, Jim Punnett and The Roundabout Crew.[3][4]

Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse
American poster
Directed byDeclan Shrubb
Produced by
  • Christian Doran
  • Daniel Sanguineti
  • Michael J. Watson
  • Christopher Wiseman
Written byDeclan Shrubb
Starring
Music by
  • Morgan Quinn
  • Declan Shrubb
CinematographyMiguel Gallagher
Edited byRafael Perez
Production
companies
Distributed byTitan View
Lightyear Entertainment
Release date
Running time
90 minutes
CountryAustralia
LanguageEnglish

Plot

After the zombie apocalypse occurs in Australia, two tradesmen, Darryl (Alex Williamson) and Joel (Jim Jefferies), meet at a telephone exchange tower to take refuge there. Joel shows Darryl that their friend Roy's (Greg Fleet) undead wife (Jackie Murray) is in the back of his ute, which prevents them from retrieving their beer. After an argument Darryl is forced to shoot Roy's wife in the head. Their older friend Roy meets the two there with his daughter Emma (Adele Vuko), and Darryl proceeds to poorly flirt with Emma, much to Roy's dismay.

After discussion about their plans to survive, Joel decides to fix the 3G tower to make an emergency call to the military to alert them of their location. While waiting for the tower to get fixed, Emma and Darryl become intimate, during which a firework goes off in the distance and the zombies surrounding their location migrate. At this point two strangers wearing paintballing gear enter the tower; they are revealed to be the apprentices Ryan (Matt Popp) and Lachlan (Andy Trieu), who is Emma's boyfriend. Joel fixes the phone line and talks with the military. Meanwhile, the apprentices tell the other guys that the military caused the zombie apocalypse and that calling them is the last thing they should do. The team argues and decides to split up: Joel, Roy and Darryl wish to get picked up by the military and Ryan, Lachlan and Emma decide to hide in case the military are in fact malicious. Roy begins to show symptoms that he is infected. The military jeep drives past and misses the tower. Joel goes to the roof to launch fireworks to catch the military's attention, but is killed when he accidentally ignites the entire pile of fireworks.

Two soldiers arrive but, confused by Roy's poor wording of the situation, are eaten by the hoard of zombies. A zombie picks up Joel's access card from his severed leg. The team decides to make a dash for the military's weapons and vehicle, but the zombie that grabbed the access card opens the building and the hoard begins to move in. The apprentices make a dash to drive off the hoard while Emma runs to the senior soldier's corpse to retrieve his car keys. She starts the car and grabs the apprentices, Lachlan spraining his ankle running to the car. Darryl admits to Roy that he slept with his daughter. Roy radios Emma to tell her to leave him and Darryl to die, and to set off a flare once she and the apprentices are safe.

At this point Darryl admits to Roy that he shot his wife. Roy and Darryl decide that Roy gets to Darryl on account of killing his wife and having sex with his daughter in the same afternoon. Darryl defuses the situation by showing Roy the grenade he found. They use the grenade to blow up the zombies chasing them. As the sun rises, they see another hoard coming towards them. The two have one last smoke before fighting and ultimately being overrun by the zombies. As they lie dying they see the flare Roy instructed Emma to set off once she was far away.

Cast
  • Jim Jefferies as Joel
  • Adele Vuko as Emma
  • Alex Williamson as Darryl
  • Andy Trieu as Lachlan
  • Matt Popp as Ryan
  • Greg Fleet as Roy
  • Jackie Murray as Roy's Wife
  • Jim Punnett as Junior Soldier
  • Brendan Kelly as Screwdriver Zombie
  • Max Mackinnon as Soldier
  • Dorothy Kocsi as Hysterical Towel Girl
  • Glen Bunfield as Office Worker Zombie
  • Shannon Bunfield as Office Worker Zombie
  • Adam Spicer as Ugly Zombie
  • Naomi Turvey as Athletic Girl Zombie
  • Matt Leonard as Zombie Extra
  • Simon Kiker as Beheaded Zombie
  • Ryan Obstoy as Metalhead Zombie #2
  • Brendan Farrugia as Zombie Extra
  • Peter Lewry as Lawn Mower Zombie
  • Lynelle O'Flaherty as Neck Gash Zombie
  • Aron Rodger as Zombie Extra
  • Brad Dorrington as Zombie Extra
  • Leland Neville as Zombie Extra
  • Ryan Croft]as Neck Gash Zombie
  • Mindy Hughes as Tunnel Zombie
  • Oliver Durbidge as Cyclist Zombie
  • Michael Naim as Zombie Extra
  • Rob Volant as Metalhead Zombie #1

Production

Under its working title of Exchange, the film was one of ten projects selected out of 42 submissions to ScreenACT. The project received production funding and the production team received the benefit of a program consisting of three months of intensive development, working on script, budget, financing and distribution plans. It was one of three films chosen for production funding of $120,000 but was the only film that ended up being produced.[5]

The project is a crowd funded feature film which was made possible through indiegogo.[6] The team behind the film raised US$41,439 with 471 backers, surpassing their initial goal of US$30,000 and breaking the record at the time for crowdfunding an Australian feature film.[7]

The project was shot in Canberra through January and February 2014.[8][9] To raise funds for an extra day of shooting, a second indiegogo campaign was run which raised an additional US$5,000.[10]

The completed film was released in Australian cinemas[1] via the Tugg cinema-on-demand platform.[11] Premiering on July 24, 2015, it became Tugg Australia's most requested film, and was featured on National 7 News for this accomplishment.[12] It screened in every state and territory in Australia. It is distributed through their website where it can be rented or purchased.[8] and in stores on DVD and Vimeo-on-Demand September 9, 2015. It was released on DVD in UK on May 2, 2016 through Matchbox Films,[13] and was released in the US on July 5, 2016 by Lightyear Entertainment.

Release

The film began its Australian cinema run on July 24, 2015 through the Tugg cinema-on-demand platform.[1]

Home media

The film was released on DVD, Vimeo and other VOD platforms in Australia on September 23, 2015, available for purchase at stores such as JB Hi-Fi and Sanity.[14] It was released in the UK on May 2, 2016[15] and to DVD, VOD, and digital channels in the US on July 5, 2016.[16][17]

Festivals
  • Official Selection of Sitges Film Festival (2015)
  • Official Selection of UK Festival of Zombie Culture (2015)
  • Dead Walk Fest (2016)

Soundtrack

References
  1. Haider, Talib (4 July 2015). "Frosty times for filmmakers in Canberra with few films, jobs and reasons for talent to stay". ABC. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  2. Musa, Helen (15 July 2015). "Locals fight Zombie Apocalypse". City News. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  3. Miska, Brad (18 April 2015). "Summer Fun With 'Me and My Mates vs. The Zombie Apocalypse'". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  4. staff. "Me and my mates vs the zombie apocalpyse / Shoreline Entertainment and Gorgon Films present a Sanguineti/Solar Picture Production in association with ACT Government and ScreenACT in association with Silversun Pictures and the Academy of Interactive Entertainment". National Library of Australia. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  5. staff (9 May 2013). "ScreenACT announces finalists for low-budget feature film initiative". If Magazine. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  6. Sanguineti, Daniel. "Me and My Mates vs The Zombie Apocalypse - feature film". Indiegogo. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  7. Murphy, Daniel. "The Social Movie". University of Canberra. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  8. Colley, Clare (23 July 2015). "Canberra film Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse cinema premiere". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  9. Haval, Georges (21 April 2016). "Les morts-vivants attaquent l'Australie dans le trailer de Me and my mates VS the Zombie Apocalypse" (in French). Ecran Large. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  10. Sanguineti, Daniel. "Be a zombie in 'Me and My Mates vs the Zombie Apocalypse'". Indiegogo. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  11. staff. "Me and My Mates VS The Zombie Apocalypse". Tugg. Archived from the original on 2 March 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  12. Sen, Djuro (2015). "News report: Me and My Mates Vs The Zombie Apocalypse" (video: news broadcast). ABC News. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  13. staff. "Me & My Mates VS The Zombie Apocalypse, Released on DVD 2 May". Matchbox Films. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  14. "Me And My Mates Vs. The Zombie Apocalypse". Sanity.
  15. http://store.hmv.com/film-tv/dvd/me-and-my-mates-vs-the-zombie-apocalypse
  16. TV News Desk (19 April 2016). "ME AND MY MATES VS. THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE Coming to DVD, VOD & Digital, 7/5". Broadway World. Retrieved 26 April 2016.
  17. Dick, Jeremy (19 April 2016). "'Me and My Mates vs. the Zombie Apocalypse' Releasing in July". Fansided. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
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