Old School Sinema is a local horror production company based in my hometown of Cleveland Ohio. With cult underground films such as The Horror Convention Massacre and The Spookshow, it's clear that these guys have a love for horror and the talent to make great indie films. They also have hearts of gold. Twice a year, they host a charity zombie walk to benefit Feeding America's local branch, Harvest For Hunger, which strives to feed the homeless and people with a low income (my family has benefited from the generosity of this group and I am privileged to have had a hand in giving back in any little way). They collect food and raise funds to donate at every walk, accumulating thousands of dollars and pounds of food. The guys from OSS took a few moments of their busy schedule to chat with me about the walk and their films.
A: I produce indie horror films in the NE Ohio area and have put on several events and shows. I know there has never been a zombie walk in Cleveland before and always wanted to give it a try. We held the first one the Saturday after Thanksgiving in November of 2007 and were thrilled to have near 60 people attend. We held one more the following November and then started the third one in April with a repeat one in September. Our fifth one in April 2010 had more than 500 zombies, so it's amazing to see this event grow so quickly, everybody having a great time and all for a great cause.
Q: How much work goes into planning a Zombie Walk?
A: Quite a bit actually. Between coordinating the dates with the location (the Five O'clock Lounge has been the main site for all six walks thus far in Lakewood), the makeup staff, the volunteers, the street team, the entertaintment, bands, vendors, special guest and marketing, it definitely keeps me busy year-round. I'm just getting exhausted thinking about it.Q: How did you get involved with Harvest For Hunger?
A: Most zombie walks I heard of tie the event in with a charity, mostly food drives, so we went through the Cleveland Food Bank's Harvest for Hunger program and have been raising food for them since the first walk.
A: We are close to celebrating five years of new, underground horror, B-movies, cult films, exploitation and grindhouse cinema. We opened with a bang with "The Horror Convention Massacre," which became quite the underground cult hit, winning awards and getting great press all round the globe. Since then we made a sequel ("THCM 2") and "The Spookshow" (a rock-n-roll, supernatural, slasher film). We are currently producing "She Devils A-Go-Go," a third "THCM" installment, and of course, a zombie epic.
All of our films can be purchased by horror fans on a low budget at www.ossmovies.com or by e-mailing ossfilms@yahoo.com. All of our DVDs are packed with fun and entertaining special features as well.
A: For now a tiny break. (laughs). But we have the April zombie walk coming up in 2011, and I'm looking at adding new sites too, like Akron and Kent State, maybe another place or too. Our zombies can't get enough of these things!
A HUGE thanks to OSS for talking with me. I was at the walk and let me tell you, it was one hell of a time! I had to rush over to it after clinicals (nursing school is a bitch when it comes to having a personal life) but I made it just in time to see how amazing the day had been and would still be. The main ingredient in a great zombie walk isn't the blood, the gore, or even the walk itself. It's being surrounded by like minded people who are kind, generous, and just downright friendly, and the OSS zombie walk were full of these people! It didn't matter if you were a social butterfly or the shyest person in a room, you found someone here to strike up a conversation with and found yourself having a blast! Here are just a few people I met at the walk who left quotes about their experience for me to share with you.
Andrea Zee
"As someone relatively new to the city, I think it was a great way to meet some new people, and make some new friends. (And let's be honest; people who dress up like zombies and march the streets of Cleveland for charity are probably people I need to be friends with......I mean....brraaaiinnnss?"
"As someone relatively new to the city, I think it was a great way to meet some new people, and make some new friends. (And let's be honest; people who dress up like zombies and march the streets of Cleveland for charity are probably people I need to be friends with......I mean....brraaaiinnnss?"
"Feed the hungry"
Jessika Gosen
"I'm a photographer and I absolutely love going to the Zombie Walk and getting pictures! I go early so I can shoot and mingle with a lot of friendly zombies. The make-up is fantastic and looks like you're stepping onto a movie set. The zombie walk is something I really look forward to twice a year. And it's for charity, can't beat that!"
"I'm a photographer and I absolutely love going to the Zombie Walk and getting pictures! I go early so I can shoot and mingle with a lot of friendly zombies. The make-up is fantastic and looks like you're stepping onto a movie set. The zombie walk is something I really look forward to twice a year. And it's for charity, can't beat that!"
***Jessika is the photographer who did most of the photos in this post, check out her fantastic work at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jessika-Gosen-Photography/306288808806
If there's a zombie walk happening near you and your thinking of going, GO! If their raising money for a good cause, all the more reason! But if not, just take a few moments of your time and a few bucks to give to a cause close to your heart (or brain)!
1 comment:
I'm going to one in Brighton (UK) on the 30th! I have no idea what to expect so this has been really informative!
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