Plan Z Interview - Mark Paul Wake

Plan Z is the awesome new Scottish zombie flick from Stuart Brennan. Released on Monday 16th January 2017, this is totally a film for both zombie fans and indie film fans to check out. You can check out my review here.

Here, star Mark Wake answers some very Morley, zombie questions!! :) Check it! And FYI, I would totally have Mark on my team in a zombie apocalypse, dude kicks ass!! *fistbump*

Plan Z has the ultimate plan...head to a remote island! Now I personally am all about Skye as well, however, it’s always nice to big up this incredible place; so why Skye!?

(Director Stuart Brennan)

Skye was actually one of Stuart’s favourite locations which he visited a good few years back. From the get go he told me that’s the destination he wants for the escape so it was a case of planning a journey to their from Dunfermline and where we might end up along the way, with a detour to Perth of course but I’ll say no more.

This was a very human take on a zombie apocalypse, how important was that for to you to achieve?   

(Pictured above - Mark Wake and Eugene Horan)

The importance of the humanity aspect in this film was why we used the actors we did. Each one of the cast was a very emotional adaptive actor so Stuart could draw true feelings from each of them to convey a very gritty and real apocalypse. I myself aim to create three-dimensional characters so to have Stuart lead with that in mind was a dream so we got to work on expanding the character of Bill and at one point even contemplated having him with bandages around his wrists after the time jump to show he attempted suicide but failed, showing the character clearly become so mentally weak he thought best to take his life, but looking at the chances of someone surviving such an injury with no medical care seemed a little off. Yet it was great to envision that Bill being pushed to that state of mind.

(Mark Wake getting ready to be a badass yo!) 

We all like to think (or a large percent of us, haha) that we would totally be able to survive a zombie apocalypse. Anyone that knows me knows that my biggest concern would be zombies munching my precious Beagle, I mean...he already eats waaaay too much so zombie Alfie....the HORROR!! 😉 On a serious note though, what would be the thing that scared you most? Except Beagletoes on the prowl? (Stuart still needs to have the pleasure, haha!)

Lack of Beagles to protect us, that’s the fear! I believe Stuart touches on this a lot and it’s the emotional toll of your actions. You would go through situations and do things which you will have never done before. Even though they are undead you are still breaking that notion of harming something else and seeing the wreckage you leave behind, I’ve never seen a skull smashed open but it would probably not be a great sight.

If you had to be stuck in a zombie apocalypse with anyone, who would it be?

Could be your Gran, your first crush, favourite star, pet fish...take your pick!

I would be stuck with my younger brother. Mainly because it would be a mixture of brains and brawn plus I wouldn’t have any doubts that he would always have my back the same I would his…I hope haha! Plus having to stay alive to save your family member would hopefully add to the focus and survival instincts…

Weapons are essential, what is your ultimate pick and why?

(Pictured above - Mark Wake and Stuart Brennan)

I would have to go for the old short baseball bat, it’s not a full sized one e but has some swing on it meaning if I was done a tight staircase I could still cause some damage plus it’s light enough to fire down the belt to make a runner.

What is your preferred zombie type and which do you feel to prove the greatest threat, slow or fast?

Greatest zombie experience of modern day which altered the way I looked at them was 28 Days Later, amazing film. (Oh yes it is! Yay Jeremy! Haha.) The Crazies was great too!

The thumbs going through the eyes in 28 Days still gives me the jeebies. Rec was also a new experience as well, the Spanish one obviously, just some intense. Good old George’s Dawn Of The Dead would be my old school fav, I believe it was the first movie I saw with the shambling zoms.

Last but not least, what is your ultimate dream project?  

My ultimate dream project would be a zombiesque feature I wrote about 10 years ago which still gives it a fresh look even though a decade has passed. It would be a great project to make and from the script feedback I’ve received, it would be one heck on a twisting turning apocalyptic tale. Who knows what the future will hold but I hope it’s not running zombies…well excluding the ones on set.

You can check out the trailer for Plan Z below. Also be sure to check out the Facebook page as well. :)

You can buy or rent Plan Z from:

Asda

Skye Store

iTunes

Google Play

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Stuart Brennan's Gritty Scottish Zombie Flick, Plan Z Reviewed!

A refreshingly gritty, beautifully bleak look at Scotland after a zombie apocalypse.  

I have always been a fan of zombie films.  From everything from I Eat Your Skin to I Sell the Dead....with all your Raimi, Romero and Zombie Flesh Eaters in between.  They can be overly brutal and bloody to downright quirky fun and I truly believe that in spite of the blood and gore...they can be exceptional character pieces in their own right.  Hell, I think The Walking Dead alone has proved the latter point repeatedly!

(Stuart Brennan as Craig)

Plan Z is the latest effort from writer, director, actor and producer Stuart Brennan and his incredible frequent collaborators David Izatt, Mark Paul Wake and Eugene Horan.  The film follows photographer Craig and his friend Bill through their plan to survive the zombie apocalypse, leading them to leave their hometown of Dunfermline and head up to the remote, yet utterly stunning Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland.  (Right from the get go, I am onboard with this plan....Skye would totally be my number one choice to flee to as well.)  

(Mark Paul Wake as Bill)

With a small, yet exceptional cast (and lots of zombies), Plan Z feels a lot more personable than many other zombie films, something which I feel adds to its humanity and in that respect, the believability as well.  Coupled with Brennan's direction and Izatt's wonderful cinematography, the situation seems like it could actually happen!  It's a shite state of affairs to be in at the end of the day...as cool as we'd all like to think it would be, haha.    

What I love about this film, and what is incredibly refreshing to see in a zombie film, is that despite the fact we all love to think we'd totally be Daryl Dixon or Tom Savini...ya know...a total bad ass, just splitting heads, left, right and centre, it just doesn't happen that way!  The reality...especially in the early times...is that we are human.  This level of brutality doesn't come easy to most, and let's face it, survival of the fittest more often than not comes down to being smart in dangerous and volatile situations.  This makes the kills so much more believable and realistic, at the same time retaining our human connection with the characters.  

In so many ways, the film totally reminded me of recent personal favourites such as Stake Land and The Day in how utterly bleak and beautifully depressing it is.  I adore these kinds of films and it is always refreshing to find shit like this done so well. We totally need more films like this dammit!  

Also starring Victoria Morrison, Brooke Burfitt and Terry Deary, the whole cast are excellent and genuinely likeable as well.  David Izatt even sneaks in as a zombie!  Stuart Brennan took home the Best Actor award at the Horrorhound Film Festival for his portrayal of Craig and was also nominated for Best Director as well as the film being nominated for Best Film as well.  The film also picked up Best International Film at the Canada International Film Festival.  

You can check out the trailer HERE!

Random facts - 

*When the guys were filming, they freaked people out and the cops got called out....and they got THIS reaction from a Beagle....a photo that has always cracked me up, haha.  You know there was a big ARRROOOOO there!  Mwahahaha.  :)

*Stuart Brennan, also co-wrote, starred in and produced frequent Scorsese collaborator Martha Pinson’s new film Tomorrow, which was also produced by Scorsese.  Eugene Horan also starred in the film, Mark Paul Wake was an assistant editor and David Izatt the photographer on the film.  Pretty freakin' cool right!? :)

*Actor Eugene Horan won this year's  Budweiser Ireland's Dream Big competition for a chance to head to the States to pursue his acting dream! (Pictured below with Dream Big Ambassador Rosario Dawson) 

 *If we WERE actually in a zombie apocalypse, I would soooo want these guys on my side! They're not just actors....they can actually fight!  David and Mark are trained sword fighters as well!  Yup....trained by Seoras Wallace, the very man who trained Mel Gibson for Braveheart and Russell Crow for Gladiator.  He also trained that boy Craig McGinlay who I kinda like!  He's a'ight!  The three of them are SO good! :)

Check the film out for yourself when it comes out later this month, and to keep up with all the Plan Z goodness, be sure to LIKE the Official Facebook page.