“Go out and try to get something made.” This was the advice dispensed by the master of zombie films, George A. Romero when he appeared at Full Sail on Tuesday, April 6, 2004. Romero, who celebrated his 64th birthday in February of this year, is considered one of the most influential horror filmmakers of all time. One would never know it judging by his calm demeanor, his gray hair pulled back into a ponytail, and his signature over sized, thick rimmed glasses. He looked more like a charming grandfather telling tales of yesteryear rather than the man who has raised flesh eating corpses obsessed with noshing on the living. Yet, his debut motion picture, Night of the Living Dead produced on a molecular budget of approximately $114,000 and released in 1968, was enough to place him in the annals of ground breaking filmmakers who contributed to the immense growth of the indie film scene that exploded in the 1970s.
“If you’re a writer, get a script or two on paper. If you want to be a filmmaker, get yourself a reel.” If anyone is qualified to give this advice, it’s Romero who appeared at Full Sail as part of an ongoing Artist Series which in the past has attracted such notable industry speakers as pioneering special effects make-up artist, Tom Savini, who appeared in Romero’s 1978 sequel Dawn of the Dead, a film in which 4 living survivors take refuge in a shopping mall infested with zombies.
“He really started from the ground up,” stated David Franko, Film Program Director at Full Sail. “He really likes to do things his own way.”
Romero has been doing things his own way ever since he had met some “like minded lunatics” at the theater department at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. He and Night of the Living Dead co-writer John Russo formed Image Ten Productions and began shooting commercials on film, which was nearly unheard of at that time.
“There was no video tape,” Romero recalled. “We were one of the first companies to do commercials on film because they used to be live. All of us always had the dream of making a feature film. We wound up with cameras and lights and mixing dubbers. We had our own mini studio and that’s how we were able to make [Night of the Living Dead] for the money that we made it with.”
Robert Lucas, a former Full Sail student, coordinated Romero’s appearance after meeting him at a convention in Pittsburgh, Romero’s favorite city and home to many of his films.
The intensive class schedule at Full Sail is extremely time consuming and when students get to hear a real industry professional share his or her experience, students have a better understanding of what’s waiting for them once they graduate. According to Lucas the Artist Series “gives them a chance to see it from a professional’s point of view.”
Michael Wotherspoon, Course Director for Pre-Production and Casting for Feature Films, agrees with Lucas. “We bring in speakers so they can talk about their relationship with the industry. It helps the students understand where they fall into the industry. It really makes them connect.”
Hundreds of students, faculty, and staff gathered in the latest expansion of Full Sail – formerly a strip mall. In fact, the space in which Romero spoke was previously a Bealls Department Store.
After a brief video that highlighted the finer points of Romero’s career, produced in part by Robert Lucas, Romero was welcomed by a standing ovation. He plopped down on a comfortable arm chair as he was bathed in red studio lights befitting a man who has splattered gallons of stage blood on the silver screen in his nearly 40 years of filmmaking.
“Thank you all for showing up,” Romero humbly started. After a brief introduction, he opened up the floor for questions. Immediately, a student fired the question on the tips of everybody’s tongues.
“What did you think of the remake of Dawn of the Dead?”
“You know, frankly I thought it was a stupid idea,” Romero softly declared. “My main thrust beats behind my first film was to criticize the consumer society. That mall where we shot was one of the first indoor shopping malls in Pittsburgh. It was this ludicrous place that people went to and it was replacing life on the street.” The Monroeville Mall he referred to was featured in the 1978 version of Dawn of the Dead. “The shopping mall was like this big eureka. It’s a good place for people to hold up in and it’s also a great way to criticize the consumer society.”
Romero continued to comment, “I don’t like zombies that move like rocket ships.” A jovial wave of laughter and applause broke out.
Romero’s career includes more than his dead trilogy (the third film being Day of the Dead). He adapted and directed Stephen King’s novel The Dark Half, directed Creepshow, adapted the screenplay for Monkey Shines, and wrote one of the most memorable episodes of Tales from the Darkside in 1984. “Trick or Treat” was about an evil creature that terrorizes an old man who lacks the Halloween spirit. Currently, he is once again collaborating with Stephen King on The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon. Additionally, he is developing a highly anticipated 4th zombie film and a movie entitled Diamond Dead. Romero proudly affirms, “It’s a balls out, rock ‘n roll comedy…about a dead rock band…with Zombies!” He is also creatively developing a Night of the Living Dead video game with a national game company.
But why zombies?
“What scared me was the idea of someone dead walking around,” Romero admits. “I like the idea of eating flesh. I liked the idea of a new society literally devouring the old society.”
Influenced by such filmmakers as Orson Welles and Michael Powell, Romero’s love of the cinema dates back to his childhood when he discovered his uncle’s 8 millimeter Revere camera. He had accidentally double exposed some film and when he saw the same effect used in one of Powell’s films, a mystery behind filmmaking had been revealed and Romero felt a sudden desire to explore filmmaking as a way to express himself.
Romero’s passion was clearly demonstrated to the students at Full Sail. He was motivational and willing to answer any question. His advice, stories, and insight shed light on what still remains a mystifying industry.
Dustiney Robinson, a film major found Romero’s appearance beneficial. “He is an amazingly calm natured man. It was encouraging to know that there are still people in the business that work like that.” Robinson will graduate in one month. She hopes to work in the film industry right out of college.
Justin Cooley, a film student who moved from Louisiana in order to enroll at Full Sail, was very pleased to see Romero speak. “He’s one of the reasons why I want to be in the film industry.” To Cooley, the most important message from Romero’s appearance was “the fact that [he] got up and did it on his own without somebody handing it to him.”
George Romero’s love of filmmaking and innovative spirit is inspiring and thought-provoking. Many of the students at Full Sail left with the notion that movies don’t have to be produced in Hollywood. They can be produced anywhere in the world with small budgets and practical effects the same way Romero produced his first feature film – a movie that has gone down in history as a landmark vision and a cult classic.
Completely in tune with his modesty, Romero does not consider himself an inspiration the way so many fans of his work do. “I don’t think of myself as an inspiration. I love the idea of being an example of someone who came from a little town, got together with a bunch of friends, and started making movies.”