![\"The](\"http:\/\/www.shockya.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/Interview-The-Cast-and-Crew-Talk-Zombeavers-Tribeca-Film-Festival.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWith the recent resurgence in the zombie genre, from AMC\u2019s hit series, \u2018The Walking Dead,\u2019 to last year\u2019s hit \u2018Evil Dead\u2019 remake, it\u2019s only natural Hollywood wants to amp up the genre once again. The genre has switched its distinct trademark of bringing recently deceased people back to life as flesh-eating killers, to instead on a totally new predator-zombie beavers. First-time feature film writer Jordan Rubin, who also co-wrote the new independent horror film, \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 with Al and Jon Kaplan, amusingly showcases what would happen to humanity if the semi-aquatic animal came back to life. The horror movie, which had its world premiere on April 19 at the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City, features laughs that rise organically from the story, in the vein of such campy movies from the 1980s as \u2018Child\u2019s Play.\u2019<\/p>\n
\u2018Zombeavers\u2019 starts off with a couple truck drivers driving down a rural Indiana highway, carrying hazardous medical waste. When they hit a deer, one barrel of the toxic waste tumbles down into the damn of beavers in an embankment. The story then cuts to a trio of sorority sisters, including brunette Zoe (Cortney Palm), blonde Jenn (Lexi Atkins) and redhead Mary (Rachel Melvin), as they\u2019re headed down the highway to Mary\u2019s lakeside cabin for a girls\u2019 weekend. The trip was originally meant to be a couples\u2019 retreat, until Jenn discovered that her boyfriend, Sam (Hutch Dano), was cheating on her. To offer Zoe moral support, her friends also ditched their own boyfriends, including Buck (Peter Gilroy) and Tommy (Jake Weary). The boys end up traveling to the cabin anyway, and sweet-talking their way in.<\/p>\n
Jenn decides to get away from Sam by going to take a shower. When she pulls back the curtain, she discovers a zombeaver in the tub. The guys begin to beat the animal until they believe it\u2019s dead. However, the next morning, they discover the beaver\u2019s body is missing from the garbage bag they put it in, and the group argues over what to do next. The girls eventually decide to take a swim in the lake, but when they\u2019re attacked by more zombeavers, they have to find a way to make it back to town to save their lives.<\/p>\n
Rubin, as well as Palm, Atkins, Melvin, Gilroy, Weary and actor Rex Linn, who played Smyth in \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 generously took the time to talk about the horror film recently during the Tribeca Film Festival at the Hilton New York Fashion District hotel. Among other things, the writer-director and actors discussed how Rubin knew he wanted to make his feature film directorial debut with the movie as he was writing the script, because it offered him an intimate knowledge of the material and character even before shooting began; how shooting independently offered the cast the opportunity to truly bond on the set, and infused the story with a creativity that wouldn\u2019t be accessible if they had a major studio backing; and how they appreciate the Tribeca Film Festival recognized their horror movie about zombie beavers.<\/p>\n
Rubin initially revealed how he co-wrote the script for the horror comedy with the Kaplan brothers after working with them on other projects. \u201cI asked them, what about \u2018Zombeavers?\u2019, and they fell down laughing,\u201d the director divulged. <\/p>\n
While writing the script with the Kaplans, Rubin realized \u2018Zombeavers\u2019 was the first movie he wanted to direct. \u201cI knew I could make this as my first film as a director, because I had a handle on it, and it has the right sensibility,\u201d he mentioned. Co-writing the script helped his helming duties, because he became close to the material while penning it. \u201cYou have such an intimate relationship while writing the script, it helps you explain your vision while you\u2019re trying to greenlight the story,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Even though Rubin enjoyed both writing and directing the horror comedy, at times the film\u2019s low budget forced people to perform multiple job duties. He would also work as a grip, while the actresses would help each other with their hair and makeup. One of the downsides of filming independently, and having people perform multiple jobs, is that they can\u2019t work hard on their main task, the helmer explained.<\/p>\n
But Gilroy didn\u2019t feel as though the budget was too small to make this film. \u201cWe had our own trailers, and there were animatronic beavers running around,\u201d he said. The movie also featured practical effects, which the actors were constantly around on the set. Gilroy felt that having those practical effects didn\u2019t make the film seem like it was being shot independently.<\/p>\n
Linn added the special effects that were created for \u2018Zombeavers\u2019 were creative and effective for their film, as they were made by some of the crew members who had previously worked on larger budget movies. \u201cWe had some of the best special effects crews you can have. They took their jobs very seriously, so it was fun,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Weary thinks that shooting independent movies that don\u2019t have a lot of money allow for more room for creativity. There\u2019s also a passion amongst everyone making indies, which isn\u2019t always present when there\u2019s a lot of money involved on a project. \u201cIf this movie had too much money behind it, and the beavers were computer-generated and fake, it would change the movie completely. It wouldn\u2019t be the movie it is because of that,\u201d the actor also said. \u201cWhen there\u2019s less, there\u2019s more, because you have to be creative.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palm agreed, and added smaller films foster true camaraderie. \u201cWe\u2019re doing these films because we love them. It\u2019s not about the paycheck; it\u2019s about loving the experience. That\u2019s why I love indie films, because we all bond together,\u201d she added. \u201cThe crew was also great! The stand-ins, the grips and the gaffers were all so great!<\/p>\n
One of the other benefits of shooting on a smaller budget was that the film\u2019s producers allowed the filmmaker to carry out his own vision. \u201cYou have to compromise a little more when you have a studio involved, which I noticed on other films I didn\u2019t direct,\u201d Rubin clarified. Studios on bigger budget movies can dictate which camera the director uses to shoot, or which products are feature in shots, based on their marketing deals.<\/p>\n
Rubin also said that he pictured the story to be in the vein of such films as \u2018Cabin in the Woods,\u2019 but also liked that the movie would have its own built-in marketing with the title alone. The filmmaker also compared the overall style of the film to popular horror movies from the 1980s, which take their stories too seriously, like \u2018Child\u2019s Play.\u2019<\/p>\n
While Gilroy wasn\u2019t born until 1989, he understood the influence the horror movies from that decade had on \u2018Zombeavers.\u2019 \u201cJordan had me watch \u2018The Thing,\u2019 as there\u2019s a big homage to that film in our movie. I enjoyed the quirkiness and fun you can have with the horror,\u201d the actor revealed.<\/p>\n
The director also appreciated how the actors fully committed to the serious, yet hilarious, nature of \u2018Zombeavers.\u2019 Atkins jokingly followed up Rubin\u2019s sentiment by saying she was drawn to the role of Jenn, and the script overall, because \u201cI didn\u2019t know there were jokes in it.\u201d She laughed at the director\u2019s question that the title didn\u2019t instantly give away the premise. \u201cI didn\u2019t get the beaver jokes until the first day on set,\u201d the actress explained. Atkins also said she related to Jenn\u2019s problems, such as having boyfriend issues.<\/p>\n
Gilroy also joked about his experience of being cast in \u2018Zombeavers.\u2019 \u201cI had two auditions the day I tried out for this film, and I was more focused on getting the other role. I just blew this audition, and I ended up getting the role,\u201d the actor added.<\/p>\n
Linn was asked to read the movie\u2019s script before meeting with Rubin. The actor found humor in the material the director wrote, and added \u201che\u2019s the main reason I became involved in the film.\u201d<\/p>\n
Melvin also laughed while recalling the film\u2019s premise, adding \u201cWhen I read it, I immediately got the humor. I remember thinking, this is a silly movie-it\u2019s called \u2018Zombeavers!\u2019\u201d She picked up on the jokes the director and his co-writers infused into the script, but \u201cI wasn\u2019t sure if they were supposed to be jokes.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Melvin didn\u2019t initially know she accurately guessed the originally intended tone of the film when she first read the script, Rubin acknowledged it did change as they began shooting. Melvin added that she told Rubin he was funny the first time they met, as she read his Twitter feed. His jokes helped push the actress to want to work on the horror comedy with the filmmaker. Once she was cast as Mary, she said \u201cI tried to have as much fun with the role as I could.\u201d<\/p>\n
With the filmmaker\u2019s joking, Atkins tried to have as much fun auditioning for, and playing, the role of Jenn as she could. \u201cThe whole experience was new to me, but it was cool to work with such an amazing cast,\u201d Atkins added of her acting in \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 her second feature film after last year\u2019s \u2018White Dwarf.\u2019<\/p>\n
Palm immediately connected with her role of Zoe when she first read the script, and felt the role was written specifically for her. \u201cZoe is so free-spirited and is the wild-child, and says things like it is, which is how I am,\u201d she said. She also was drawn to the film because she enjoys the horror genre and practical effects.<\/p>\n
Weary promised himself he would never wear a Letterman Jacket in a film again, but he ended up having to wear one for this project. \u201cBut the character was fun, because Tommy isn\u2019t like your typical jock. He has feelings, and I feel he\u2019s the most innocent character, in a way, which is different from a lot of the Letterman Jacket characters I\u2019ve played,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The cast\u2019s chemistry came naturally, after having only one day of rehearsal before they began shooting. While Rubin called the day a rehearsal, Melvin quickly jumped in and further showed off their never-ending teasing tendencies by saying, \u201cThat wasn\u2019t a rehearsal, that was a table read!\u201d The director clarified by saying, \u201cThe budget was too small to have proper rehearsals, but we did do some quick blocking before we would shoot scenes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gilroy also mentioned how the table read really helped build the cast\u2019s relationships. \u201cCortney, who played Zoe, my girlfriend in the film, walked into the table read on our rehearsal day. She said, \u2018Let\u2019s just get this out of the way,\u2019 and took off her shirt,\u201d the actor recalled, adding how her ease with her role helped comfort everyone else.<\/p>\n
Linn joked that he was upset he missed the table read, as the only thinks he saw naked were the beavers. But \u201cThe crew Jordan put together was great, so the atmosphere on the set was fun. That translated to the cast, so we had fun,\u201d the actor added.<\/p>\n
Weary appreciated the read-through, because the actors were able to work together on the script for a decent amount of time. \u201cWe had dinner together, and just talked about the movie as a group, on a real level. I think that was enough going into this shoot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Palm felt that like with Zoe, when actors know their characters, they know what to do. \u201cPeter instantly felt like Zoe\u2019s boyfriend right when we got on the set. We played off each other very well, like we had known each other for years,\u201d she said. She feels that rehearsals are needed for some movies. But with a film like \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 where the characters do and don\u2019t take themselves seriously, too many rehearsals could have made the actors overthink their scenes.<\/p>\n
Melvin again showed her admiration for her co-stars and director by saying, \u201cWhat\u2019s unique about this film is that to this day, I still don\u2019t feel like we wrapped.\u201d She compared their time since they finished filming to a hiatus on a television series, since \u201cwe\u2019re all still so close, which is really great.\u201d Their close bonds came in part because \u201cI think we were cast really appropriately. We were all enough like our parts to be believable. The natural relationships between the characters came from the natural bond between the actors.\u201d<\/p>\n
Linn added that he had fun with his co-stars while making \u2018Zombeavers.\u2019 \u201cI\u2019ve been fortunate to work on some great projects, but this one was really fun to work on,\u201d he said. He hopes to work with his co-stars, as well as Rubin, again on another project in the future.<\/p>\n
Gilroy humorously added that the cast \u201ckissed Jordan\u2019s a** so hard during this film, so we better work with him again. We made friendship bracelets, and live as blood brothers together forever. If (Martin) Scorsese, James Cameron and (Steven) Spielberg all got together and made a test tube baby, it would be Jordan Rubin.\u201d<\/p>\n
Palm also felt the director was great to work with on the set. \u201cWe were pressed for time many days, but he always knew what he wanted, and could get that out of us,\u201d she said. \u201cWhat I loved about Jordan, and not all directors do this, but he was so hands on. He\u2019d said, \u2018I want to shoot this part,\u2019 or \u2018I want to hold the beaver during this part.\u2019\u201d The actress appreciated how happy Rubin was to be on the set.<\/p>\n
Rubin was also open to collaborating with the actors and everyone involved, Weary added. \u201cI think he was so ready to direct this film, so nothing could have stopped him from doing this. He knew what he wanted, and was driven. His vision was so in his head and well executed,\u201d the actor said. Weary also praised the director for not letting the limited amount of time they had get to him, and always stuck to shooting what he wanted. \u201cHe\u2019s definitely a director an actor wants to work with,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Gilroy also said the cast also had fun together, in part because all the actors always being on the same set together at the same time on the same days. Rubin feels the cast\u2019s natural bond came in part because of the improvisation on the set. \u201cThe roles slightly changed because of what they brought, which I was excited about,\u201d he explained. He also laughed about how the actors would bring in accents to certain scenes, and they would fade in the next sequence. But \u201cWhen I saw the movie, I was relieved, because (the accents) were consistent,\u201d Melvin added.<\/p>\n
Palm and Weary also echoed the sentiment that the cast worked well together, and they would want to stay in touch in the future. The actress stays in touch with Gilroy all the time, because he continuously posts videos on YouTube. \u201cI\u2019m like, Peter, hook me up; let\u2019s do a scene together,\u201d she said, laughing. I also tell Jake, \u2018Put me in one of your videos!\u2019 Rachel and I also want to make another movie together,\u201d she exclaimed.<\/p>\n
Weary feels the cast bonded in part because of Rubin, who \u201cfound a solid group of people. He tried to find a group during the audition process that could work together, and I think he did it perfectly. We\u2019re all still friends, and have a similar sense of humor,\u201d the actor said.<\/p>\n
Also speaking about the improv, Melvin quickly jumped in to mention her admiration for Gilroy, and called him one of the funniest actors she\u2019s ever seen. Rubin added that the actor \u201ccomes from a real improv background. His role was scripted to be more of a jock, but he was so funny during the audition, I said, \u2018He\u2019d be good for comic relief.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
While the film\u2019s budget limited the amount of improv the cast could incorporate into their scenes, the director said he would shoot a couple takes of each scene as scripted. Then he would let the actors bring in their own humor.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt one point with Lexi, someone asked where the bathroom was. She had to motion to where it was, and she would instead snap and point,\u201d Rubin said. While he acknowledged the gesture wasn\u2019t natural, he did think it looked funny. Atkins laughed when she mentioned how the whole time she played the gesture real.<\/p>\n
Melvin said one of her biggest improv moments lead to Dave Halls, the first assistant director of \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 got upset over her joke with popcorn on the set. The actress laughed when she mentioned how Halls told her, \u201cEnough with the f**king popcorn.\u201d When action was then called on the scene, she said, \u201cYou guys want some f**king popcorn?!?\u201d Rubin acknowledged how as a director, he would encourage the cast to improv, but Halls\u2019 job was difficult at times, because he had to move the shoot along.<\/p>\n
But Gilroy readily championed the script Rubin wrote with the Kaplans. \u201cWith a film like \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019you really want to stick to the script. I think the writers took about six years to finish the script, so we wanted to stick to it. You can try to improvise, but you\u2019re not going to come up with anything better than the \u2018Zombeavers\u2019 script,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Palm added the cast would regularly go with the flow of each day\u2019s shoot, and Rubin would stress the importance of improv. \u201cJordan would say, \u2018Change it up a little bit. Improv this.\u2019 He would also throw in some things that threw us off guard, which made the shoot fun,\u201d she said. Improv can help build the cast\u2019s chemistry, because \u201csometimes you can be doing something really fresh, and you\u2019d be making it up while you improv. But sometimes the other actors aren\u2019t getting what you\u2019re doing, so it\u2019s like you\u2019re almost in two different films. But on \u2018Zombeavers,\u2019 the improv helped open everything up,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
Weary feels that when things are confined and constricted while filming, things can become tedious and repetitive. He added that each time they improvised a scene, it would be unique and fresh. Improv \u201cgives the editor and director something to play with. I\u2019ve edited movies before, and I\u2019ve found myself in a hole sometimes. Either the actors, or whatever\u2019s written, are exactly the same in every scene, which is really hard to edit,\u201d he said. The actor feels you get \u201cgreat performances from people when they\u2019re different in every take. The freedom to know your character can really work.\u201d<\/p>\n
The combined efforts of the cast and crew led the film to be accepted into the 2014 Tribeca Film Festival. Some of Palm\u2019s previous movies were accepted into other festivals, but this was the first time one of her projects was selected to be a part of the New York City festival. Her manager also told her the opportunity was huge, and so did her mother. \u201cMy mom was like, \u2018I have to buy you an outfit,\u2019\u201d the actress laughed.<\/p>\n
Weary also mentioned how his mother wanted to attend the film\u2019s Tribeca premiere, \u201cbut I told her we would have to wait until the Oscars,\u201d he joked. He added that he\u2019s from New Jersey, so it was great to have the film play near his home, and see it with the people he cares so much about.<\/p>\n
Upon hearing of the horror movie\u2019s entry into the festival, Linn was also elated and happy. \u201cTo be invited to the Tribeca Film (Festival) with a movie you\u2019re in, which is about killer beavers, is so ironic,\u201d he said. Gilroy added that he \u201cnever thought I\u2019d be going to a film festival for this movie. This is my first big movie.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo one, not even Jordan, knows where \u2018Zombeavers\u2019 is going to end up. Only a few people may see it, or it may be a phenomenon in theaters,\u201d Linn alsosaid. He feels \u201cit\u2019s amazing that while, and even after, filming the movie, we didn\u2019t know if it would go nowhere, or skyrocket; but there won\u2019t be any middle ground.\u201d<\/p>\n