about the film
I didn’t know when I headed to this cute little cabin in the woods to write that a zombie story would crawl into my subconscious and poke and prod me until I brought it to the world.
I’m thrilled to share we’ve had our first film shoot and we’re gearing up for our second one!
The story
Genre
Horror, Comedy (Zombedy)
About the story
Have you ever wondered what could be lurking deep in the Gold Rush mines? What if the gasses had a strange effect on the victims of mining accidents, transforming them into unholy terrors?
In Gold Miner Mayhem, an earthquake creates an opening in the mine for undead gold miners to emerge from the depths just as our heroine, Alex - a former rodeo queen on the edge - is leading a spooky Hallow’s Eve mine tour.
Alex must be courageous and draw on her rodeo skills to save her family and small town from the zombie outbreak.
This film explores the pain of failed dreams and the joy of discovering that help can come from unexpected sources.
At once, creepy and comical, Gold Miner Mayhem will have you gripping your seat and your gut.
Why this story?
I’ve been writing and rewriting this story known in my writer’s groups as “Zombie” for a couple of years. I was also working on other stories and having them read, but it was this story that inspired people.
I was excited that this story captivated others as it had me, and that inspired me to stay with it and bring it to life.
I sent an early 26-page version to a Hollywood script consultant and was told between my horseback stunts (complete with roping zombies) and Molotov Cocktail’ing a zombie in the woods that that draft would cost about $100,000. What can I say? I have a vivid imagination!
I whittled (and whittled) it down to 16 pages and a tamer budget.
Early draft:
Why me?
Writers Anne Lamott and Elizabeth Gilbert have talked about how stories float around looking for someone to give them life. I do think this story picked me for a few reasons.
I experienced losses at a young age which shaped my young writer's mind, allowing me to entertain wild scenarios - like zombies coming up out of a mine - as material.
My beloved Husky/Malamute was stolen out of my aunt’s backyard. Juno was never found.
Break-in number 1, an ex-con jumped on the bus in his tan suit for a job interview but he got the city wrong and ended up at our house. He told the detective since he’d come all that way he decided to make it worth his while and break in.
Break-in number 2, the cop showed us where they broke the backdoor lock and surmised they’d been casing the house for a while. I never looked at those backyard hedges the same way again.
My car was stolen in Emeryville and wrapped around a telephone pole in Alameda. Beyond stealing my car, though, their greatest offense was prying my hula man from the dashboard and taking him with them. Jerks.
Why these characters?
Why a Rodeo Queen?
I love a strong female lead and seeing someone courageous and feminine digging deep in the face of fear is a great role model.
Rodeo Queens are a great symbol of female empowerment. To succeed, they have to be dedicated, have refined rodeo skills - and of course, style! And they only have one shot at it.
I thought Alex, my Rodeo Queen, would be the perfect heroine to face off with the undead horde.
Why Gold Miners?
I have a BA degree in History and I’m rather obsessed with Gold Rush history. I admire the tenacity and grit, and all that they had to face and overcome to survive in those risky, wretched conditions.
I like Spooky things & comedy
Laughing is a fantastic way to cope with distasteful life events, such as crushing defeat, public humiliation, and of course, a zombie outbreak.
I drew inspiration from one of my favorite films, Shaun of the Dead, a romantic comedy with zombies.
Things that go bump in the night
Zombies crawling up from the depths is right up my alley. I wrote a historical non-fiction book on a haunted Castle in Pacifica called “Sam’s Castle” that is now in its second printing. While I haven’t seen dead people there, I’ve heard them. They like to whisper in our ears. Come by and hear for yourself!
Would you like to be a part of this wild ride with me?
