Zombie Girl: The Movie

As I have a young son who with his friends tries to make movies on smart-phones, the finished products ends up looking like something with kids just running and screaming.

So I watched this with him as it tells the story of a young girl Emily Hagins who was always interested in making movies and at the age of 10 writes a zombie film and by the age of 12 starts shooting the film called Pathogen on a minuscule budget but loads of enthusiasm.

I wanted to show him that if a girl around his age could write and direct a film, he also needs to focus and write his ideas down and realise it so he and his friends can make a structured film over time.

Emily has to balance school, the hazards of film making and her generally supportive parents but at times her mother could interfere a little too much.

However the documentary was only intermittently entertaining and the running time was too long. I also wondered when the documentary was actually filmed as the shooting of Pathogen took place over many months because Emily had to breaks for school work took priority as well as other reasons for delays.

If you end up thinking that parts of the footage has been enacted for the documentary then it is not a good sign or either that, when Emily was writing and making Pathogen then there was a documentary crew in tow at the same time.

It was nice to hear from the likes of Harry Knowles. It was good to see how determined Emily is and that she did finish Pathogen, won a grant for that film, show it as film festivals and she has gone on to make other films.

The documentary though did not grab me unfortunately.

This has remained my favorite documentary, and one of my favorite movies, since I first saw a screener of it about two years ago. I'm so glad that it's finally reaching a wider audience now.

When I was writing "The New Horror Handbook," I not only wanted to cover some of the landmark horror movies of the 21st century, but also to include a section on the effect the genre has had on up-and-coming filmmakers. When I came across then-14-year-old Emily Hagins and her zombie movie "Pathogen," and the documentary about its making, "Zombie Girl: The Movie," I had to include a chapter on both.

"Zombie Girl" does something I've never seen accomplished before -- faithfully and lovingly document the joys and aggravations of the creative process.

Sure, there are plenty of "making of" featurettes, some better than others. But this movie has two advantages. The primary one is Emily Hagins herself. This is a young girl brimming with creativity and drive, yet with enough maturity and support from her family to see her vision through to completion. Second, a refreshing lack of the manufactured drama that reality TV has made us all accustomed to. Finally, after watching this movie, chances are good that you will want to make your own movie, or write a novel, or paint a masterpiece -- whatever long-held creative passions you've carried with you suddenly won't seem so out of reach. I can't think of a greater accomplishment for a film.

This documentary focuses on a somewhat unique scenario. Emily Hagens is a young girl who is something of a film fanatic. Nothing so strange about this, quite a few kids her age are but where Emily differs from the crowd is that she managed to direct a feature length zombie film called 'Pathogen' to completion when she was twelve years old. This film documents her as she achieves this impressive feat. It's partially a family portrait because Emily's mother is fully behind her daughter in her endeavour and is an ever present on set carrying out all manner of tasks such as sound woman, special effects artist and producer. It's a pretty heart-warming story just in this regard, as it shows a family unit working together really well, with parents supporting their daughter to the hilt. Emily's mother is clearly a very patient woman, as she had to put up with a group of young teens hanging around making a zombie epic for two years, which is even more impressive when you realise that she had to do this after working a full time job in the daytime. It must have driven her nuts.

The documentary ends not long after the premiere of the film. It was a pity we never saw the audience reactions to it but, even though I have never seen it myself, it's safe to say that it looks like it is a seriously ropey affair. But this isn't the point, as what can honestly be expected of such a micro-budgeted affair made mainly by kids? Film-making is a complex process, with even low budget b-movies costing many thousands of pounds to make. This was made with really next to no money and we bear witness to typical issues that are part of the cinematic creative process such as having to depend on actors, trying to achieve decent results with little money, technical nightmares with audio and of course trying to make a film when the director has to attend school by day. It's a pretty inspiring little tale and it is good to see that Emily has gone on to make several other films since this. The film ultimately shows how difficult it is to make movies on tiny budgets but it also shows it can be done with perseverance and dedication. Young Emily has given a good example to many that you just need to get out and do it and be prepared to work hard enough to ensure you finish it. Good on her.

"Zombie Girl" is not really a movie about zombies, but about a young girl who is directing a zombie film. The focus is a little bit on how the film was made, but the underlying theme seems to be about family bonding. Parents who want to encourage their child's dreams, this is a film for you.

I came into the film with moderate expectations. I love horror and the film-making process, but was not sure if this would really be up my alley. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. The directors took what is more or less an average family and really made them interesting, and made a fine case that Emily Hagins isn't just a girl with too much free time -- she cares about her craft and knows her stuff.

The film also gives a glimpse into the Austin film community, though this is not the focus. We meet an area critic, a film society, Harry Knowles (of Ain't It Cool News) and the Butt-Numb-a-Thon. If you live in or around Austin, this film isn't just about the Hagins family, but about your community and its promotion of independent film. I wish my community had a similar flavor, but I have to drive three hours for that.

The DVD makes a great documentary even better. There are extra interviews and outtakes, but most importantly the Emily Hagins film "Pathogen", so you get two for one (rather than buying it from her website separately). Sure, "Pathogen" is not great, but coupled with "Zombie Girl", you can see why it's not great, where mistakes were made, and use this as a teaching tool for yourself or others when you try to make your own film.

I endorse "Zombie Girl" for both horror fans, and families in general. I think even those who have no interest in horror or film could take something from this: a precocious young girl following her passion, and a family helping her to do just that. Emily Hagins is certainly a young visionary, but she would not be able to realize it without parents to drive her to set.