Paul Casey Interview, 28 Weeks Later

We had a chance to sit down and interview Paul Casey, we are calling him the LEAD infected or zombie if you will. 28 WEEKS LATER, the follow up to the hugely successful 28 Days Later, picks up six months after the rage virus has annihilated the Mainland Britain. The US army declares that the war against infection has been won, and that the reconstruction of the country can begin. As the first wave of refugees return, a family is reunited - but one of them unwittingly carries a terrible secret. The virus is not yet dead, and this time, it is more dangerous than ever. Here is what he had to say:

 

Q. When did you first get involved with the film?

 

A. I was involved in all the casting of the film when they were casting for the infected, because they all (the infected) come from a movement background. It is very physical with, all the running.

 

Q. How long did you spend training the infected?

 

A. We had a 4 hour workshop day, and we had about 16 people, and that was to make sure they all had the same understanding as to what the infected are and what they’re movements should be like. It was a brilliant day for everyone, really, because we all had different backgrounds, from dancers to mimes to circus performers, and I was able to mold them into what was needed.

 

Q. Did the director have his own vision of how the infected moved?

 

A. Juan Carlos had worked with me initially and had a very clear idea of what kind of movement he wanted the infected to have, so we were able to use the workshop day to get us all together better.

Juan really wanted to make the movement similar to how one of the last infected you see in 28 Days moved, very much like a dog or an animal.

 

Q. How does one sound like an infected?

 

A. We explained that the sound was like a human growl, but since everyone has different voices you don’t get a flat, repetitive sound. It’s just a matter of working on it so they’re not all like soldiers.

 

Q. Does it take a lot of energy to play an infected?

 

A. So far a lot of stamina has been used! They’re all long days, but the hardest has been Nebworth, that was a lot of continuous running, full out running, and the terrain was very uneven, lots of rocks and potholes and the like.

 

Q. The film is very physical, has anyone been hurt?

 

A. Because the infected have lost themselves, because they’re so focused on destruction, you can’t really run and look at the ground, you just have to plow through it. No injuries there, though, no, it was just a matter of keeping up the stamina. We had 30 infected at one time there, that’s been the maximum so far.

 

Q. How do actors find motivation for playing an infected?

 

A. In the workshop, you’re explaining to everyone how the makeup works and how you’re going to look, and all people could do was just envision what you’re saying. After the workshop, when they come on set and get the makeup done and put in the contacts, they just go "Wow!” That’s what it’s about; you get the makeup along with the movement and the sounds, all that combined is what makes someone playing an infected really get into the role.

 

Q. How hard is it not to mess up the gore in between takes?

 

A. We’re very careful with the makeup, to make sure we’re not ruining it between takes, but what you see now is just the first layer, really. Once we get on set we get a lot more blood, especially in the mouth and the eyes, so this is just the first layer of many.

 

Q. What’s the difference between an infected and a zombie?

 

A. There are fine lines between mummies or zombies, and just straight creatures but since we’re infected we’re more of a mixture of both the creature and the mummy or zombie movement. It was very precise, Juan Carlos knew exactly how he wanted it, which was good. Even though everyone understands what is needed, since they all come from different backgrounds everyone still brought their own personality.

As movement, especially in the workshop, everyone was saying "oh, we get to be zombies”, and it is good to correct them because people have an image of zombies because they’ve seen them in so many films, the same is true with creatures. But when you say it’s not that, they get that picture out of their head and can get away from the idea that they’re going to be zombies.

 

Q. How do you inspire the actors during filming?

 

A. On set I would help out some of them and ask if they could be a little more creature-like, because sometimes you really need that because it’s easier for them to show rage that way, and the opposite is true as well, there are some we have to ask to be a little less like creatures.

 

Q. How did you become involved with 28 Weeks Later?

 

A. When they needed someone who had been on the set of the first movie, who understood the movement and how it all worked, they asked me to advise. I’ve done a lot of creature work before and I’ve worked with a lot of actors, so they wanted someone who both understood the movement and could pass that understanding on, so my background really helped them out, as well.

 

Q. What’s it like playing an infected?

 

A. It’s great! The workshop especially was great because you just get rid of all your tension, by the end of the day you’re just feeling so relaxed cause you’ve just let it all go, the more the better for that! The amount of intensity and the amount of tension held in your body can be very draining, so it’s very hard not to be relaxed when the day is over.