LEGLESS CORPSE: In the press stills we received there are a lot of characters holding camcorders. Is Fairfield a “found-footage” type film or a more traditional film?

CHRIS BELLANT: Yeah my character is the main one who caries a camcorder with him everywhere he goes, but the film doesn’t fall into the found footage category. Basically my character has lost everyone he loves in the recent outbreak, so I carry around a camcorder in order to make sure that I can preserve memories and capture anything important on film. For me, it’s kind of a way to hold on to the people I love. My character’s girlfriend goes missing, so my mission in the film is to find her. The videos I have on the camcorder help keep me motivated to find her.

LC: How did you become involved in the project?

CB: I was actually one of the first people to read the script, which was written by Julian Singleton. I sent it to Mattheau O’Brien, who came on board to direct the film, and it started to develop from there in a really amazing way. There was an incredible team of people working to bring the film to life. Matt brought on Isaac Shyamalan Loftus as a producer and co-writer. An amazing producer named Ed Vassallo was involved. Ed was diagnosed with leukemia and went into treatment early in the process. But even when he was in the hospital, he was working to raise money for the film and to pull things together. He passed right before the film was finished, so Fairfield is dedicated to his memory. He was a huge inspiration to me, I’m really grateful to him for so many different reasons.

LC: The little bit of info we got on the film mentioned zombies! Is this a zombie flick set in the high school environment?

CB: Yes! I don’t want to spoil anything, but the zombies look absolutely amazing. A company called Gotham FX did the effects make-up, and it’s seriously scary. The make up team used to describe the zombies as “fresh”- in other words, they don’t look as decayed as some zombies. It makes them scarier, because you can see the remnants of a person underneath it. And Julian and Isaac Loftus, who wrote the film, had really fun ways of making the zombies specific to the school. For example, there’s a terrifying trio of zombie lunch ladies. Seeing them running down the hall with their ladles was hilarious, but also pretty disturbing!

LC: What does Fairfield have that sets it apart from other horror films?

CB: It’s really unique because while it draws inspiration from films like “28 Days Later” and “Dawn of the Dead”, it also draws inspiration from ’80s teen comedies like “The Breakfast Club”. It’s basically the zombie film that John Hughes never got around to making. It has some really funny moments between the teenagers trapped in the school, and some really heartbreaking moments. It’s scary, but it also has a lot of heart. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything quite like it.

LC: When will the movie be premiering? Any VOD or DVD release dates yet, or is it hitting the festival circuits first?

CB: It’s premiering over Halloween weekend, but I don’t think I’m allowed to say where the premiere will be yet. It’s going to be an amazing event. Release date hasn’t been set yet, since it will be hitting the festival circuit first. There are screenings on the horizon, but hopefully we’ll know more soon about when it’ll be released.

LC: For you, what was one of the best things about working on the film?

CB: I’d have to say the people were probably the best part. We were in Philadelphia together on this awesome journey, and the cast and crew made it a really special experience. We had some really long and challenging days of shooting, but then everyone would jump in the pool or the hot tub and unwind after we wrapped each day. It was fun getting to know so many great people, some of whom I’ve been working with ever since on other projects.

About the Fairfield

A coming of age story about a group of teens trapped in their school during the zombie apocalypse.

“When a mysterious illness suddenly spreads through his home town, Gabriel Cooper finds himself fighting for his life. After seeking refuge in the local high school, he’s united with a group of teenagers who are hiding in the school. Together, they must face the gravest of teenage dilemmas: sex, parents, friends, and zombies.”

 

Interview With FAIRFIELD Star Chris Bellant… High School Zombie Fun