Zombies are so hot right now, with entries in a local movie-making competition proving the undead are still a rich source of ideas for up-and-coming filmmakers.
Zombies on a Boat, Street of the Dead, Nazi Zombies and Zombies and Combies are all entries in Make My Movie, a competition offering the chance for local filmmakers to win $100,000 towards making their dream movie.
The winner will be the person or team that comes up with the best pitch and poster art for a movie they'd like to see made, as judged by a panel of industry experts. Public votes will also be incorporated into the final decision.
Of the 211 posters entered since the competition began two weeks ago, documentaries and horror films - especially those starring zombies - are proving to be popular topics.
On the horror side of things, there's Sandman (tagline: "What if a game could release hell?"), Zombies on a Boat ("If you can't run, you can't hide") and the recession-themed tale Slaughter on the Slopes ("When the cost of living gets too high sometimes we have to cut some of our luxuries").
And the poster for Eel - "This summer even the rivers aren't safe" - may make you think twice before having a refreshing roadside dip over the Christmas holidays.
Documentary ideas include Mr Whippy: The Untold Story, How to Give Up the Benefit, and the unlikely Moa Hunt, which comes with the fitting tagline: "They probably won't find one".
There are also ideas for Kiwi-themed dramas, like Me & Ewe ("He loves his ewe"), Bye-bye Eskimo Pie ("Two convicts, a Toyota and the New Zealand Police), and Four Square Mob, in which war erupts between a local dairy and supermarket mobsters.
If you're not impressed with the entries so far, you can submit your own movie ideas and posters here.
Entries close on October 31, with a top 12 revealed in early November. A winner will be announced on January 26, with the film premiering in April, 2012.
Make My Movie is a collaboration between Ant Timpson, nzherald.co.nz, the Film Commission and NZ On Air.
- Herald online