Zombie apocalypse descends on Whakapara

Hordes of zombies will spread panic in Whakapara on Friday as shooting begins on the movie R: Rage of the Zombies.

People who don't like the sight of blood or gore should probably avoid Whakapara from tomorrow as a major movie about a zombie apocalypse begins shooting in the area.

Mig Alves, the Northland-based second director for the movie R: Rage of the Zombies that is being shot in Northland, said she had been overwhelmed by the response to the movie after it was first highlighted in the Northern Advocate last week, when she put out the call for zombie extras.

Ms Alves said she had since been inundated by hundreds of people wanting to be zombies.

"I initially only wanted a few zombie extras as we have all the rest of the cast, including some top American actors, but after you put the story in we had hundreds wanting to be zombies. It's great and I've been able to accommodate about 200 zombies, with most from Northland," she said.

The zombies would be "created" by some effective make-up work from 7am on Friday at Whakapara. Director Fred Potts arrived in Whangarei on Tuesday and was delighted with the scene locations.

Ms Alves said make-up artist Phil Palmer had arrived and couldn't wait to get stuck in to creating his zombie army, while Whangarei artist Brad Walters has been brought in to do some airbrush work to make the zombies even more authentic.

She said a small Northland town - which cannot be named at this stage - would also feature in the movie.

The movie takes place 20 years after the apocalypse and the world has been ravaged by a zombie outbreak and resources are running low for the living and the undead alike.

The zombies have become even more crazed by their hunger. R: Rage of the Zombies has been commissioned by Chinese backers.