Rick, the Main Character In The Walking Dead
A few summers ago I had a zombie week. Some buddies of mine and I rented a bunch of zombie movies and watched them, pondering how we would defend ourselves. It's one of the most fun things to think about, almost like a video game. Keep score with your friends in your bulwark, mighty and safe. However, I doubt that would really be the case. In all fairness, my friend's dad has a collection of weapons, including an AK-47 he built on his own, a safe with 10 rifles and innumerable handguns, a garage full of more guns and barrels, of the 60 gallon variety, of bullets. (He's retired, give him a break). I have a feeling we'd be safe for a little while.
Think about it. At first it would be a joke. "Man that would be awesome if this virus was serious, we could ammo up and kill every one of them!" After that it would be a shock, it's real. Then weeks later, barricades and Marshall law are put in place, and you hear about it. The first person you know becomes one of them. Its Alex from down the street. The kid you rode the bus with in high school...he came to every birthday party you had growing up. And it hits you. Alex lived three houses down. What about your friends, family elsewhere? What about you?
Yet, isn't that what is addicting to think about? How would I handle that situation? It's just so outrageous we can remove ourselves from actuality and do it. But what is the first thing we do? Buffer. Buffering, its what we do when it comes to tough situations. Tossing up the barrier, keeping the thought out of our mind...we may have to kill, or rekill, someone we love. It's a thought no one would ever truly want to find themselves in.
I watched the first episode of The Walking Dead, AMC's new series about zombies, or rather, survivors in a zombie-ridden world. The main character finds himself in the lucky situation of happening upon living people, a father and son. They are boarded up in a neighborhood with a pesky zombie issue. The first night he's at this place, they are peaking out the windows, looking at the zombies and the boy sees her. His mother is among the animated corpses. They meet the issue of family members head on. The father later has his dead wife in his scope and is forced with the choice.
That is it. The terrifying reality of zombie infested worlds means we have to make choices that are deeply connected to our subconscious. That is the first key to writing such infectious stories. Making your audience choose the outcome. Involving them emotionally in the story. Of course not everything always ends up the way you want it to. But that is the second punch, keeping an audience guessing. The Walking Dead had me hooked within the first few minutes with a "NO WAY" moment right at the beginning.
One of my favorite producers/directors, J.J. Abrams uses mystery to his advantage in pretty much all of his shows and films. He spoke at a TED conference a few years back, specifically about the mystery, check it out here: http://bit.ly/aY4QYA.
The Master of Mystery Himself, J.J. Abrams
The question, what's next, is the driving element in film. Its the question that runs rampant through our zombie filled nightmares, hooks us by the heart in sweeping love stories and drives our soul in the real world. What's next? Where do we go from here? Our soul craves the knowledge of what will be next.
Mystery is evident in everything. We may think we have some idea where it is going, but one of the things that springs us onward is the unflinching enigma of our destiny. It consumes us at a fundamental level. Where our destiny leads us is completely unknown.
The Walking Dead is not only an entertaining show, but it is also a captivating experience, begging the future to answer our questions. If you get the chance watch the show. I'm betting you will like it. And if you get bored with your day, ask the question...chances are you will find yourself pleasantly surprised.
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