Former Kannapolis resident stirs up zombie fun

For some it might be a strange image to see a flock of zombies shuffle past the historic Gem Theatre in Kannapolis, N.C. 

 

Even for Tony Spears, the coordinator for Modern Film Fest's zombie walk, the fact that Kannapolis has its own zombie walk is still a shock. Spears approached Modern Film Fest artistic director, Michael Knox, in 2009 about adding a walk to the festival, with the organization, Zombies Night Out, sponsoring the walk. 

 

Knox worked with Spears and the Idiot Circle Zombie Walk was launched in 2010. The second annual walk will be held on Friday, Sept. 30, near the Gem Theatre as part of this year's Modern Film Fest events.

 

Horror fans will be able to participate in the walk at 7 p.m. then watch a free performance by D.J. Sin and then catch the comedy/horror movie, "The Mole Man of Belmont Avenue." There is also a discussion panel at 8 p.m. at the Gem Theatre, annex that will include this year's horror media guests.

 

Registration for the zombie walk begins at 4 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30, with a $5 registration fee. Make up specialists will be on hand to help get into their zombie gear, with volunteers from Paul Mitchell the School Charlotte.

 

Spears will be participating in the zombie walk in his own makeup, as a character he developed, the zombie, "Digger."

 

Spears talked about his experience with Modern Film Fest's second annual Idiot Circle Zombie Walk.

 

MFF: You are actually from Kannapolis. Would you ever think this would have its own zombie walk?

SPEARS: "No. It was meant for me to bring this event to my hometown. Growing up here in the 70's/80's was kinda boring and scary in it's own ways."

 

"The Gem Theatre was always there, my whole life. I remember meeting Roy Rogers (the classic cowboy icon) when I was 5 and getting ... scared ... by, "Jaws" when I was 7 or 8. So it is a nice feeling to bring this event to a place that I have such fond memories of."

  

MFF: Why do you think zombies have become so popular and why do you find yourself so interested in them?
SPEARS: "Zombies have always been kinda popular but just now really getting more popularity because of all the zombie walks, not just in the US but around the world!"

 

"I had such a great time at the first walk I attended, Charlotte, NC 2008. The reactions from the other walkers and from the crowds in the streets, to the SFX make up and fake blood, was making me want to do more. So I continued to evolve or devolve my FX to be more and more blood and gross each time."

 

"Also, in February 2009 I was about 10 feet away from George Romero (director for, "Night of the Living Dead") at the American Zombie Film Fest,that really boosted my zombie morale!"

 

MFF: How do you hope Modern Film Fest's second annual Idiot Circle Zombie Walk will grow?
SPEARS: "If every one of the 64 registered walkers we had last year would come back and bring just 1 person with them, we would have almost 150. So doubling last year is a very reachable goal."

 

MFF: What other zombie events are you involved in and what are some other projects you are involved with?

SPEARS: "With Zombies' Night Out (ZNO) I started two walks this one we are promoting here, at MFF and the Downtown Salisbury Zombie Walk, which will be on Oct 28th. I was invited back to the Myrtle Beach ZW to lead this years walk. Which was very close to 500 walkers."

 

MFF: How did you come up with the concept of Digger and what is "his" background/story?
SPEARS: "The nickname 'Digger' came when my best friend of over 25 years, Scoty Scurvy, joined the band, The Graveyard Boulevard. Everyone in the band has an alias. So I took the name, 'Digger' and ran stage crew and done small skits during songs, such as dragging a dummy on stage and stabbing it with a shovel. It just developed from there and went more in the zombie events direction."

 

MFF: How did the noose aspect of the outfit come into play and what is the story behind that?
SPEARS: "Basically it's a taboo image. It's an attention getter. That noose hung in my front yard on many a Halloween. It was even photographed for the local newspaper, a few years ago, when the police department and the newsroom were flooded with calls about it."

 

"They were calling it a 'hate crime.' I was calling it a 'holiday decoration.' So now it's blood~stained and hangs on a plaque in my house between zombie walks and photo/video shoots.

 

 MFF: How much time do you think you have invested in promoting yourself as a zombie and what do you do to promote yourself as a zombie?
SPEARS: "Promoting is almost none stop! I am always looking for that next step. Facebook is a good promotions tool and most of 'Digger's' success is from the networking I have done in Facebook. I won three photo contests last year hosted on Facebook pages. Plus a video contest on dailymotion.com with a $1,000 payday. 'Digger' is a promoter, a model and an actor and there is a lot that I hope for him in the future."

 

MFF: Some people would say you are obsessed with being Digger. Why is it such a big part of your life and what do you get out of it?

SPEARS: "Obsessed! Maybe a little but it's the first time in my life that I can pack a road case for me and it not be filled with duct tape, flashlights and sharpies just to set up a stage for a band."

 

"I get to do this for me and no one else accept for the fans! I get to have fun with lots of people and it is the best feeling in the world to find pictures online that were taken by people who only know me as 'Digger The Zombie.' That is so worth all the time put into it."

 

MFF: You just worked on "Zombie Movie." Can you talk a little bit about that and give an anecdote to how devoted to the Digger character you are, talking about your travel and such?
SPEARS: "'The Zombie Movie' shoot was a lot of fun to be a part of. I was only on location for two days but in those two days I was in on three major character kills. I even kinda had a line to speak!"

 

"It was a good learning experience and I met some great people at the same time. The payday from the video contest I mentioned earlier, was what made this trip to Louisville, Ky. possible."

 

"Rental car=$174 ... Hotel for 3 nights=$150 (yay priceline) Getting my very own 'Digger The Zombie' personalized Louisville Slugger made at the Louisville Slugger Bat Factory and Museum while I took the factory tour = PRICELESS!"

 

MFF: What are your hopes for the future of Digger?
SPEARS: "I want to work with more photographers and hope to broaden my portfolio. Doing more film work is also in the near future. "

 

MFF: In addition to Modern Film Fest's second annual Idiot Circle Zombie Walk, what events do you have coming up?
SPEARS: "The second annual Downtown Salisbury Zombie Walk on Oct. 28th. Zombies Night Out is also a sponsor for Zombiefest 2011 in Jacksonville, NC on July 16th."

 

MFF: How long does it take for you to get into the Digger character?
SPEARS: "About two hours usually. It also depends on if I am doing it myself or if someone else is doing the special effects make up job. It has been a quick as 45 minutes to as long as three hours."

 

MFF: How do most people react to your involvement with the zombie events?
SPEARS: "'Digger' is an attention getter! Everyone wants a picture with him! Some run and hide! Others have cried. I even had one that backed herself up to a wall and covered her eyes until I walked away! So it's a mixed bag of reactions and they are all different."

 

 

MFF: How much do you think you financially have invested in the Digger character and what make up those expenses?
SPEARS: "It's not as bad as one would think. I had stickers made this year and have printed photos for autograph signings. So right now it's a few hundred dollars. As the merchandise grows so will the costs but I hope to have a few paying gigs by that time."

 

MFF: What was it like working on the set of the "Zombie Movie" and what were some of your favorite moments from that shoot?
SPEARS: "It was like hanging out with a bunch of different people and drinking really good coffee through a straw. Best moments would have to be, after the mass zombie kill shoot, I'm covered in chocolate, corn syrup and oatmeal blood when Roni Jonah and Jason Crowe (Director/Producer/Actors) take a moment to pose for a picture with me."

 

MFF: How did you get involved in "The Zombie Movie" in the first place?
SPEARS: "It was another Facebook photo contest which turned into an open casting call. So I made the plans to attend the shoot after finishing forth in the contest, I think."

 

MFF: What are some of your favorite zombie products/movies and why?
SPEARS: "So many to pick from... I like all things ZOMBIE! From the 'B' movie cheese of years gone by to the big budget flicks of today! Zombie Attack Gear is a zombie inspired clothing line that I endorse as well as products by Menace Inc. and Zombie Farm Rag Dolls. I also support local artists such as Jesse Allen and Jeff Beck, of Menace Inc."

  

MFF: Can you give some background on why it's called Idiot Circle Zombie Walk?
SPEARS: "Everyone that grew up in Kannapolis knows or has heard of Idiot Circle. It was the area of downtown, now known as Cannon Village. It was where teens and young adults went to cruise in their cars and meet with friends."

 

"So having grown up hearing of Idiot Circle, I was inspired to use the historical title for our zombie walk instead of just calling it the Kannapolis Zombie Walk."

 

 MFF: What is your job outside of working with zombies and what has been the response from your co-workers, friends and family?
SPEARS: "Currently I work in a factory that manufactures hot tubs. Responses are mixed. One coworker/friend comes to every zombie event I support. Others laugh and show little interest at all."

 

MFF: What other projects are you involved in, other than the zombie walks?
SPEARS: "I'm trying to get a photo studio set up so a few photographer friends of mine will have a place to shoot me and others. A few video projects are still on going as well as a few new ones in the planning stages."

 

MFF: If I remember correctly you also make coffin mirrors. Can you describe what those are and how you got started making them?
SPEARS: "One of my many past jobs involve cutting glass/mirrors. So one day I was working with an idea and a scrap piece of mirror and I cut it into the shape of a coffin."

 

"After finishing and sanding the edges I took it home and when I showed it to my best friend, her jaw hit the ground, so that told me how awesome it was. So I started bringing mirrors home and cutting Coffin Mirrors."