History SoYouWantTo / WriteAZombieApocalypse

-->''[[Film/DawnOfTheDead When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth...]]''

For an example of a zombie movie which takes the "classic" zombie formula and yet does something completely unexpected with it, watch ''ShaunOfTheDead'', a RomanticComedy which is also a zombie movie (although often described as a parody, the zombies are actually treated entirely seriously for the most part; it's more a homage to Romero than anything). The two genres are put together and, amazingly, work incredibly well -- it's both genuinely funny, genuinely sweet ''and'' genuinely frightening.

Don't forget to step into other mediums, too! FirstPersonShooter ''Left4Dead'' and its sequel do it right: four survivors fighting off a horde of "[[NotUsingTheZWord infected]]" while trying to make it to the rescue chopper (or boat, or army truck, whatever). You're forced to work as a team, because otherwise the "special infected" will pick you off, and the amount of auditory immersion (I hear a spitter - watch your feet) is intense. And no, these zombies don't shamble their way around... which is a shame because if you're low on health, you ''do'' get along at a limp. Go check the game out (on Website/YouTube, if nothing else) for an inside look at the Zombie Apocalypse in mutated virus form.

For reading, check out ''TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' and ''WorldWarZ'' by Max Brooks for great examples of zombie literature. The former presents a fairly effective set of "rules" for zombies, based largely on Romero's ([[OurZombiesAreDifferent with some modifications]]), that many zombie fans, books and movies have since taken as the "standard" for the genre, while the latter gives a uniquely international take on the ZombieApocalypse.

Possibly the largest challenge is dealing with the fact that a traditional Romero-style zombie is not much of a threat to a healthy human. They're slow and dumb. Since the key to any horror movie is peril, you need to find some way to either advantage the zombies or disadvantage the humans. You can: [[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 make the zombies faster]], [[ResidentEvil have the zombies mutate into more dangerous forms]], [[Film/LandOfTheDead have the zombies learn]], [[TheHorde add a lot more zombies]], [[ResidentEvil1 trap the zombies and humans together in tight quarters]], [[GameBreakingInjury injure one or more of the protagonists so they can't simply escape]], [[TheLoad introduce a character that the protagonists must defend]], [[NotAZombie establish that the characters don't understand the rules (initially)]], or introduce dissent in the ranks of the survivors, either by introducing [[DayOfTheDead a power struggle among them]] or [[DeadRising plain old psychological breakdowns.]] There are any number of ways to increase the danger. However, the biggest and most common pitfall of the genre is to balance the scales by [[IdiotPlot making the survivors dumb]]. Since part of the appeal of the genre is the "What if this happened to you?" effect, making the characters act foolishly breaks the immersion of the audience.

As long as we're on the subject of video games, ''ResidentEvil'' (especially the earlier games) is also a must-play for anybody interested in zombies. Not only is it the TropeCodifier for the SurvivalHorror genre, it is also largely responsible for the resurgence of interest in zombie media in the late '90s and 2000s, as well as popularizing the idea of zombies being created by TheVirus. Every game in the series (other than ''ResidentEvil0'', the ''[[ResidentEvilGunSurvivor Gun Survivor]]'' games and the ''[[ResidentEvilOutbreak Outbreak]]'' games) is available on PS3, be it on a disk or through the PlayStationNetwork, so if you own a PS3 you have no excuse not to play them. A word of caution: starting with ''[[ResidentEvil4 RE4]]'', the series started downplaying both the zombie and horror elements in favor of an action-shooter direction, with the "traditional" zombie enemies replaced with a cross between ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' and the "sprinters" of modern-day zombie fiction -- a shift that wound up creating a BrokenBase in the ''RE'' fandom. There also exists [[Film/ResidentEvil a live-action film series]] based on the games, but be warned: it is a classic case of LoveItOrHateIt.

''BlackHawkDown'', a war movie {{based on|ATrueStory}} America's involvement in the Somali Civil War, has a lot in common with the zombie genre, and is often thought of as an honorary zombie film. The film revolves around a small group of soldiers surrounded by an enraged, riotous mob ready to fight tooth and nail. Literally thousands of Somali attackers are killed, and they just keep coming. Try watching it after playing ''ResidentEvil5''.

Although not strictly a zombie movie (in that its "zombies" are in fact [[TechnicallyLivingZombie living human beings]] who have been infected with a virus, and are not actually dead), ''[[TwentyEightDaysLater 28 Days Later]]'' is an excellent horror movie which uses many of the tropes and themes common to Zombie Apocalypse stories and subverts many as well. Its success helped to spur on the recent popularity of zombie fiction. If you're going to use fast zombies, then ''28 Days Later'' is a must-see for ideas on how to do it right (as is the aforementioned remake of ''Dawn'').

[[OurZombiesAreDifferent What kind of zombie will you use]]? Although there's a few common tropes amongst them, there's a few different variants. Although both worked together on ''Night of the Living Dead'', the zombies in the movies by George Romero and the movies by John Russo are in many ways quite different. Furthermore, the traditional "slow-moving" zombie has been gradually superceded in modern zombie movies by faster-paced zombies who run after their prey, at least initially, which is something you may wish to consider. Do you like the sudden, fast-paced horror of a horde of zombies chasing after the characters, or do you prefer the slow-but-inevitable style of the traditional kind?

Another particular pitfall is that, due to a lapse by the filmmakers, ''Night Of The Living Dead'' is, in fact, in the public domain. This means that it's had wide exposure and has been remade, either in name or not, quite a lot. As such, many zombie movies tend to follow its basic plot -- a bunch of people trapped in a house or other building, with the zombies trying to get in to eat them. This is very familiar -- try and think of a new spin.

Possibly the largest challenge is dealing with the fact that a traditional Romero-style zombie is not much of a threat to a healthy human. They're slow and dumb. Since the key to any horror movie is peril, you need to find some way to either advantage the zombies or disadvantage the humans. You can: [[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 Make the zombies faster]], [[ResidentEvil have the zombies mutate into more dangerous forms]], [[Film/LandOfTheDead have the zombies learn]], [[TheHorde add a lot more zombies]], [[ResidentEvil1 trap the zombies and humans together in tight quarters]], [[GameBreakingInjury injure one or more of the protagonists so they can't simply escape]], [[TheLoad introduce a character that the protagonists must defend]], [[NotAZombie establish that the characters don't understand the rules (initially)]], or introduce dissent in the ranks of the survivors, either by introducing [[DayOfTheDead a power struggle among them]] or [[DeadRising plain old psychological breakdowns.]] There are any number of ways to increase the danger. However, the biggest and most common pitfall of the genre is to balance the scales by [[IdiotPlot making the survivors dumb]]. Since part of the appeal of the genre is the "What if this happened to you?" effect, making the characters act foolishly breaks the immersion of the audience.

Also, consider what kind of people your plot will revolve around. Many zombie movies center on a rag-tag bunch of strangers who band together to survive, but there are many other people who have their own stories to tell. The common wisdom in zombie movies is to never go to the hospital because that's where the mass outbreak starts, but ''someone'' has to be there treating the sick, so why not focus on a group of doctors trying to deal with a mystery cannibalistic disease? Or the local police station, the people who are supposed to maintain order facing the impossible? Or a group of the elderly inside their nursing home? A bunch of kids stuck inside their schoolbus? A prison full of ansty inmates and scared wardens who now have to work together? The possibilities are endless.

The ZombieApocalypse is one of the enduring narratives of modern horror. Zombies have been around for centuries -- the original "zombies" appear in Voudoun beliefs, and many "real" cases of zombiism have been attributed to the toxins used in Voudoun rituals - but the modern impression can be traced to the George Romero movie ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', which gave the world many of the original tropes which can be found in zombie apocalypse stories. It's a popular kind of story, so for some advice on how to do it well, you may find this page useful.

Be sure to check out SoYouWantTo/WriteAStory for basic advice that holds across ''all'' genres.

Zombie Apocalypse stories also come with [[{{Gorn}} gore]]. Lots and lots of gore. People tend to get torn apart in these movies -- quite literally.

When this theme is prevalent in a work, it can't help but imply some statement about humanity -- what we're really like when you take away our jobs, our homes, our [[TvTropesWillRuinYourLife internet communities]]. Under these conditions of stress, your characters can become [[HumansAreGood heroes]], [[HumansAreBastards monsters]], [[HumansAreWarriors something in between]] [[HumansAreSpecial or who knows what else]]. Of course, if you're aware of this implication, you can just as easily subvert it.

Another idea would be to combine your zombie film with another genre. ''Film/ShaunOfTheDead'' cheerfully billed itself as "a {{romantic comedy}} with zombies," while ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926063/ Dance of the Dead]]'' crosses the zombie genre with the teen comedy.

For an example of a zombie movie which takes the "classic" zombie formula and yet does something completely unexpected with it, watch ''ShaunOfTheDead'', a {{romantic comedy}} which is also a zombie movie (although often described as a parody, the zombies are actually treated entirely seriously for the most part; it's more a homage to Romero than anything). The two genres are put together and, amazingly, work incredibly well -- it's both genuinely funny, genuinely sweet ''and'' genuinely frightening.

Don't forget to step into other mediums, too! FirstPersonShooter ''Left4Dead'' and its sequel do it right: four survivors fighting off a horde of "[[NotUsingTheZWord infected]]" while trying to make it to the rescue chopper (or boat, or army truck, whatever). You're forced to work as a team, because otherwise the "special infected" will pick you off, and the amount of auditory immersion (I hear a spitter - watch your feet) is intense. And no, these zombies don't shamble their way around... which is a shame because if you're low on health, you ''do'' get along at a limp. Go check the game out (on {{YouTube}}, if nothing else) for an inside look at the Zombie Apocalypse in mutated virus form.

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As mentioned above, most zombie movies, especially those made by amateur filmmakers with little money, tend to copy the plot of ''Night of the Living Dead'', with the main characters trapped in some kind of building (traditionally a house, although we've seen [[Film/DawnOfTheDead shopping malls]], [[DayOfTheDead military bases]], [[ShaunOfTheDead pubs]] and many other variants) with zombies outside trying to get in. It's gotten to be more than a little cliche. How about inverting this -- what if the zombies were trapped in a building trying to get out, and the main characters were trying to keep them ''in''? Or what about a story where the main characters have to travel a long distance across zombie-infested territory, rather than being barricaded indoors somewhere?

Another idea would be to combine your zombie film with another genre. ''ShaunOfTheDead'' cheerfully billed itself as "a {{romantic comedy}} with zombies," while ''[[http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0926063/ Dance of the Dead]]'' crosses the zombie genre with the teen comedy.

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead'', and ''Film/DayOfTheDead''. Most of the classic zombie tropes that people now take for granted, as well as the genre's association with social commentary, come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, but the 1990 version starring [[Film/{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] and directed by Tom Savini is generally held up as the best of them, to the point where Romero himself has given it his stamp of approval (he produced and wrote the film). The [[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 2004 remake]] of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right, albeit one with a very different, far more action-packed tone than the original. Romero's later ''Dead'' films (''Film/{{Land|OfTheDead}}'', ''Film/{{Diary|OfTheDead}}'' and ''Film/{{Survival|OfTheDead}}'') are generally considered a mixed bag, but all three have their fans.

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''Film/NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''Film/DawnOfTheDead'', and ''Film/DayOfTheDead''. Most of the classic zombie tropes that people now take for granted, as well as the genre's association with social commentary, come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, but the 1990 version starring [[Film/{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] and directed by Tom Savini is generally held up as the best of them, to the point where Romero himself has given it his stamp of approval (he produced and wrote the film). The [[Film/DawnOfTheDead2004 2004 remake]] of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right, albeit one with a very different, far more action-packed tone than the original. Romero's later ''Dead'' films (''Film/{{Land|OfTheDead}}'', ''Film/{{Diary|OfTheDead}}'' and ''Film/{{Survival|OfTheDead}}'') are generally considered [[{{YMMV}} a mixed bag]], but all three have their fans.

-->''[[DawnOfTheDead When there's no more room in hell, the dead will walk the Earth...]]''

You should also consider ''how'' the zombie apocalypse is started -- is it TheVirus? A Voodoo curse? A crashed, radioactive satellite (don't laugh -- it's one of the reasons given in ''Night of the Living Dead'')? God punishing the sinners on Earth? {{Hell}} [[DawnOfTheDead being full]]? Whilst you should give this some thought for your own reference at least, it's not uncommon for Zombie Apocalypse stories to be vague about how it all started -- no one knows how it started, it just did...

Possibly the largest challenge is dealing with the fact that a traditional Romero-style zombie is not much of a threat to a healthy human. They're slow and dumb. Since the key to any horror movie is peril, you need to find some way to either advantage the zombies or disadvantage the humans. You can: [[DawnOfTheDead Make the zombies faster]], [[ResidentEvil have the zombies mutate into more dangerous forms]], [[LandOfTheDead have the zombies learn]], [[TheHorde add a lot more zombies]], [[ResidentEvil1 trap the zombies and humans together in tight quarters]], [[GameBreakingInjury injure one or more of the protagonists so they can't simply escape]], [[TheLoad introduce a character that the protagonists must defend]], [[NotAZombie establish that the characters don't understand the rules (initially)]], or introduce dissent in the ranks of the survivors, either by introducing [[DayOfTheDead a power struggle among them]] or [[DeadRising plain old psychological breakdowns.]] There are any number of ways to increase the danger. However, the biggest and most common pitfall of the genre is to balance the scales by [[IdiotPlot making the survivors dumb]]. Since part of the appeal of the genre is the "What if this happened to you?" effect, making the characters act foolishly breaks the immersion of the audience.

As mentioned above, most zombie movies, especially those made by amateur filmmakers with little money, tend to copy the plot of ''Night of the Living Dead'', with the main characters trapped in some kind of building (traditionally a house, although we've seen [[DawnOfTheDead shopping malls]], [[DayOfTheDead military bases]], [[ShaunOfTheDead pubs]] and many other variants) with zombies outside trying to get in. It's gotten to be more than a little cliche. How about inverting this -- what if the zombies were trapped in a building trying to get out, and the main characters were trying to keep them ''in''? Or what about a story where the main characters have to travel a long distance across zombie-infested territory, rather than being barricaded indoors somewhere?

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''DawnOfTheDead'', and ''DayOfTheDead''. Most of the classic zombie tropes that people now take for granted, as well as the genre's association with social commentary, come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, but the 1990 version starring [[{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] and directed by Tom Savini is generally held up as the best of them, to the point where Romero himself has given it his stamp of approval (he produced and wrote the film). The 2004 remake of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right, albeit one with a very different, far more action-packed tone than the original. Romero's later ''Dead'' films (''{{Land|OfTheDead}}'', ''{{Diary|OfTheDead}}'' and ''{{Survival|OfTheDead}}'') are generally considered [[{{YMMV}} a mixed bag]], but all three have their fans.

Other classic zombie films that are worth a watch include ''{{Zombi 2}}'', ''{{Braindead}}'' (known in America as ''DeadAlive''), and the ''EvilDead'' trilogy, though the latter are not strictly zombie films.

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies? ''HighSchoolOfTheDead'' does just that, showing what happens when a bunch of Japanese high school students (and the school nurse, and later a little girl and a dog) find themselves [[BlackAndGreyMorality forced to steal things (including guns) to survive]], drive without licenses, and rely themselves ([TrueCompanions and each other]]) rather than on government or authority figures, bringing in a whole bunch of ValuesDissonance considering how Japanese culture works ([[{{Fanservice}} also]] [[GagBoobs boobies]]).

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies? ''HighSchoolOfTheDead'' does just that, showing what happens when a bunch of Japanese high school students (and the school nurse, and later a little girl and a dog) find themselves [[BlackAndGreyMorality forced to steal things (including guns) to survive]], drive without licenses, and rely themselves ([[{{Nakama}} and each other]]) rather than on government or authority figures, bringing in a whole bunch of ValuesDissonance considering how Japanese culture works ([[{{Fanservice}} also]] [[GagBoobs boobies]]).

''BlackHawkDown'', a war movie {{based on|ATrueStory}} America's involvement in the Somali Civil War, has a lot in common with the zombie genre, and is often thought of as an honorary zombie film. The film completely revolves around a small group of soldiers surrounded by an enraged, riotous mob ready to fight tooth and nail. Literally thousands of Somali attackers are killed, and they just keep coming. Try watching it after playing ''ResidentEvil5''.

For reading, check out ''TheZombieSurvivalGuide'' and ''WorldWarZ'' by Max Brooks for great examples of zombie literature.

<<|SoYouWantTo/SeeTheIndex|>>

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''DawnOfTheDead'', and ''DayOfTheDead''. Many of the classic zombie tropes taken for granted come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, with the 1990 version starring [[{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] generally being held up as the best of them (even being compared favorably with the original). The 2004 remake of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right, albeit one with a very different tone from the original.

Although not strictly a zombie movie (in that its "zombies" are in fact living human beings who have been infected with a virus, and are not actually dead), ''[[TwentyEightDaysLater 28 Days Later]]'' is an excellent horror movie which uses many of the tropes and themes common to Zombie Apocalypse stories and subverts many as well. Its success was heavily responsible for the recent popularity of zombie fiction. If you're going to use fast zombies, then ''28 Days Later'' is a must-see for ideas on how to do it right (as is the aforementioned remake of ''Dawn'').

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''DawnOfTheDead'', and ''DayOfTheDead''. Many of the classic zombie tropes taken for granted come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, with the 1990 version starring [[{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] generally being held up as the best of them (even being compared favorably with the original). The 2004 remake of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right.

As long as we're on the subject of video games, ''ResidentEvil'' (especially the earlier games) is also a must-play for anybody interested in zombies. Not only is it the TropeCodifier for the SurvivalHorror genre, it is also largely responsible for the resurgence of interest in zombie media in the late '90s and 2000s, as well as propagating the idea of zombies being created by TheVirus. A word of caution: starting with ''[[ResidentEvil4 RE4]]'', the series started downplaying both the zombie and horror elements in favor of an action-shooter direction, with the "traditional" zombie enemies replaced with a cross between ''InvasionOfTheBodySnatchers'' and the "sprinters" of modern-day zombie fiction -- a shift that wound up creating a BrokenBase in the ''RE'' fandom. There also exists [[Film/ResidentEvil a live-action film series]] based on the games, but be warned: it is a classic case of YourMileageMayVary.

Although not strictly a zombie movie (in that its "zombies" are in fact living human beings who have been infected with a virus, and are not actually dead), ''[[TwentyEightDaysLater 28 Days Later]]'' is an excellent horror movie which uses many of the tropes and themes common to Zombie Apocalypse stories and subverts many as well. If you're going to use fast zombies, then ''28 Days Later'' is a must-see for ideas on how to do it right (as is the aforementioned remake of ''Dawn'').

''BlackHawkDown'' is commonly referred to as an Honorary Zombie Movie. The film completely revolves around a small group of soldiers surrounded by an enraged, riotous mob ready to fight tooth and nail. Literally thousands of Somali attackers are killed, and they just keep coming. Try watching it after playing Resident Evil 5.

Finally, how are zombies killed? Entire online debates have been held on the best way to accomplish this, so it's something that must be considered. Most zombie works have it so that the only way to permanently put down a zombie is to [[RemovingTheHeadOrDestroyingTheBrain remove the head or destroy the brain]]. This applies more often than not with the traditional "undead" zombies. However, more modern zombie rulebooks often have it so that the zombies are [[TechnicallyLivingZombie living humans infected with a virus]], in which case anything that can kill a human being (blood loss, massive trauma) will kill one of these zombies as well. Other zombie works obey different rules (the ''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' series has it that only [[KillItWithFire fire]] will kill the zombies), so you can consider those too. Or, you can try coming up with your own and seeing how well they work.

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies? ''HighSchoolOfTheDead'' does just that, showing what happens when a bunch of Japanese high school students (and the school nurse, and later a little girl and a dog) find themselves [[BlackAndGreyMorality forced to steal things (including guns) to survive]], drive without licences, and rely themselves ([[{{Nakama}} and each other]]) rather than on government or authority figures, bringing in a whole bunch of ValuesDissonance considering how Japanese culture works ([[{{Fanservice}} also]] [[GagBoobs boobies]]).

Finally, how are zombies killed? Entire online debates have been held on the best way to accomplish this, so it's something that must be considered. Most zombie works have it so that the only way to permanently put down a zombie is to [[RemovingTheHeadOrDeastroyingTheBrain remove the head or destroy the brain]]. This applies more often than not with the traditional "undead" zombies. However, more modern zombie rulebooks often have it so that the zombies are [[TechnicallyLivingZombie living humans infected with a virus]], in which case anything that can kill a human being (blood loss, massive trauma) will kill one of these zombies as well. Other zombie works obey different rules (the ''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' series has it that only [[KillItWithFire fire]] will kill the zombies), so you can consider those too. Or, you can try coming up with your own and seeing how well they work.

Finally, how are zombies killed? Entire online debates have been held on the best way to accomplish this, so it's something that must be considered. Most zombie works have it so that the only way to permanently put down a zombie is to [[OffWithHisHead remove the head]] or [[YourHeadASplode destroy the brain]]. This applies more often than not with the traditional "undead" zombies. However, more modern zombie rulebooks often have it so that the zombies are [[TechnicallyLivingZombie living humans infected with a virus]], in which case anything that can kill a human being (blood loss, massive trauma) will kill one of these zombies as well. Other zombie works obey different rules (the ''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' series has it that only [[KillItWithFire fire]] will kill the zombies), so you can consider those too. Or, you can try coming up with your own and seeing how well they work.

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies? ''HighSchoolOfTheDead'' does just that, showing what happens when a bunch of Japanese high school students (and the school nurse, and later a little girl and a dog) find themselves [[BlackAndGreyMorality forced to steal things to survive]], drive without licences, and rely themselves ([[{{Nakama}} and each other]]) rather than on government or authority figures, bringing in a whole bunch of ValuesDissonance considering how Japanese culture works ([[{{Fanservice}} also]] [[GagBoobs boobies]]).

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies? 'HighSchoolOfTheDead'' does just that, showing what happens when a bunch of Japanese high school students (and the school nurse, and later a little girl and a dog) find themselves [[BlackAndGreyMorality forced to steal things to survive]], drive without licences, and rely themselves ([[{{Nakama}} and each other]]) rather than on government or authority figures, bringing in a whole bunch of ValuesDissonance considering how Japanese culture works ([[{{Fanservice}} also]] [[GagBoobs boobies]]).

Most of them are usually set in America as well. Why not try another country and deal with the unique problems, advantages, quirks and culture that comes with it? Perhaps you can pick a country with very little gun ownership, or has a harsh environment after civilization breaks down, or is densely populated on a small landmass, or don't know much about zombies because they haven't seen the movies?

Zombie movies are a popular form of horror movie -- they're quite cheap (for some, all you really need is a few extras made-up to look like corpses, a few props that could be improvised weapons and a house to film in). However, this means that there's a lot of them. And [[SturgeonsLaw not all of them are good]]. If you want to write a ZombieApocalypse story, be aware that there's a lot out there, so you'll need to make yours stick out in some way. You will also need to make them good.

Finally, how are zombies killed? Entire online debates have been held on the best way to accomplish this, so it's something that must be considered. Most zombie works have it so that the only way to permanently put down a zombie is to [[OffWithHisHead remove the head]] or [[YourHeadASplode destroy the brain]]. This applies more often than not with the traditional "undead" zombies. However, more modern zombie rulebooks often have it so that the zombies are living humans infected with a virus, in which case anything that can kill a human being (blood loss, massive trauma) will kill one of these zombies as well. Other zombie works obey different rules (the ''ReturnOfTheLivingDead'' series has it that only [[KillItWithFire fire]] will kill the zombies), so you can consider those too. Or, you can try coming up with your own and seeing how well they work.

Watch George Romero's original ''Dead'' trilogy -- ''NightOfTheLivingDead'', ''DawnOfTheDead'', and ''DayOfTheDead''. Many of the classic zombie tropes taken for granted come from these movies. All three have been remade. ''Night'', thanks to its public domain status, has had several remakes over the years, with the 1990 version starring [[{{Candyman}} Tony Todd]] generally being held up as the best of them (even being compared favorably with the original). The 2004 remake of ''Dawn'' by ZackSnyder is also considered a good movie in its own right. The remake of ''Day'', [[DarthWiki/SoBadItsHorrible however...]]

Possibly the largest potential pitfall is dealing with the fact that a traditional Romero-style zombie is not much of a threat to a healthy human. They're slow and dumb. Since the key to any horror movie is peril, you need to find some way to either advantage the zombies or disadvantage the humans. You can: [[DawnOfTheDead Make the zombies faster]], [[ResidentEvil have the zombies mutate into more dangerous forms]], [[LandOfTheDead have the zombies learn]], [[TheHorde add a lot more zombies]], [[ResidentEvil1 trap the zombies and humans together in tight quarters]], [[GameBreakingInjury injure one or more of the protagonists so they can't simply escape]], [[TheLoad introduce a character that the protagonists must defend]], [[NotAZombie establish that the characters don't understand the rules (initially)]], or introduce dissent in the ranks of the survivors, either by introducing [[DayOfTheDead a power struggle among them]] or [[DeadRising plain old psychological breakdowns.]] There are any number of ways to increase the danger. However, the biggest and most common pitfall of the genre is to balance the scales by [[IdiotPlot making the survivors dumb]]. Since part of the appeal of the genre is the "What if this happened to you?" effect, making the characters act foolishly breaks the immersion of the audience.