[miketardis]

From: http://www.heatvisionblog.com/2009/0...gin-story.html

'Night of the Living Dead' being remade as a 3D CGI origin story

Night_living_dead_1968_a341x182 Zombie movie “Night of the Living Dead” is coming back, this time in a 3D CGI format and without the involvement of George Romero.

Titled “Night of the Living Dead: Origins,” the re-imagining is being directed by newcomer Zebediah de Soto and produced by Simon West and Simon West Productions president Jib Polhemus.

On the story front, De Soto, who wrote the script with David R. Schwartz, wants to update the tale partially by bringing out the characters’ backstories and make what he called “an American-style anime.”

The latter will be done by using new technology the filmmaker is inventing. De Soto, along with partner Gus Malliarodakis founded New Golden Digital, a digital effects company which develops cutting-edge hardware and software.

Nightorigins The duo created and designed a real-time effects system, known as 'The Beast,' which allows filmmakers the ability to direct CG performances the same way they would direct real live actors. The aim of the process is to make tennis balls on a stick representing real people or monsters a thing of the past by allowing actors interact with CG elements as if they are tangible.

Matty Miranda and Anthony Le are executive producing. George Passakos is co-executive producing while Warren Davis and Tiffany Shinn acts as associate producers.

De Soto, who has no agent or manager, directed a short titled “War Dogs” -- sort of Vietnam War set in space - that made the rounds in Hollywood late last year. West (the director of movies such as "Con Air," "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," and the upcoming TV show "Human Target") and Polhemus were impressed at how the short manage to look like the production had a higher budget than it actually did, and began looking for a project to partner on.

De Soto was a fan of the original “Living Dead” and once the trio realized the rights were in the public domain, zeroed in on that project.