Have you seen it? Bronne’s Zombie movie? See it here (or pick a moment and comment directly to Facebook or Twitter with this version). It’s a five minute movie completely produced and shot by Bronne, during his exile from the ME. It’s quite an accomplishment – and very funny.
The story of how this mini-Zombie epic came about is almost as good as the movie. First, Bronne pulled what may go down as the biggest bonehead move in all Real World history. One night in a drunken spree, Bronne grabbed a fire extinguisher out of the hallway of the ME Hotel, ran to the balcony and began spraying it into the night sky in a wild release of powdered chemicals and insanity. When he had finally extinguished the extinguisher, Bronne became angry at the empty container – and tossed it off the balcony into the depths of the pool below.
Luckily the pool and terrace were closed at that hour, but the ME management was understandably very upset. They wanted to call the police and have Bronne arrested. But after careful consideration, the ME decided to have Bronne removed from the hotel, and compensate the hotel $3500 pesos ($300 American) for the spent extinguisher. Bronne was kicked out of the fattest suite this side of the equator!
Suddenly finding himself without a home, Bronne begged his employer, StudentCity.com for help. They offered to let Bronne stay at one of the staff’s hotels, the Grand Royal Lagoon, on one condition- Bronne would have to continue to work full shifts for StudentCity, and, stay out of trouble.
So for his final four weeks in Cancun, Bronne moves into a one room, double bed occupancy with a roommate, overlooking the lagoon – and giving up the fabulous Suite ME with multiple rooms, three balconies overlooking the ocean, a pool table, kitchen, office, etc. and the fabulous lifestyle at the ME. Bronne is separated from the roommates, and The Real World cameras, and lives in lonely isolation at the GRL.
The only thing we left with Bronne was a SONY Webbie HD camera so he could document his time there, and several cases of the Penta water which was supplied to the roommates for the entire season. Who knew these two crucial items would come together to create his zombie nightmare.
It was only weeks later, after shooting had ended in Cancun, after all the roommates had returned to their homes stateside, that we first heard what Bronne had done in his isolation at the GRL. Late one night, deep in the Los Angeles valley, in the dimly lit technical facilities of Bunim-Murray Productions -- a lone dubber looks up at the flickering monitor in front of him, and begins to laugh. He’s discovered something bizarre and wonderful on Bronne’s SONY tape. It was the Zombie movie! An uncut, but complete movie that Bronne shot out of utter boredom and loneliness! None of the Cancun production team was even aware of its existence. It’s like finding a lost treasure, or a twenty dollar bill that had fallen behind your desk!
The footage was given to an editor, who spent a day cutting the video, adding music and visual effects. It came together easily -- no extra takes, and very little to trim out. Amazingly Bronne does it all in his concept of a zombie takeover of Cancun: he holds the camera in his hand while acting, swings it down the stairs and makes zombie growls, and then swings it back and continues his acting. He even defocuses the camera for effect while acting. It’s incredible! I can’t use the word genius here, but I’m close. The result is “Chronicles of a Survivor” -- in full scale BronneVision!
Hollywood should take notice in these difficult economic times. A Hollywood movie costs millions, but this five minute movie only costs the time it takes you to watch it. Imagine movies made by only one person! Give Brad Pitt a Webbie HD – see what he can do! Come on Meryl Streep, operate that camera while playing all the characters in all your wonderful accents!
Bronne, I have one word for you: sequel!
Here's a video bonus: A Zombie PSA from Bronne!