research into similar characters

Research into similar characters
seen as we are doing a zombie/outbreak type of film, it would be good to look into some of the other characters that dominate this category from the popular to the obscure. I will look into 5 different characters from 5 different films such as the shy survivalist "ohio" played by Eesse Eisenberg in ZombieLand or the tough as nails loner robert neville played by Will Smith in i am legend. All of these characters survive their little slice of hell in different ways so it could provide some insight into how we should adapt our characters to their situations.

Robert neville (I Am Legend)
Robert Neville is a scientist that tried to stop the spread of a man made virus but failed, he is now the only survivor in new york and the rest of the human race have been turned into nocturnal zombies hungry for flesh. He has his trusty companion, his dog "Sam" and has survived for three years looking to synthesise a cure to the deadly virus from his own immune blood. To stop himself from going insane he posts manakins all over the now desolate new york city, acting out scenarios to keep himself sane. He also posts a daily message trying to reach out to any survivors in the united states, after three years of trying he finally finds someone else who is still alive. This character is a protagonist and is portrayed as a strong survivor in need of help from nobody, he is also well armed and well trained, with a strict regime that makes sure he gets back to his armoured fortress of a house before sun down. He later makes the ultimate sacrifice when he lets a grenade off whilst fighting the hordes off so the other survivors can escape.

Ohio (ZombieLand)
Ohio is a college student far away from home trying to make his way back across the state to his hometown, whilst doing this he is pursued by an endless horde of zombies that want to eat his flesh. Although he doesn't have a companion to keep him alive he does have a set of rules to fill the space, each one of these rules is different and relates to a certain area of survival e.g. knowing your way out of a building for a quick escape or doing exercise to make sure the zombies don't catch you off guard. As he journeys back across the states he finds a gun toting badass named "Tallahassee" and two con artist sisters named "wichita" and "Little rock, each of them want different things but somehow the rag tag band of survivors make it work as a team and survive out the apocalypse. They are well armed, equipped with a vast armoury of long range and melee weapons meaning they can hold their own against the amassing hordes of flesh hungry zombies.

Shaun (Shaun Of The Dead)
shaun is a middle aged man who works at an electronics store, uncontent with his daily existence he tries to get the love of his life "Liz" back and what better time to do it than in the middle of a zombie apocalypse?. With his best friend and partner in crime "Ed" he carries out his rather pathetic survival strategy, which is to go down to the local and "wait for all of this to blow over". Deciding to bring his mum and his love interest's friends with him, they all wait out the end of the world in the Winchester. Everything is going fine until Ed alerts the zombies to their whereabouts and armed with only a shotgun, things don't bode well for this group. As everyone is slowly picked off, including his best friend Ed the army arrives saving Liz and Shaun just in time.

R (Warm Bodies)
This one see the classic tail of the flesh munching kind turned on its head, with the protagonist being a zombie this time we see the tale told differently. The zombie is known only as "R" because thats all he can remember in his undead state, he slowly traipses around feasting on humans until he comes across julies group where he eats her boyfriend and then endeavours to protect her, its this that sets him on a course to slowly regain his humanity. This course is then replicated by the rest of the undead population which puts them at risk from the advanced staged zombies know at the bonies, the humans and zombies then band together for the mutual good of both species, fending of the Bonies and learning to co-exist.

Martin, Roy and Erlend (Dead Snow)
Martin, Roy and Erlend travel into the wilderness to a shack in the middle of nowhere for some well deserved R and R together, when they are approached by a weird old man who tells them of the town that used to be there, the townsfolk revolted against the nazis and drove them up into the freezing mountains where they perished. The medical students dismiss this creepy old guy and carry on the festivities, drinking and shouting and drinking even more. That is until they start to notice mysterious figures amassing on the horizon, could the old man be right.... of course he's right. Which means the three party animals are gonna have to sprint across the snow covered mountain tops for their lives, barely amed save for a few power tools most of the surviving in this film is done by good old fashioned brawling or just running at top speed away from the hordes.

In conclusion there are quite a few different ways we could portray our characters before they are killed off, but most likely we arent going to portray them in any way apart from a couple in the wrong place at the wrong time.