The Walking Dead
TheWalking Deadis one of the magnanimous serial on television thanks to its devotion to character development , superb makeup effects , and intriguing plot line . Now , working through its final time of year , a destiny of changes are coming for the survivors , some for the better and some for the bad . Whether you have read the funnies or not , there ’s plenty going on in the show that has n’t been put to the page , and likely never will .
After 11 seasons , there ’s a lot go on behind the aspect many devotee might not know about . What break on when the television camera is n’t rolling and what went on to stimulate not one , but two showrunners to leave production ? There are plenty of behind - the - scenes rumors and point go on that many have n’t heard about . A lot goes into change by reversal an extra into a walker , but sitting in the makeup chair is only part of becoming one of the many zombies on the show .
Updated on April 21st , 2022 , by Shawn S. Lealos : The walk Dead is currently in its 11th and terminal time of year . While this mean the original serial publication will go off into the sundown follow the same Commonwealth plot line from the comedian , it does not tick the end of the hit zombie apocalypse series . Characters like Daryl and Carol will get a spinoff and even Negan and Maggie will get their own show .
This proves that things will continue to veer off from the comic book ’s main finish . This should come as no surprise to fans of the AMC series since the show has faced many challenge thanks to behind - the - scenes bit that made The Walking Dead as fun to follow during its foundation as it is to watch it play out on boob tube .
The Walking Dead Employs More Walkers Than You Might Expect
One of the best aspects ofThe Walking Deadis the show ’s reliance on real people and not CGI ( for the most part ) when it comes to the walkers . They could easily digitallycreate shivery zombies to threaten the plaster bandage , but instead , choose to utilize makeup and especial effects artist to turn average people into undead monsters .
The showrunners engage as many as 200 extras each time of year . Extras on the show incline to come around every now and again , but thanks to the makeup and costume designers , viewers never notice repetition offenders . Most pass days on set and those numbers often pass on as high as 60 at a time .
The Cops Have Gotten Involved
You have to be careful when filming a show about a lot of filthy hoi polloi running around with weapons — some mass might get the ill-timed mind . During the first season , a SWAT team was called to the setwhen Michael Rooker was seen atop a building with a rifle .
We ca n’t find fault folks for call the cops after seeing that , but it was n’t the only time the mould had a campaign - in with the law . Lauren Cohan was deplumate over one evening on the way home from study while she was still enshroud in blood ! Granted , it was phony parentage , but that did n’t make the police officer feel any better when he approached the vehicle .
There Are Four Types Of Zombies On The Show
When you have to spend a ton of time and money turning a regular person into a zombie spirit , you want to make trusted they are n’t seen 200 1000 from the camera . That does n’t signify the people out in the wide shot do n’t receive any make-up , but it does lead to a categorisation of zombie on the set .
Walkers are classified depending on how much time they will be on screen and how close they are to the tv camera . Much further from the camera , they are fag sordid apparel with cursory makeup . A bit closer , and they might grab a prosthetic , but it ’s the ones in full - frame who really get theWalking Deadtreatment .
Aliens Could Have Appeared
The Walking Deadcomic was already a huge franchise when creator Robert Kirkman went to set up the series to AMC , but it did n’t commence out as well as he might have hoped . When he launch the leger , there were n’t a band of people who imagine it would succeed . How long could an sempiternal tale of zombies really go on for , after all ?
He joked in the other years thathe would introduce aliensaround issue # 75 and make the whole narrative some crazy alien invasion backstory . While he was joke about that , he ended up putting some color page in the back of the issue , which entertained most but infuriate some readers .
Time Passes Differently In The Walking Dead
The Walking Deadhas been on for 12 years by the time the last time of year roll around , but the show does n’t follow a real - meter advancement . Because of this , many fan wondered on the dot how much time passed since the infection first struck humanity and wiped out most of civilization .
Theseries officially bring out how much time had passedsince Rick Grimes go into a coma and woke up in the automaton Revelation . The timeline was revealed in " Here ’s Negan " in Season 10 . Based on his flashbacks , the 11 time of year consisted of between 12 and 13 years since the start of the automaton Revelation of Saint John the Divine .
Rick Was Supposed To Lose His Hand
fan of the comic strip might have wonderedwhy Rick did n’t lose his handin his first confrontation with the Governor . That ’s on the button what went down when the two first butted heads in the comic strip . It seemed a foregone ending Andrew Lincoln would have to wear a gullible glove for most of the series , but it never come to pass .
There ’s a simple and well-off explanation for why the series decided not to go down that road : money . It would cost a lot to digitally remove his script in each instalment , not to mention the difficulty of shoot down Lincoln with his script out of frame most of the prison term .
Walkers And The Living Are Segregated On Set
Normally , when people work together , such as player and crew members on film productions , they exhaust together . That ’s how it go in most type , but not on the set ofThe Walking Dead . for create a space between the living and the all in , they corrode on an individual basis from one another .
It does n’t discontinue at simply eating apart . The craft service allow to the unconstipated bunch are usually somewhat overnice , but not so for the walker . The extras are lucky if they get to eat spaghetti and a salad , which might make them want to seize with teeth the regular a bit more when filming start back up after lunch .
Daryl Was Created Specifically For Norman Reedus
Norman Reedus ' Daryl Dixon is one of the rooter favorites of the series . He even gets paid more than Andrew Lincoln , but he almost did n’t make it onto the show . When Reedus first went in to try out , he did so forMerle Dixon ’s role , which plump to Michael Rooker . Rooker had already been cast at that point , but the producers really liked Reedus .
To get him onto the show , they create an entirely new persona for him . As any devotee of the comics will tell apart you , the Dixon boy were both created for the series , but it order a lot about an role player ’s skill that a series would create another brand new character just to regorge them .
Blinking Has To Be Digitally Removed From Walkers
On mean , humans nictate 15 to 20 time a minute . It ’s changeless and involuntary , but one fact about nictitate is that you do n’t do it when you cease to be alert . WhenThe Walking Deadtells its walker what to do on solidification , they do n’t rile assure them not to nictitate .
Because of this , they have to go into post - production editing anddigitally remove the blinkingfrom anyone play as a Zimmer frame . It ’s a pocket-size change that cost a mass of money but you would notice if they did n’t do it .
The Zombie Sounds Are Added In Post
There ’s a common sound all walkers make that is meant to frighten the audience as well as the people on covert . It ’s the unremitting moaning and moan they make as they lurch towards their quarry . To make the show , the walkers are secern to keep their backtalk shut and stave off their disposition to moan out " mentality " as much as possible .
There are a lot of reason for this , but the most obvious has to do with sound delete on a TV series . Instead of putting microphones on each and every walker in the subject field or holding up yield for a sneeze , they just add the sound effects in post - yield .
Episodes cost $2 million each to make
Putting together an instalment ofThe walk Deadis anything but brassy . When the series launched in 2010 , the mediocre price of an episode for time of year one reached$3.4 million dollar . That ’s a lot of money for a series on cable television , but the cost did n’t remain as high for long . The Brobdingnagian budget led to issues between the showrunner and AMC , which ended up forcing the show to leave out its cost .
These day , an episode runs AMC some $ 2.75 million , which is n’t a pocket-sized amount of money . It is far less than the cost for time of year one , which may be why the serial has stuck it out as long as it has .
Cast Salaries Are A Big Part Of The Budget
It ’s light to reckon the majority of the show ’s cost goes towards special effects and physical composition , but the casting makes up the bighearted fate of the budget . Andrew Lincoln , who flirt Rick Grimes , made $ 92,000 and Norman Reedus made $ 80,000 to $ 124,000 ( depending on the source ) per episode in the early season .
Their toll rose , which consume around40 % of the budget , and that was just two cast appendage . With Lincoln gone , there are still great names that ate into his original remuneration .
Walker Makeup Takes Two Hours
The war paint section over atThe Walking Deadis huge . They forever have dozens of Alice Walker needed on set , which requires acute amount of makeup to achieve . To get these people to look like they ’ve been decompose for more than a year requires an extensive amount of time in the makeup chair .
In most cases , that averages out to about two hours . Some mass who are involved in the wide shots may get out of there earlier , but not everyone is so lucky . For the folks who really suffered from burns or were underwater for a while , they could end up in the chair for hours and minute .
Zombies Must Attend Zombie Academy
Being a zombie is more than throw up their arms and groaning about Einstein . It take more than that to be a in force footer forThe Walking Dead . In Holy Order to achieve a sort of unity across all of their walkers , the masses coming in to play them must attendZombie School .
The training involves teach a individual not to do the things we just mentioned . Keep their sass shut , do n’t walk around like Frankenstein ’s monster , and nobody want to hear about a desire to eat brains . Furthermore , the actor are told to play like they just stumbled out of the bar at 2:00 am and seek to bite and lunge at the camera .
Why They Film In Georgia
Before 2008 , nobody would have considered the body politic of Georgia to be a prime film placement . thing began change when the province set out offering hefty tax credits to anyone interested in take there . The walk Deadwas an other adoptive parent , having come to the body politic less than two year after it start courting Hollywood to film there .
The credit offers a20 % incentiveon productions cost $ 500,000 or more , plus another 10 % if their peach logotype pops up at the conclusion of the film ’s acknowledgment . By 2016 , Georgia filmed more feature films than California . Marvel Studios made the leap to Georgia in 2018 and the state continue to reap the welfare .
Walkers Eat Pickled Ham
Nobody on the dictated ofThe Walking Deadis eating humans . When a Alice Malsenior Walker has to chow down on a real - liveliness person , they get to eat a rather interesting snack instead . The sum the Walker exhaust ispickled gammon .
Not everyone like eating it , but that just weigh when you are attempt to limn a zombie . As far as the looker knows , the walkers are eating humans , which is why the gist is perfect for film .
AMC’s Big Moneymaker
unremarkably , when a product make the move to Georgia for the tax open frame , they reinvest the economy back into their production . That makes sense when you debate the hundreds of thousands of dollar bill involved . Increasing a film ’s budget through tax bonus is one of the big reasons Georgia has been capable to overstretch production into the province .
The walk Deadhandles things a bite other than . alternatively of reinvesting , the entirety of that money reportedly die right back into AMC ’s coffers . That allegation was made by the first showrunner , Frank Darabont , who insist the money was meant for " alleviating shooting conditions " for the cast and crew .
The Walkers Continue to Decompose
The Walking Deadhas belong on for a long sentence in the show ’s world , which help channelize the peculiar effects artists in their work with the walkers . If you go back to season one and look at the walkers , you will notice they are n’t as disgusting as they are now , in the last season .
These zombie spirit have been traipsing around the commonwealth in the heat and pelting for more than a decade , which signify they have taken some damage . The producerscontinued to decomposethe walkers since the first installment and will continue to do so as the series progress .
The First Showrunner Sued AMC
Frank Darabont was fired from the show after the first time of year , which lead to some serious allegation made by the filmmaker as well as quite a draw of animosity . Inhis complaint , he claimed AMC was pocketing the money from the tax incentive , but his issues did n’t discontinue there .
The slashing of the budget by $ 650,000 per episode was a Brobdingnagian matter for Darabont , which go to him battling with the producer at every turn . Despite the unbelievable paygrade from the first season , the malodour raise by Darabontbehind the scenes ofThe Walking Deadled to his being raise by Joel Stillerman , nous of original programming at AMC .
Dale’s Actor Asked To Be Bitten
When AMC discharge Darabont , there were n’t a mint of multitude who speak out in his defence . However , there was one cast member who refused to keep quiet - Jeffrey Demunn , who play Dale Horvath in the first and second season .
His lineament was go away to perish , but not for a farseeing time , according to the comic strip . That did n’t stop his protestationswhen he asked to be " bitten off the show . " Demunn was a longtime protagonist and collaborator of Darabont ’s , having worked with him on legion projects over the years . He showed loyalty and succumbed to the morsel of a walker in protest .
It’s Good To Live In Senoia
One of the big benefits of having a show film in and around your town is the cost increase to the local economy . BeforeThe Walking Deadbegan filming in Senoia , Georgia , the township had five shop class . Times have changed and the Ithiel Town has increased in sizing thanks to the show .
More shops are heart-to-heart and there is even a touristry manufacture relate to shoot locations for the serial publication , but that ’s not the only welfare resident physician receive . Most of the townsfolk ’s families receive$400 a monthfrom the production for the " inconvenience " of filming in the Ithiel Town . The money also vouch their secrecy should they notice a patch twist or two .
The second showrunner was micromanaged
After Frank Darabont was fire fromThe walk Dead , AMC exchange him with Glen Mazzara , who work on the serial under Darabont . He was surprised to get the task and stayed on for two seasons before he leave . When he exit , he did n’t talk about his reasons but eventuallyopened up about his experiences .
While he was given the championship of " showrunner , " he was not give much ascendence . After about six episodes under his helm , Mazzara said that executive he never met stormed down on him like a pedestrian horde . They reportedly commence giving him notes and aim his actions to the head he could n’t take it anymore .
HBO Passed On The Show
The Walking Deadis one of the most violent television set series ever made . It even tops shows likeGame of Thrones , but despite that , it still land on AMC . Interestingly , AMC was not the first choice when the show was pitch . In what seems an obvious choice , thepitch first went to HBO , but the troupe decreed it was too violent !
The web wanted the violence tone down . That was n’t go to happen : you ca n’t have a zombie serial publication without zombies eating hoi polloi . The walk Deadended up at AMC without those notes and the series skyrocketed to achiever .
More VFX Than You Might Think
You might mean a series all about practical zombie effects would n’t employ much CGI , but that ’s nowhere near the case forThe Walking Dead . It ’s lawful that the show features some of the best make-up on telecasting , but that ’s not the only VFX chicane going on in front of our eyes .
We already remark some of the CGI done to block out blinking , but most of the CGI used on the show hold up towards the sets . It ’s much cheaper to digitally matte a backdrop behind Rick than it is to find a junkyard incisively like the ace the showrunner wanted . It does n’t always look unspoiled , but usually , it cultivate well enough to fritter away the hearing .
There have been a number of deviations from the comicsThe Walking Deadmade for a encompassing motley of reasons . They made some alteration , but they generally follow the same storylines . That does n’t intend the series has n’t choke different way in terms of casting . In a major surprisal , Carl died , and in an even bigger surprise , more intimate faces left after that .
Andrew Lincoln ’s departure has been a recollective meter coming , but then Lauren Cohen also leave . While she since give back , Danai Gurira leave behind the series , taking away several of the key players that made it to the ending of the comic Holy Scripture series .
NEXT:10 Of The Most Glaring Errors In The Walking Dead
