Emily Hagins (director of the zombie film Pathogen and star of the documentary Zombie Girl: The Movie) was kind enough to talk to us about being a young filmmaker and the subject of a film herself. We admire her easy-going attitude in managing the making of a full-length film while still dealing with classes and homework. Plus she gets bonus points for being a fellow Muppets fan.

Liarsociety: Do you remember the first movie you ever saw?

Emily Hagins: I know it was The Muppet Movie, but I don’t remember watching it when I was younger. I’ve watched it quite a few times now, and it’s still one of my favorite movies.

What’s your favorite zombie film?

I have three—Night of the Living Dead, Shaun of the Dead, and Undead. I can’t decide between them because they were all very influential to me when I made Pathogen.

In Zombie Girl: The Movie you and your mom debate over how movies are meant to be perceived. Has your opinion changed since then?

I think movies can serve many different purposes, it just depends on the filmmaker and audience. Some movies are made just for entertainment, and others have an important message. It really relies on the story being told and why.

Has the process of making your own films changed the way you watch movies? Can you still become immersed in the stories or do you find yourself focusing on the mechanics like scene direction, editing and effects?

I usually learn from the movies I watch, but I wait to reflect on it until the movie is over. I like to learn as much as I can, but I think an important part of that is to look at the big picture—which is the movie in its entirety. On top of that, the movie geek in me loves watching movies just as much as making them.

Pathogen is an impressive achievement, especially considering not only your age at the time but that you learned so many aspects of movie-making on the fly. Have you done any formal studying on filmmaking from books or classes since then?

I’ve taken a couple of classes, but I learn the most from continuing to make movies. The classes are still valuable, but it’s still a hands-on field.

Once you realized how much work Pathogen was turning out to be did you ever feel like you wouldn’t finish or should cut it down?

At one point I taped over some very important footage, and I remember adults telling me things like, “It was a good effort.” Before that, I think one of the main things keeping me going was that I hadn’t considered the possibility that the movie wouldn’t be finished. However, at that point I thought that we had spent so much time and effort on the project, and it wouldn’t make sense to not finish it.

You dealt with some unplanned situations like a shortage of zombies for a big scene. How do you feel about that loss of control? Does it affect how you work on new projects?

I like to go into projects knowing that things won’t always go as planned, but that doesn’t mean that they will always go wrong. This has helped me figure out the difficult situations I’ve had on projects since Pathogen, and how to prepare for future ones.

You and the crew came up with some creative ideas for effects and equipment considering your limited budget. How much do you enjoy having to work within those constraints? Would you rather have a big budget to go crazy on effects?

That’s kind of a tricky question. I don’t feel like I want to make movies that are effects driven or need a big budget, but I would rather work with a comfortable budget than no budget to tell a good story.

In the process of figuring things out and solving problems on your own have you developed any personal techniques?

I think it’s important to have a team (cast and crew) who is both good at what they do and enthusiastic about the project.

What was it like having a documentary team as part of your life for a few years? Did you forget they were there after a while? Did you feel pressure to keep moving on your film or put on a fake smile for the camera?

It was a little weird at times to always have the cameras there, but sometimes I felt used to it. I know they wanted to have as much of a “fly on the wall” presence as possible, and I think they were able to do that. I can definitely reflect on my mistakes by watching the documentary, heh.

Some parents who encourage artistic projects, athletics, modeling, etc., get super-involved. They sometimes take over or push their kids too hard to the point of spoiling it. It’s nice to see how supportive your parents are without crossing that line. Do you still work on things with them, or are you more on your own?

I feel very lucky to have parents that are supportive of my filmmaking, and they still help me out with my projects. On my second feature my mom mainly focused on craft services, and my dad helped a lot as a production assistant.

Has the attention from the documentary, going to festivals and doing interviews changed life much? Are you comfortable with it or do you still think of yourself as shy?

It’s definitely improved my public speaking, but I still feel shy sometimes. However, I am more comfortable with interviews than giving a presentation for school.

I imagine making films and being in the documentary has inspired friends to try video, writing or acting. Is there a camaraderie?

Since Pathogen I’ve met a few other kids close to my age who are really into making movies, and we all try to help each other out with projects. With the technology available, there are more people of all different ages able to make movies. I think it’s cool that we’re able to share our experiences and work together.

What projects are you working on now or planning for?

I’m working on a comedy now, but it’s very early on in script development.

Are you able to relax between projects and during downtime?

I actually feel less anxious when I have a project to work on or at least think about.

How do you balance such big, long-term projects with school and a social life?

It’s a difficult balance, and I do get distracted sometimes. I usually have to take it one thing at a time to compromise the best way I can.

Have you tried combining video into school assignments?

Usually any chance I can.

You’ve had various mentors. Have you considered or been able to take on that role for other people getting into video? What about turning it into a DIY video class or seminar?

I haven’t thought about it, actually. But I love sharing my experiences with other filmmakers, and would be open to the idea.

In years to come re-watching your films will probably be a look back at where you were at points in your life as much as they are their own stories. When you think about Pathogen now are you more satisfied with what you accomplished or critical of flaws?

I like to reflect on making Pathogen to help me with new projects, and I feel lucky to have the documentary to help with that. Now I think of it as what it is: a zombie movie made by a 12-year-old. I just want to learn from what I did right and wrong and make better movies.

Any interest in doing a documentary yourself sometime?

I’m more interested in narratives right now, but it’s possible.

Which is more satisfying: the process or the finished product?

They’re both very satisfying. One of the coolest things about making a movie to me is seeing the whole process, but there’s definitely something magical about seeing everything come together in the final product.

Any advice for new filmmakers that you wish you had when you started out?

Perseverance is key to finishing your project. Things might go wrong, but if you get through it you can take what you learned and put it towards the next one. If you have a story that you want to tell, don’t let anything stop you.

Check out Emily Hagin’s projects at her site Cheesy Nuggets Productions

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