The Luna Park Cafe on Avalon Way was the scene and setting for an all night photo shoot to capture a single, highly staged and lit photograph. The theme was a 'Zombie Attack'. The effort was the final assignment for first year students in nationally ranked commercial photography program at Seattle Central Community College.
The first year commercial photography class at Seattle Central Community College , which is a nationally ranked program, took over the Luna Park Cafe at 2918 s.w. Avalon Way, Sunday evening, June 5 and went into the wee hours of June 6 all in pursuit of a single photograph.
TO SEE A LARGER VERSION OF A PRODUCTION STILL FROM THE SHOOT CLICK THE LINK ABOVE
The assignment given to the class by instructor Alejandro Tomas was to create a single photograph in the style of famous art photographer Gregory Crewdson whose photos are elaborately staged and surreal scenes of American homes and neighborhoods.
His work, which sometimes sells for over $100,000 an image, involves a large crew, and elements that are intricately arranged and lit.
To emulate that style the class chose the cafe and the concept of zombies taking it over. Contributing West Seattle Herald photographer Greg McCorkle who is in the program said, "This is called 'The Crewdson Shoot' and the first year students do it every year at this time. Everybody has to scout a location and you have to come back with compass readings and light levels and where the sun is at this time of the day and everybody votes on which one." Once a location is chosen, concepts are offered and voted on. "What won was a zombie attack," said McCorkle, "This is similar to a scene from the film Shaun of the Dead, where people hole up in a cafe and zombies are trying to break in the front door. Last year they used the King Street Station."
The effort is a major one with many people taking part. "Everybody has a job. You've got your Producer, Director, Director of Photography, Number one and Number two camera operators, grips, security, craft services. They carried out a dry run in the studio on campus using the room dimensions and tape on the floor. The camera will be located near the kitchen looking toward the front door. "There will be one zombie partially through the front door, and people with weapons in the shot," said McCorkle.
A 4 x 5 film camera and Fuji Provia transparency film were chosen for the shoot.
Since the cafe is an operating business, they have to shoot the photo while it is closed, meaning they had from 10:30 pm to approximately 6:00 to wrap up entire production. McCorkle is assigned the role of Production Stills Photographer. Some of his images will be added in an update to this story once they are available.
