Pathogen (film)
Encyclopedia
Pathogen is a 2006 zombie
horror
independent film
written, directed, and produced by Emily Hagins
, 12 at the time. Pathogen is one of the first notable feature-length films directed by a teenager in America.
which appears to be caused by bacteria
in the water turns out to be more. A fourteen-year-old student, Dannie, feels the real cause is linked to her recurring dream
s. When the infection reaches an epidemic
level, it becomes clear that this infection not only kills, but restores the body to a minimally functioning state where the infected become the "living-dead". This unique twist on the classic zombie
theme centers around the highly-intuitive Dannie Jacobs and a group of four other middle school students who try to save their friends, their town and themselves in spite of the odds against them. While they are desperately trying to find an answer before it is too late, they meet researcher
Sue, who may hold the key to the infection and Dannie's dreams.
. She had previously created a number of short films, one of which was seen and enjoyed by Cameron Crowe
. A small grocery store in Austin, Texas
closed early one night so that Emily Hagins could film a scene involving 30 zombies of all ages inside and outside of the store. Emily Hagins received a grant from the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund for the post-production work on Pathogen and so did a documentary production company making a documentary on Hagins and the making of Pathogen called Zombie Girl: The Movie
.
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
horror
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
written, directed, and produced by Emily Hagins
Emily Hagins
Emily Hagins , is an Austin based filmmaker, who is most famous for directing the 2006 independent feature film, Pathogen at the age of 12.-Biography:She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moved to Austin, Texas in 1992....
, 12 at the time. Pathogen is one of the first notable feature-length films directed by a teenager in America.
Plot
An infectionInfection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
which appears to be caused by bacteria
Bacteria
Bacteria are a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals...
in the water turns out to be more. A fourteen-year-old student, Dannie, feels the real cause is linked to her recurring dream
Recurring dream
A recurring dream is a dream which is experienced repeatedly over a long period.A person who experiences post-traumatic stress disorder may have recurring dreams about the traumatic event....
s. When the infection reaches an epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
level, it becomes clear that this infection not only kills, but restores the body to a minimally functioning state where the infected become the "living-dead". This unique twist on the classic zombie
Zombie
Zombie is a term used to denote an animated corpse brought back to life by mystical means such as witchcraft. The term is often figuratively applied to describe a hypnotized person bereft of consciousness and self-awareness, yet ambulant and able to respond to surrounding stimuli...
theme centers around the highly-intuitive Dannie Jacobs and a group of four other middle school students who try to save their friends, their town and themselves in spite of the odds against them. While they are desperately trying to find an answer before it is too late, they meet researcher
Researcher
A researcher is somebody who performs research, the search for knowledge or in general any systematic investigation to establish facts. Researchers can work in academic, industrial, government, or private institutions.-Examples of research institutions:...
Sue, who may hold the key to the infection and Dannie's dreams.
Cast
- Tiger Darrow as Christine
- Rose Kent-McGlew as Dannie
- Alec Herskowitz as Sam
- Tony Vespe as Cameron
- Alex Schroeder as Stacy
- Rebecca Elliott as Researcher Sue
- Estrella Gonzales as Jen
- C. Robert Cargill as Janitor
- Joy M. Furman as Dannie's Mom
- Ben Gonzalez as News Reporter
- Amanda Haight as Chloe
- Jim Hurley as Health Department Official
- Dannie Helen Loraine Knowles as School Nurse
- Harry Jay Knowles as Voice Actor
- Melissa Martinez as Pharmaceutical Rep
- Natalie Nooner as Ashley
- Jay Giovanni Ramirez as Davey, Zombie Kid
- Jose Ramirez as Doctor
- Sebastian Rosas as Zombie
- Ernest Rosas Roze as Math Teacher / Zombie
Production
Written, directed, and edited by 12-year-old Emily HaginsEmily Hagins
Emily Hagins , is an Austin based filmmaker, who is most famous for directing the 2006 independent feature film, Pathogen at the age of 12.-Biography:She was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and moved to Austin, Texas in 1992....
. She had previously created a number of short films, one of which was seen and enjoyed by Cameron Crowe
Cameron Crowe
Cameron Bruce Crowe is an American screenwriter and film director. Before moving into the film industry, Crowe was a contributing editor at Rolling Stone magazine, for which he still frequently writes....
. A small grocery store in Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
closed early one night so that Emily Hagins could film a scene involving 30 zombies of all ages inside and outside of the store. Emily Hagins received a grant from the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund for the post-production work on Pathogen and so did a documentary production company making a documentary on Hagins and the making of Pathogen called Zombie Girl: The Movie
Zombie Girl: The Movie
Zombie Girl: The Movie is an American documentary about the making of the 2006 film Pathogen which was directed by Emily Hagins, who was twelve years-old at the time.- Plot :...
.