How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect?

How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect? - Goal Lettering Text on Black Background

Zombies are often shown dragging one foot behind them. The clip below shows an example from Shaun of the Dead (2004). You can see the zombie dragging its foot at 2:06.

How is this practical effect accomplished?



Best Answer

The easiest way to achieve that is to use an amputee. And yes, zombie-type movies use a lot of amputees as extras. It's just easier and cheaper than green-screening something like that. Attach a prosthetic, and they can hobble, crawl, get their legs bitten off, whatever you want with a little practical special effects.

If it was a main character played by an actor that you know is not an amputee, then they will use a green sock and create the amputation effect in post processing.




Pictures about "How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect?"

How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect? - A Man Walking to the Broken Houses of a Small Town
How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect? - A Young Boy Walking on the Street Between Demolished Houses
How do they accomplish the "zombie walking with a broken ankle" effect? - Free stock photo of adult, ancient, archaeology





Can you walk with a Broken ankle? - Dr. Hanume Gowda




Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Anna Tarazevich, Ahmed akacha, Ahmed akacha, Ahmed akacha