"Zombies invade San Gabriel Mission High School!"

On a recent Saturday morning, several cars passing by San Gabriel Mission High School slowed down so their occupants could see if what they thought they saw was real, or a figment of their imaginations.

Yes, it was real --- sort of. What was actually taking place was a movie production being conducted by Mission High's own Media Studies program. The 60-year-old girls' school was converted into a movie set for the short movie feature, "Are You Prepared?", a parody of educational documentaries that were shown during the 1950s and 1960s to prepare students for a potential nuclear bomb attack. "Are You Prepared?" shows how students would prepare for a potential zombie attack if it took place on campus. The production was written by Media Studies teacher Chris Landinguin and involved more than 15 students and five faculty members.

The production, said Landinguin, was part of a yearly movie shooting designed to give students at Mission hands-on experience in the process of making a movie, in front and behind the camera. Two students interested in becoming special effects makeup artists served as makeup artists for the day.

"I wanted to give these students a chance to not only apply their skills, but to gain a movie credit to their name," Landinguin explained. Other students got the opportunity to assume roles as assistant directors, cameramen, grips, and fight/attack choreographers.

As for the actors, junior Jillian Marquez enjoyed her experience playing a "zombie," saying that she had fun even though the makeup and scars started to hurt after a few hours. Junior Veronica Fernandez said she enjoyed playing one of the students who gets attacked. "It was fun getting blood everywhere," she said.

Not all cast or crew members were from San Gabriel Mission High School. Eighth grader Samantha Duran, who played a zombie, wanted to join her older sister on the cast and crew and gain some experience making movies.

The faculty members who participated also had a great time. Recruitment counselor Wendy Bracamontes called her experience "a blast," saying she learned a great deal about the movie process and wished everyone was there to see the process.

"Are You Prepared?" is presently in the post-production stages and will premiere at San Gabriel Mission High School's Fine Arts/Film Festival on March 31. The film festival is designed to give media students the chance to showcase their work for the school community. The film festival this year is also open to the local feeder schools who want to display showing their filmmaking skills.

To see the work created by San Gabriel Mission High School's Media Studies program, visit www.schooltube.com under San Gabriel Mission High School.