Zombie Satire Feature Heads to Shandaken, NY in August 2026 Under SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement

A satirical horror-comedy feature with a sharp comedic premise is gearing up for an August 2026 shoot in the Catskills, and the production is already in casting, meaning the hiring pipeline is open right now. The untitled project, set and filming in Shandaken, New York, follows a small town upended when zombies start taking over. The twist at the heart of the logline, asking whether the outbreak is actually intentional, gives this one a satirical edge that suggests a production leaning into darkly comic social commentary rather than straight genre horror. With a confirmed start date of August 17, 2026, crew working in and around the Hudson Valley and Catskills region should be paying attention now.

The film is directed by Z. Golden and written by Ivan Martin, with producer Dominic Cancilla shepherding the project. The creative team appears to be an independent collaboration working within the constraints and opportunities of the SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement, which signals a tightly managed production where every department will be lean and resourceful. Independent features operating under SAG-AFTRA's Low Budget Agreement (covering productions with budgets under approximately $700,000) tend to attract crews who value creative latitude and are comfortable wearing more than one hat. If the satirical tone of the material is any indication, this is a project with a clear point of view, the kind of indie that attracts crew genuinely invested in the story rather than simply filling a slot. The screenplay by Ivan Martin frames the zombie premise as a vehicle for social commentary, which typically signals a writer-driven production where the script carries significant weight on set.

Casting is being handled by Heidi Eklund and Amy Hutchings, a two-casting-director setup that is fairly common on indie features looking to cast efficiently across multiple roles simultaneously. Talent representatives and actors in the New York region should note that this is an active casting situation now, well ahead of the August cameras-up date, which is exactly the kind of lead time that allows for thoughtful casting rather than last-minute scrambles. The SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement also opens the door to non-union talent working alongside SAG members under specific conditions, which broadens the talent pool and is worth noting for agents representing emerging clients.

Shandaken is a small township in Ulster County in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, and it is a genuinely interesting production choice. The area offers the kind of authentic rural character that is difficult to replicate on a studio backlot, with small-town main streets, dense woodland, and a quiet, slightly eerie quality that suits a zombie satire perfectly. Ulster County has seen increasing production activity over the past several years as New York State's film tax incentive program has made the broader upstate region more attractive to independent producers. While the tax incentive is more aggressively utilized by larger-budget productions, even lower-budget SAG features can benefit from New York State's below-the-line crew hire incentives when structured appropriately. Productions shooting in this part of the state typically draw crew from both the local Ulster and Dutchess County base and from New York City, roughly two hours south, making it a realistic commute-or-stay situation depending on department and schedule. Crew based in the Hudson Valley, Woodstock, Kingston, or the broader Catskills corridor are especially well positioned here.

Given the production's scale under the SAG-AFTRA Low Budget Agreement and the rural location, certain departments will face specific logistical considerations worth thinking through early. A zombie satire set in a small town will demand a production designer and art department that can build out practical environmental storytelling on a limited budget, the kind of work that requires genuine craft and creative problem-solving. Makeup and hair will be central to the production's visual identity given the genre, and a key makeup department head with prosthetics or SFX experience would be a strong fit. The location itself, while visually rich, is not a major production hub, so a locations manager familiar with the Catskills and skilled at working with local municipalities and private property owners will be essential for pulling off an efficient shoot in a community that may have limited prior experience hosting film productions. Sound, grip, and electric departments will similarly need to be comfortable with location-heavy shooting in variable outdoor conditions, as the Catskills in August can bring afternoon weather shifts that require flexible planning.

For crew looking to get on board early, this is exactly the kind of production where reaching out now, over a year before cameras roll, can make all the difference. Independent features at this budget level rarely post formal job listings the way studio productions do. Relationships and direct outreach are how most crew land these jobs. ProductionList.com carries the full listing for this production, including contact details, the production office, and casting information, along with updates as the project moves closer to its August 2026 start. If you are a department head, crew member, or actor in the New York region looking for a creative indie with a clear voice and a confirmed shoot date, bookmark this one and check back regularly as staffing ramps up through the coming year.

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