Going for a perfect storm

IN “28 Weeks Later,” inhabitants of London become infected with a deadly virus that turns them into rage-filled killers, running helter-skelter through the empty streets like wild animals in search of human prey they can attack.

But there is a method to the infected madness: All the actions, movements and vicious attitude of the crazed people were carefully choreographed and rehearsed. Paul Kasey, a gymnast, dancer, actor and specialist in creature and monster movement, was brought in to be the movement “advisor” for the gore-infested film, which opens Friday.

The film is the sequel to “28 Days Later,” Danny Boyle’s 2003 British hit about a virus that is transmitted through a simple drop of blood or saliva and fills those infected with a permanent state of rage. In the new installment, the supposedly “destroyed” virus returns in a more virulent form.

Kasey began his career doing stage musicals, fashion shows and music videos. His movement background led to his being cast as a vampire in “Blade 2,” and he has since concentrated solely on playing creatures and monsters in movies and TV.

“Once you have made that step forward into creature work and wearing prosthetics and animatronics, I think the ball rolls,” he said. “I thoroughly enjoy it. To bring creatures alive is really good fun.”

He had played one of the “infected” in “28 Days Later,” and when it came time for the sequel to go into production, he was hired not only to play another virus-carrier -- he breaks into a farmhouse in the opening and chases down star Robert Carlyle -- but also to help audition and teach the performers playing the other bloodthirsty murderers.

KASEY recalled that with “28 Days Later,” Boyle’s mandate for the “infected” was that he wanted 100% rage -- sort of a viciously intense version of the road rage that had become increasingly prevalent in England in the early part of the decade. With “28 Weeks Later,” director Juan Carlos Fresnadillo wanted the rage to be more animalistic. These “infected” snap their heads violently back and forth, snark and foam at the mouth.

In their initial meetings, Fresnadillo told Kasey he wanted the diseased to resemble the infected soldier seen near the conclusion of “28 Days Later” who was chained up like a dog.

“He wanted the infected more like that, more sort of a wild sort of thing,” Kasey said. “He wanted the infected to all have the same look because they are all infected with the same rage.”

A casting call went out for individuals who excelled at some form of movement: gymnastics, ballet, contemporary dance or even mime. Stuntmen and circus performers also auditioned.

“Juan Carlos wanted a huge variety because anybody could become infected,” Kasey said. “He wanted different heights, different shapes and different sizes.”

The potential “infected” were auditioned in groups. “I would just explain what the infection is and what it does to you,” Kasey said. “At that point, [the rage] was open to interpretation for them.”

After the initial auditions, 70 people were hired and called back for a daylong workshop with Kasey, who worked with them to make sure that each performer moved and behaved similarly. He offered suggestions to stimulate their frenzy, such as transforming into a rabid dog.

“I started to get a little bit scared because of the intensity,” Kasey said. “One ‘infected’ with all of its makeup and blood is pretty terrifying, but when you have over 70 and they are running around with that amount of rage....”

Once he got the intensity he needed, “I sort of molded it a bit,” he said.

“As you were building up these characters, there were a lot of questions. The main question I kept getting asked was, ‘Why don’t we eat and attack each other?’ My simple answer was that if you were a pack of wolves and were hunting a deer, you wouldn’t attack each other. The [infected] are after the living.”

“Once they got to that level, you could ask them to do everything -- they could hit 100% rage straight away. Then the actions just take over. They all wanted the same thing -- they wanted to attack, rip apart and bite.”

susan.king@latimes.com