Behind the scenes

The Walking Dead is full of surprises — and some of them happen off-screen

Some things you might find surprising about The Walking Dead:

1

Raleigh Studios in Senoia, where most of The Walking Dead is filmed, is a 57-hectare spread used exclusively by the show. Most of the different communities are created and filmed on the property except for The Kingdom, which is filmed at the former Fort McPherson military base in Atlanta. Another community — The Oceanside — was created on Tybee Island, on the coast of Georgia.

2

The fictional town of Alexandria is a real neighbourhood in Senoia. Just four families live there, while the rest of the homes are vacant and used as mini sets where some of the characters live. The real-life residents have signed nondisclosure agreements and have restrictions on when they can come and go and when they can have visitors.

3

The actors who play zombies use conditioner and K-Y Jelly to give their hair an unwashed appearance.

4

The production meeting room is a small theatre with a conference tablet. The walls are lined with photos of actors whose characters have died. “Our Grateful Dead” now occupies two walls.

5

The location where Gabriel’s church stood is now an empty dirt and wooded lot and served as the same set where the final episode of season filmed Glenn and Abraham’s demise. Executive producer Tom Luse says it’s “pretty much hallowed ground.”

6

The show’s props crew is creating a line of kid-friendly toys.