whats the best way to make a gunshot wound seem real?

Several ways to achieve it.. the easiest/safest method is to composite the blood spurts in digitally.

Any programs that you recommend?

sorry to hijack ur thread..

Vincent, I just wanted to say I like your new avatar/pic very much. You look sharp!

Thanks.. though I don't know why you insist on calling me by my last name. :)

Roam: I use After Effects, but it's not the only option... any compositing software should work, as for where to get the actual blood spurts, detonationfilms.com offers a decent selection for free & fairly low cost. Also, I highly recommend videocopilot.net, products and tutorials.

Last name for respect. Although I do have a particular interest in the name Vincent. Coincidentally Michael Mann is one of my favorite directors. And your last name is the name of the antagonist in Collateral. ;)

Indeed.. but it's not my name. ;)

I will call you Will from now on. :) sorry man.

No worries.. it's just weird being called by my last name. ;)

As for the original topic.. Digital is certainly the safest method, and least messy.. but various forms of squibs can be used as well for blood hits. I wouldn't recommend any kind of explosive squib though, unless you've got a licensed pyrotech on set handling them. But people have had good results with pneumatic squibs. Or if you're going for blood splatter on a wall a guacamole gun is your best bet. ;)

You can use any editor that will allow 2 layers of video to do the compositing if you want to go with the simplest digital solution...

Or you can do it the old school way and not show blood at all, just like in the 40's ;) Or gunshot, CUT TO splat on wall, CUT TO shootee pulling hand away from chest to reveal blood stain and bloody hand, CUT TO smoking gun and sneering shooter.

i tried to use some digital clips and found it a little difficult but then again im not the best when it comes to editing. what I did find that worked was using a line of dental floss and a condom filled with fake blood. Thread a length of fishing line through a small button with a needle. Carefully punch the needle through the inside of a condom so the button is inside. A drop of latex will seal the tiny hole the needle made. Fill the condom with blood and seal it.
Attach the condom to a heavy (but small) piece of cardboard with super glue or liquid latex. With a bit of twine, tie this cardboard backing to your actor. Now score the costume where you want the blood to fly. Thread the fishing line through the costume and set up your shot. When you yank hard on the fishing line, the button will pull out of the condom and the blood will spray.

If you want to see what the final product looks like you can check out the video i put up on youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t3BBePReuTM

i agree with knightly. Study the kuleshov effect, its always keeps effects cheap.