Suggestions for managing a bloody shoot?

B

Barbiegal

Hi everyone!

Noob here! :D

Although I have acted in a couple of short indies and spent time on the set during my hubby's special effects (and there has been blood and gunshots involved), this is the first time I'm producing and really responsible for all the minor details. Don't get me wrong, I am as anal retentive, organized and detail-oriented as they come, so no worries for me there; however, the scenes being shot this coming weekend are going to be PARTICULARLY bloody (exploding knee cap, MAJOR fight scene, gun shot, etc.) Think Kill Bill kind of blood. LOL!

My question is - has anyone here done a shoot that bloody before, and what should I be planning on in terms of possible needs, comfort of the actors, etc.? Hubby is doing special effects here again, so he is on top of things like extra changes of matching clothing, safety, non-toxic blood, etc. I guess I'm wondering what I might not be thinking of in terms of a shoot that bloody and my job in making sure there are back-ups and contingencies in case of problems, etc.

Anyone ever worked in a gory/bloody shoot before that might warn me of some of the pitfalls?

Thanks in advance!!

Rene'
 
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If using corn syrup:

-Outdoors: Watch for bees. They like corn syrup.
-It will make eyelids sticky, and the actor will hurt. Have someone act as a towel boy between takes, or tell the actor to stop complaining and act like a professional.
-Indoors: Put down cling-wrap on the floor where the blood will fall. It will help with the cleaning process.
-Get a nice clear sheet of plexiglass and put it in front of the camera, especially on low angles with motion and bloody sprays. You can also drip the blood on the plexiglass for the POV blood filling the screen shot (James Bond intro).
 
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Try to avoid corn syrup if possible. It can look good but it isn't worth the pain IMO. Nothing worse than trying to get that stuff off your skin - especially if it's all over.
 
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Here's some fyi's...

Dark skinned actors need lighter colored blood. There is a color difference between arterial (brighter red) blood and venous blood (darker red). Chunky peanut butter and food coloring for that meaty fleshy look. Styrofoam pieces make excellent bone fragments.
 
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Honestly, I don't know!

I just know that my previous experiences with corn syrup have been a REAL pain. I know you can buy theatrical blood of various sorts if I'm not mistaken. I haven't needed blood for a while now so I honestly don't know what I'll use when I need to do it again.
 
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If you're buying, I've used Reel Blood before with excellent results. (http://www.makeupmania.com/details/IA-0021-10-000.cfm) Very good stuff, expensive too.

DIY recipes for movie blood are all over the Internet. Some are better for splattering against windows and walls, others are better looking when you smear them. Depends on what you're looking for really. Dripping, oozing, sucking chest wound complete with bubbles. Different recipes for different effects.
 
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THANKS, everyone, for the great tips. The chunky peanut butter and styrofoam is something I'm definitely passing on to Anthony as he has to do an exploding knee cap. I'm also investing in an eye wash bottle just in case.

Anthony uses a pancake syrup base for his blood (light maple), which is a bit thinner than the corn syrup. He uses a compressed air system for his blood sprays (doesn't like squibs for safety reasons), and the corn syrup was a bit thick to spray properly. It's great for puddling, though.

Keep em' coming if you've got more suggestions!

Thanks in advance,
Rene'
 
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