Since you've already looked around, I'm sure you've seen that not much flaming goes on around here. We're a pretty helpful bunch.

A standard blood recipe:
Clear corn syrup (Karo is one brand name)
Water
Red food color
Blue food color

Do several tests to find out the mixture you like best - it usually takes only a drop or two of blue per quart. I use black coffee rather than water to thin the syrup and make it more opaque.

Add a little photoflo (from Kodak) so it doesn't bead up as much. But not if you're using it in an actors mouth! Add a little liquid dish washing soap to make it stain less.

For blood letting:
You can use a large syringe - 100cc and bigger. Check ?url? http://www.burmanfoam.com/?/url? or any medical supply store.

Smaller syringes - 50cc or so - are great for knife cuts. Add a length of aquarium tubing. Tape the tubing to the back of the knife (away from the camera). Squeeze the syringe as you draw the knife across the hand and the blood will flow, looking like it's coming from the cut. If you cut off an inch or two from the tip of the knife it gives the illusion that its in the flesh.

A large syringe is good for a neck cut or even a severed hand or arm. With a little practice you can get a nice blood pumping effect.

Use a Hudson Sprayer ?url? http://www.hdhudson.com/?/url? for longer sprays like in Japanese martial arts and Samurai movies.

Years ago I found two water fire extinguishers at a thrift store. You can unscrew the top, fill it with your blood mixture and then pressurize it at a gas station air pump. Huge, long, powerful sprays of blood for an over the top horror movie.

A scar can be made using Derma Wax. Place a bit of the wax on the person and spread it out to the desired length with a wooden sculpting tool. Blend the edges into the skin using baby oil, pat dry and then cover with make up.

Build up the wax a bit, make a jagged cut with a wood sculpting tool and add blood for a nice looking cut.

Gelatins are used in a similar way. The gel is heated then applied and sculpted on the actor. Of course, be careful about how hot you let the gelatin get...

Liquid latex can also be used. Stretch the skin, apply a very thin coat, let it dry and then release the skin for a wrinkled look. Layer very thin pieces of tissue paper with liquid latex to create pealing skin.

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The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.
Joseph Joubert, essayist (1754-1824)

Wow, thanks alot that helps very much. Any ideas for organs or anything? For example spaghetti for intestines?

If you can get your hand on morticains <sp?> wax, get some. Usually you have to get it online because its kind of an exclusive commodity, but it is fabulous for zombie movies. It is a whitish opaque wax that looks like pale human skin, and it can have color molded into it to create scars and whatnot. Also, it looks grotesquely realistic when bitten into or peeled off. Run some blood tubes underneath it and your ready to go. Also, if you know where you are going to scratch or bit off a piece, put something underneath it that is sort of crimson colored. It won't show up through the wax, but when you scratch off the wax it looks like raw flesh. Zombie movies are a blast though, have fun with it. I'm still in the production of mine. They take forever, but then again mine is a musical called "Zombies! Attack of the Dancing Dead". Its a long story.
Oh and for blood effects, try a bike tire pump, just open the cylinder, pour the blood in, and modify the house and your ready to roll. I can send you some pics if you want.

That sounds great. Pics would be nice too, please send.

I might take a while to get the pics up, I'm a smidge busy <ACT> Do you want me to just post them here once i get them up or email them to you?

Here are a few from me:
http://homepage.mac.com/directorik/PhotoAlbum7.html

Post them up on here, just so if anyone else wants to see they will be available.

right, share the love. No prob.

quote:

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Originally posted by certified instigator

Here are a few from me:
http://homepage.mac.com/directorik/PhotoAlbum7.html

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Wow that's really good stuff. How much money did you need to put into that?

Well, they're mostly from different movies.

The all purpose dummy "BobTheDeadGuy" cost about $150. But it's a fully articulated dummy made strong to be thrown off cliffs, run over by trucks and used over and over. The mummy cost about $80, all the zombies (11 in all) about $300-$400.

This is all great stuff. What would you suggest for doing brain matter with? Like I want headshots and blood and brain spraying from the back of the zombie's head(using a fire extinguisher or something) but what would be a really cheap way to imitate brain?

The standard blood mixture, pieces of cauliflower, a bit of cottage cheese, a few pieces of a styrofoam cup (looks like skull) and a few chicken gizzards.

That sounds damn good.

I have one more question. I want to have a scene where someone gets disemboweled because that is a must in every zombie film. How would I go about doing it so it doesn't look too cheesy? Should it be from an angle where you can't see the stomach of the person and only see guts being torn out(in case I can't get latex or anything and can't have a shot of the stomach being torn open). Any suggestions?