I have a short film shoot scheduled for tomorrow, and I need to know how to do a few things before tomorrow. My question is this: My character is dying of thirst. How do I make him look realistically thirsty? Thanks for your time, and I would really apprechiate fast responses.
You can also portray thirst indirectly. Show asphalt with shimmering heat. Show a dry river bed. The sun overhead. Sweat on a person's face. The thirst will be assumed. If you want to add more you can get specific with chapped lips and licking his lips. Having the character moan "water" or upend an empty canteen for any remains of water is another.
Cutting a cactus and trying to drink the juice. Slurping water from a tepid foul puddle because they are desperate. Fuzzy vision POV can help as well. You might also do things with a dream sequence. Have the character walk up to and passed a dozen hot bikini babes and grab a cold glass of water instead. That wort of thing.
If they are really dying of thirst they should no longer be sweating and the urine will be dark yellow. If they are cut the blood will be too thick to properly bleed. Internal monologue can help this, or you can simply cheat as most movies do becaused without sweat the person doesn't look hot even if their clothes are sweat-stained.
RJSchwarz
San Diego, CA
RJSchwarz
Probably no help to you now, but you could have gone for a bit of realism and given your actor some really salty snacks like pretzels before filming.
Let us know how you did.
