Splattering blood?

[Alex]

In my upcoming "Friday the 13th" fan film, there is a planned scene in which the local town sherrif gets to meet everyone's favourite hockey-masked killer, Jason. Needless to say, Jason promptly kills him.

I'm planning a shot in which Jason is coming directly at the camera, then swings an axe at some point just below the camera's line of sight, at which point a wave of blood splatters over the lens.

I've been thinking about achieving this unique angle using a large glass sheet placed between the actor portraying Mr. Voorhees and the actual camera, so that the fake blood never really touches (and damages) the video camera, but splatters against the glass. Viewing audiences, of course, will think the blood has been splattered over the camera. Pretty cool, huh?

I'm open to suggestions as to other ways of achieving this angle. If anyone knows of any better way, please tell me. It may be a bit difficult to procure a sheet of clear glass that size...

Alex

[voorhees13]

Be careful with the lighting because you could get glare off the glass.

[sightsunseen]

You've got the right idea but DO be careful of your lighting...and make sure to utilize manual focus during this shot. Some digital cameras, while on autofocus, will literally "see" the glass and attempt focus on it, messing up your shot.

Let us know when the shot is done, I'd love to see it.

[Alex]

Thanks for the helpful hints, guys! I appreciate your suggestions, and hopefully the shot will turn out just fine.

I'll keep you posted as to the progress of the film. Shooting is slated to start pretty soon, so hopefully this shot and some of the other complicated F/X shots we've got planned will be completed in no time. Keep those ideas comin'!

Alex

[DAD]

Also, if possible use a sheet of lexan as glass has the nasty habit of breaking if accidently hit with the axe. A couple of other suggestions are use a polerizing filter on the lense to help reduce reflections and build a shielding box for the camera and operate it remotely if possible. Cameramen have a little bit of a shy nature when someone is coming at them with an axe. LOL

[DAD]

I've been doing stuff like this for about 25 years.

Lexan is like plexaglass only a lot tougher and crystal clear just like glass. A direct blow by an axe might pierce it but would not shatter it in cuttting fragments like glass would. A sheet of 1/4 inch lexan about 4 feet square would cost (guessing right now) around $25 but that is cheap insurance to protect the camera and potentially the cameraman. You should be able to find it at any large building supply house such as Menards, Home Depot, Lowes and such. You might also check the yellow pages and see if you can find a place that manufactures plastics and see if you can get a scrap piece ... might even be able to find a large enough piece in their dumpster (I done it before ).

Haven't gone after a cameraman with an axe in a while .. at least a couple of months.

[NzoMatrix]

The name calling is over. PERIOD. EXCLAMATION POINT! I have email you both with a warning.

[mrmyers]

Thank u, it gave a negative feeling to such good topics.

[NzoMatrix]

Yeah hopefully we can get back to normal. The whole point of this forum is to help each other out and all this negativity just hurts the forums and more importantly the discussions.

[sightsunseen]

Namecalling?

Did we miss something?

[HailtotheKing]

Back on topic. I would contact my local firefighters and see if I could full up there hoses with Karo blood! That'll give you plenty of blood splattering and your actors will love it.

[Toxic_Cinema]

Hey, If you want to make blood run right in front of the camera without any tricks there is this stuff called a nd b blood. You apply a clear coat of this stuff onto the area you want and a different coat of some other stuff onto the fake knife or whatever you use and when the two touch it causes blood to run.

Also, would you like to help me with my friday the 13th script.