View Full Version : Slashed Wrists Effect
dasonras
11-21-2004, 02:45 PM
This is my first time dealing with special effects. The film i am shooting basically involves a scene where a girl slits her wrists with a razor blade. I am having difficulty finding a 'fake razor blade' prop. I have already found a good slashed wrist kit by Woochie FX, but not blade. Any suggestions?
HansK
11-21-2004, 04:34 PM
Take a razorblade and file it down so it dull as a butter knife. Make sure it's dull!
Now, having it leave a blood trail involves running a little tube taped to the back of it up to a squeeze bottle. Someone operates the squeeze bottle as the razorblade is drawn across the skin. The end of the tube is oriented on the backside (from camera) of the razorblade so that it empties near the skin.
There you go!
Jim Brennan
11-22-2004, 02:09 PM
That's how Tom Savini does it.
dasonras
11-22-2004, 05:15 PM
I filed the razorblade down using a grinder. The metal is still very very sharp and can still cut to some degree. I am not satisfied using this with my actors. Any other suggestions on fake blades where i can find them?
Arcburn
11-22-2004, 05:19 PM
i would coat the blade part with some rubber cement maybe. not too much thickness to be seen, but enough to not cause your actor any problems. Or you could make a latex wrist piece and put that over the actors wrist.
Rich Lee
11-22-2004, 10:35 PM
they make powder you can put on skin, and when the powder comes in contact with liquid it turns red. put water on the edge of your fake blade and when you press it against the powdered skin its looks like its cutting. its used for this sort of thing. it doesnt produce alot of blood, but its great for like little cuts and whatnot.
HansK
11-23-2004, 01:50 PM
Any other suggestions on fake blades where i can find them?
Gag gift stores. Try a google search on fake razorblade:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=fake+razorblade&btnG=Google+Search
dasonras
11-23-2004, 06:33 PM
Okay, i found some tips and experimented on my own:
1. File razorblade down with an electric grinder.
2. Clean the blade with alcohol.
3. Use a rough chizzle and grind all edges of the blade.
4. Now take a fine sandpaper and file once again. This time trying to round any pointy corners.
5. Take a piece of lead and with your dull razor, try cutting the lead.
Analysis:
Q. Why clean the blade with alcohol?
A. It will remove any particles that interfer with grinding.
Q. Why use a rough chizzle first?
A. A rough chizzle will make microscopic teeth on the razorblade. This will actually decrease the risk of getting cut.
Q. Why cut a piece of lead?
A. For two reasons. 1, if the blade can't cut through the led, then you know it is dull enough. 2nd, when you try cutting through the lead, it will rub off microscopic lead particles onto the blade and will serve a buffer between skin and the blade.
Arcburn
11-23-2004, 06:44 PM
long before i got to that point, i would have done it in CG. But thats just me.
"Do it in post" said the brave soul.
Arcburn
11-24-2004, 12:00 AM
i'm a CG whore, I know. But that's where I feel comfortable, :)
jmproductions13
11-26-2004, 09:13 PM
hmm for absolute realism i would have molded a fake wrist in resin from the actors arm, then made a couple latex wrists from it.
does it have to be seen? why couldnt you do a low angle looking up then the razor doent need to be close to the actor and you can see the blood roll under her arm
Often what is not shown has a more dramatic effect.
For instance, why not get a closeup of the talents face? That would convey much more emotion.
greeches
01-03-2005, 01:43 PM
follow TOm Savini's way. He's the man. Watch Martin to see how good it looks. (filed razor, and an enema filled w/ blood, concealed in the hand) I've used this many times and it works wonders...
thartley
01-26-2005, 04:18 PM
they make powder you can put on skin, and when the powder comes in contact with liquid it turns red. put water on the edge of your fake blade and when you press it against the powdered skin its looks like its cutting. its used for this sort of thing. it doesnt produce alot of blood, but its great for like little cuts and whatnot.
I just bought a tiny little container of this powder today and tried it out. Followed the instructions and, like magic, I had slit my wrist. BUT, I didnt realize the powder residue got on my bathroom sink and counter and when I turned the water on to wash it off my arm, it ended up looking like a bloodbath, literally! haha!!!! So, if you use the powder, BE CAREFUL! :D
combatJJ
01-26-2005, 09:20 PM
Where did you get the powder at? I'd like to pick some up.
thartley
01-27-2005, 03:13 AM
I found it at a shop called Make Believe here in town. Call around and find out if yuo have a theatrical supply store, rental costumes and the like. The place I went to had all kinds of stage blood. Or check out the website www.Graftobian.com They are the makers of the brand I bought. It was $5.95 for a small container, but evidently a little goes a looooong way.
devonbrown
01-29-2005, 08:47 PM
flip the razor blade upside down,so the rounded edge is against her skin, then in afx or photoshop or some effects editer, ever frame where she moves the blade across her skin edit in "blood of some sort", so when its done rendering it will look smoothly throughout the clip and prof. looking?
jpbankesmercer
02-17-2005, 07:09 PM
Tom Savini is god!
I did slit wrist for I-remain music vid.
http://www.i-remain.com/media.php
As above (bulb+knife) but we added a touch of make-up (deep red) to the blade as it was cutting. We went through a bucket full of blood (cornflour based) it was dark but came out too bright on video for me, Lechner(think that's how you spell them) used to do a fanastic almost black blood :( but no more.
J.P. :-X
MarcM
03-02-2005, 08:57 PM
Savini used a baby ear syringe in his hand. You can get razors with a sharp edge and a folded edge for holding in your hand to cut out stuff. Just use a grinder on the sharp edge making sure to grind the corners to round also. Used to do this trick in school. A real killer
melt candle wax on the blade?
jpbankesmercer
04-12-2005, 12:29 PM
Savini used a baby ear syringe in his hand. You can get razors with a sharp edge and a folded edge for holding in your hand to cut out stuff. Just use a grinder on the sharp edge making sure to grind the corners to round also. Used to do this trick in school. A real killer
Ouch if you don't!
J.P.
XDeathOrGloryX
04-13-2005, 12:19 AM
try using AB blood. you put a clear solution on your skin (A), and put the other clear solution on your blade (B). and when they come in contact it turns into red "Blood".
http://www.airmagicfx.com/pricelist/consumables_price.html
they sell it, as well as a few other online store. just search google.
jpbankesmercer
04-13-2005, 04:37 PM
try using AB blood. you put a clear solution on your skin (A), and put the other clear solution on your blade (B). and when they come in contact it turns into red "Blood".
http://www.airmagicfx.com/pricelist/consumables_price.html
they sell it, as well as a few other online store. just search google.
Used it before..Good but I like it thick and runny..lot's of it...Cornflour based..smells nice.
J.P.