Question Regarding a Decapitated Head

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cdc792000

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I have a question regarding a scene for a decapitated head. Since I am working on a tight budget, I can not afford to make a head cast of my actor. So, what I am thinking of is this.

Our scene requires a decapitated head found in the middle of the woods.Digging a hole in the middle of the forest so my actor can sit in it and bury him from the neck up. We will cover the ground around him with dirt,sand,and leaves. The actor will wear a rubber collar of various jagged edges to show signs of a rough cut to the head/neck. We will then put vaseline and fake blood around the edges. Our actor will hold a frozen look of fear on his face.

Will this work? Does anyone have any other ideas to offer? Could this be done with after effects? How would it look? It would be great to have the head standing on it's side instead of upright,but I want it to look good. This will only be seen for two quick shots that will last a total of 5 seconds maybe a second or two more at the max.

Also, how complicated is it to have something like a spider come out of the actors mouth? I am not as of now planning on that,but was asked if an effect like that could be done with after effects. A spider or mouse or snake coming out a mouth or nose.
 
I think the most realistic option for the head on its side would be to do the following.

1. Create a fake neck that matches your actors skin and size, doesn't need to be a cast of your actor, just a believable neck (remembering that its gonna be all gory).

2. make the neck wound, the gory nasty fun part.

3. Setup your shot, on a locked off tripod, shooting first the neck wound, marking its placement on the monitor and then...

4. Carefully have your actor get in place so that his neck (with a bit of matching gore, don't forget the flecks of blood on the face) is where the dummy one was, and take your second shot with the actor acting all dead.

5. In the compositing app of your choice, blend 2 shots together, which should be reasonably easy considering they used the same lighting, setup, makeup ect.
 
Hey thanks Seejay1031!!!! That sounds like it would work. Not sure if we are gonna do it with the head sitting up right or on it's side but you present a possibility I had not thought of. Many thanks again!
 
After you get all the shots you need, get some funny ones of the severed head "waking up" and talking.

"Hey, guys... I'm OK. Just need to walk it off. Really."
 
I would suggest taking a styrofoam head and then sculpt the face of the actor using putty and makeup. If you can find a makeup artist that can do it, it's incredibly cheap to do. Plus, when you're finished, you can fill the styrofoam head with blood and guts and then smash it!
 
maybe its too late to suggest things but if not, here is my advice: i like the original idea of digging the hole! its more physical work but less complicated to shoot and i believe using a real head is better because first, its real. second, its real and third, well...you know. then all you have to do is concentrate on dressing the severed neck part and how you are going to shoot it. in my opinion i would lay the actors head sideways with his face half way planted in the dirt and play around with shooting from different angles. in other words, try not to shoot a full frontal of him/her because no matter how 'dead' they act, you can usually see the life in a live person even when covered in makeup, at least i can. this is to say the head has been laying there for more than a few hours in the story. showing less can be more!
 
Question Regarding a

Question Regarding a

Hi

I would suggest taking a styrofoam head and then sculpt the face of the actor using putty and makeup. If you can find a makeup artist that can do it, it's incredibly cheap to do. Plus, when you're finished, you can fill the styrofoam head with blood and guts and then smash it!



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