This article was taken from the April 2012 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
Want special effects that are more Steven Spielberg than Attack the Block? Wired consults Paul Elliott, of crack DIY film-production team Blunt Productions, for his top zero-budget cheats for convincing SFX -- no ketchup or empty coconuts required.
Multiple-hurl vomiting
Dig out leftovers from the bottom of the fridge. Add carrots and some milk to make the mix runny, then whisk together and pour into a two-litre milk carton. Gaffer-tape a washing-machine hose to the end, tape the bottle to your actor's body (out of shot), then tape the hose near their mouth. "When it's time for your actor to chuck up, all he has to do is to bend over and squeeze the sick bottle," explains Elliott. "You can get two or three good hurls out of a two-litre bottle."
DIY Squibs
A squib is an exploding blood sack. Blunt crafted one using a banger strapped to a metal ashtray. "We then taped a bag of mashed banana, coffee and fake blood on top of the banger, and taped it to our actor," says Elliott. "It's not a method I endorse -- it could have been lethal." He recommends a safer option: strap a fake-blood-and-flesh-filled condom to the actor, tie a fishing line to a guitar pick and glue it to the condom. When you're ready, pull the wire.
The samurai blood-spurt
For classic 70s splatter, take a bucket of fake blood (one part water to three parts glucose syrup, plus red food colouring). Stick one end of a hose into the bucket and suck through the other end.
Attach one end to a tap and hide the other end on your actor in the area to be slashed. Roll camera, and turn on the tap. "The water will push the blood through the hose, giving the impression of extravagantly spurting blood," says Elliott.
Convincing decapitation
"Unless you do face casting, filming a decapitation front-on using a dummy head looks crap," says Elliott. "Film your dummy from behind, so you'll only need a head and shoulders." Craft a (separate) head and shoulders from polystyrene covered with a layer of liquid latex. Run a hosepipe through the neck and shoulders to a plastic carton filled with fake blood. To deploy, synchronise the head chop with a powerful squeeze on the carton.
Tracking shots on the cheap
You needn't hire expensive equipment for smooth tracking shots. A run-of-the-mill piece of two-by-four is a decent alternative.
Gaffer-tape your camera to the middle of the plank (adding a counterweight if you want super-smooth shots). Get a person at each end of the plank to pick it up and walk with it. "The two plank-cam operators might take some time to get used to the arrangement, but you'll soon see the results," says Elliott. "For best absorption of bumps, a Groucho Marx-style walk is best."
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
