Theatrical blood

"Fake blood" redirects here. For the musician also known as "Fake Blood", see Theo Keating.

Fake blood on a human arm

Theatrical blood or stage blood is anything used as a substitute for blood in a theatrical or cinematic performance. For example, in the special effects industry, when a director needs to simulate an actor being shot or cut, a wide variety of chemicals and natural products can be used. The most common is red food coloring, often inside small balloons coupled with explosive devices called squibs. However, Alfred Hitchcock used Bosco Chocolate Syrup as fake blood in his 1960 thriller Psycho.^[1] Since the film was in black and white, the color was less important than the consistency. Tomato ketchup is also a common alternative.

Reasons for use

There are many reasons for substituting for real blood in the film industry, such as ethical and sanitary concerns, and concerns for the emotional well being of the actors. Also, actual blood's tendency to coagulate and solidify quickly make it unsuitable for repeated takes without freshening; the longer-lasting viscosity of stage blood makes it far easier to work with on the set.

Kensington Gore

"Kensington Gore" (a pun on the London street) was a trademark for fake blood used in films and in theatre. It was manufactured by a retired British pharmacist, John Tinegate, during the 1960s and 1970s, in the village of Abbotsbury, Dorset. Many varieties of blood, having various degrees of viscosity, shades and textures were available. Since Tinegate's death, the name "Kensington Gore" has become a generic term for stage blood. Kensington Gore was used in the film The Shining.

Other uses

Theatrical blood has many other applications apart from its use in the film industry.

The crime scene investigation science of bloodstain pattern analysis uses stage blood or sometimes cow's blood in mock-up crime scenes when training new investigators.^[2]

The art of Moulage uses theatrical blood in applying mock injuries for the purpose of training Emergency Response Teams and other medical and military personnel.

Theatrical blood is also popularly used in Halloween costumes.

References

↑ Seckel, Al. Masters of Deception: Escher, Dali & the Artists of Optical Illusion. Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. p. 200. ISBN 1-4027-0577-8. Retrieved May 23, 2006.
↑ Forensics Biology course description, see footnote at bottom

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Fake blood.

Blood Recipes

Field size

Camera placement

Perspective Over-the-shoulder Point-of-view (POV) Reverse Trunk Single / multiple-camera setup

Camera angle	Tilt Aerial High-angle Bird's-eye Crane shot Jib / boom shot Low-angle Worm's-eye view Dutch angle

Camera movement

Lens effects

Focus
- Racking
- Depth of field
- Shallow
- Deep
Zooming

Other techniques

Special effects

Practical	Prosthetic makeup Animatronics Puppetry Creature suit Miniature effect (hanging) Pyrotechnics Aerial rigging (Wire-flying) Squib Matte painting Sugar glass Theatrical blood

In-camera	Tilted plane focus Forced perspective Schüfftan process Dolly zoom Lens flares Lighting effects Filtration Shutter effects Time-lapse Slow motion Fast motion Speed ramping Bipacks Slit-scan Reverse motion Front projection Rear projection Multiple exposure Infrared photography Bullet time

Visual	Computer-generated imagery Split screen Stop motion Go motion Chroma key Compositing (digital) Optical printing Introvision Smallgantics Match moving

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