Dre's Page - Movies

Body Bullet Hits

Here is a very safe and effective method of making gruesome body bullet hits using duct tape, a water balloon, and rocket igniters. Traditional method use squibs (small explosive charges) to blast fake blood outward. However, squibs can be very dangerous and should not be used unless you are a trained and licensed pyrotechnician. This method is very easy and allows anyone to create realistic, safe bullet strikes on a low budget.

How it works

The diagram and picture shows how this method works. It's very simple actually. A small water balloon is filled with fake blood. It is then duct taped to a piece of foam board or cardboard. The balloon is taped down very tightly so the fake blood is under a lot of pressure. An opening is left in the pouch for the fake blood to escape when the rocket igniter is fired and breaks the balloon. This method works very well. When the balloon breaks a sudden spray of blood shoots outward giving the illusion of a gruesome bullet hit.

Modifying the rocket igniter

The best way to break the water balloon is with an Estes rocket igniter. You can find them in hobby shops. The rocket igniter will need to be slightly modified. The igniter head is very fragile. This can be strengthened by applying hot glue around the wires under the igniter head (as shown in the middle photo). Solder two insulated wires about a foot long to the end of the igniter. The igniter is now ready to be hot glued to the pouch, as shown in the last photo.

Making Fake Blood

I find this recipe very effective. It looks real, does not stain, and is also edible.

4 parts- Clear corn syrup.
2 parts- Chocolate syrup.
1 part – Red food coloring.
1 part – Water
1 drop- Blue food coloring per 59ml (~1/4cup)

For a one-cup batch use a 1oz bottle of red food coloring, 2 tablespoons of water, 4 tablespoons of chocolate syrup, 4 drops of blue food coloring and fill the balance of the cup with corn syrup. Mix well. You may have to play around with the ingredients to get the right blood color. To test it, put a few small drops on a piece of tissue paper. This way it's easier to see if it looks like real blood.

Making the blood pack

STEP 1 Use a large syringe to fill the fake blood into a small red water balloon. Add about 50ml to the balloon. Try to tie it so that the balloon is tight. Do not make it loose, the tighter the better.	STEP 2 Cut a 3" by 3" square out of foam board or Cardboard.	STEP 3 Lay out four 7" duct tape strips sticky side up as shown in the photo. The center hole is where the fake blood will shot out. Make it about 1"x1" or 1.5"x1.5". The bigger the hole the bigger the blast of blood.	STEP 4 Stretch the balloon wall over the square hole. This is important.
STEP 5 Now the foam board is placed on top of the balloon. Press down on the balloon. It is very important to squish it as much as possible, but be carefully not to pop the balloon.	STEP 6 Fold the strips of duct tape over the back of the board. Try to get it as tight as possible.	STEP 7 Turn the pouch upright and add some narrow strips of duct tape around the hole. Press down hard as you tape it around to the back of the pouch. Try to make it as tight as possible.	STEP 8 Now we can hot glue the igniter on to the balloon wall. Be very careful not to puncture the balloon or you'll end up with a face full of fake blood. Yes, it's has happened to me.
STEP 9 Add a lot of hot glue around the wires so that the igniter doesn't move. Check the igniter head for sharp edges. Pick an igniter that is smooth. The balloon wall is stretched to the braking point, so be careful. The igniter should barely touch the balloon.	STEP 10 To secure the pouch to the actors body use a large elastic band. The type used for sweat pants. Sew Velcro to the ends of the elastic band.	STEP 11 Lay out two narrow strips of duct tape. Set the elastic band over them and then put the pouch on top. Wrap the tape around the pouch.	STEP 12 Roll three small strips of tape sticky side out and place them around the hole. This is to keep the shirt from moving and falling out of line of the pre-cut bullet hole that needs to be cut into the shirt.
STEP 13 Use a sharp knife to cut a cross into the shirt where the bullet hit is needed. Make the cross it a little larger than the hole on the pouch.	STEP 14 Tape the cross back together with a very small piece of tape on the inside of the shirt. Do not use too much tape. It should be just enough to hold the hole together.	STEP 15 Strap the pouch to the body, and carefully align the shirt over the hole.	STEP 16 The wire to the igniter can be hidden by going down the pant leg. Use a battery and push button to set off the igniter.

Trial and Error

Example 1

Example 2

Example 3

As with anything you need to practice and experiment to get the proper effect you want. This is a very effective method if it's done right. In example 1 we see two pouches with different size holes. The bigger the hole the bigger the spray of blood. If the hole is smaller the blood will shot out as a stream, as seen in example 3. This may work well for bullets exiting the body. The camera lens also plays a big part. In both examples 1 & 2 the fake blood shot out about the same distance. But in example 2 the camera is farther back and is zoomed in. Zoom lenses can make the shot appear flat and distant. The blood doesn't appear to shoot out as far. In example 3 the camera is very close to the subject with a wide angle lens. This creates a more dramatic look as the fake blood almost reaches the camera lens. So a wide angle lens works best when doing this type of effect.

Well, this concludes the crash course on body bullet hits. If you have any questions you can . If you use this method on your project, please let me know how it worked out. Good luck and have fun.