Experiment for Blood Hand print shot -Kate

For one of our shots we are using a blood hand print as a focus point - the viewer shall see the main character Oliver walking into the school from a long shot the camera shall pull in on the hand print to create a focus point to give the audience the idea that something bad has recently happened in the school and that Oliver is in danger. 

Although using shop brought fake blood would be easier- we agreed that it looks faker than something we could make. 

I researched on youtube for fake blood and blood hand prints and came across some videos that helped :

-This video showed that to create an effective hand print you need to pull your hand away from the paper slowly - I kept this in mind while creating my own.

Here is the Video I used.













To Create my Fake Blood I used: 
-Plain Flour : 4-8 Tablespoons 
-1 1/2 teaspoon of  RED Food Coloring
- 1 small cup of water 
- Instant Coffee.
- Bowl for the blood 
-Bowl for the coffee
-teaspoons and tablespoons for the ingrediants 
-I also used a liquid syringe to apply the water in SMALL doses.
(the Instant Coffee is used to tone down the red to make it the blood a  natural  and believable colour. )  


1. The first mixture I made was too bright red and too watery 

This created a weak hand print - not what we are hoping to use. 

2. I then added more coffee and flour to the mixture making it thicker and darker - this time the mixture was exactly the right colour and texture we are looking for.

3. Applying the mixture to my hand with a cotton bud it creates equal coverage and insures it gets into the natural creases of the skin. 
-I experimented with how much" blood" I use and the best effect was when i used allot all over my hand and in between fingers also.

4. The next part of the experiment was to see if it sticks to glass.

- This mixture did stick to the glass - However it does run , but this does not matter as we want it took look authentic and that it happened fast. 
- The mixture up against a window. A problem i have now realised on a close up of the hand print is that you can see the flour prints  and the mixture still looks very pink . When we come to creating the real hand print we will need to make sure that it looks real.



- First paper hand print - Not enough flour and also too pink. 
















-Second hand better mixture and colour ! . 
added more flour and coffee.

third - Same as second but pressed hand down lighter with the same amount of mixture - this has given a greater effect !,.

Over all I believe that this method is the best for our fil, - To recreate this effect again we need to use lots of flour and coffee

< Here is an example where the a bloody hand print has been used to great effect "Shaun of the Dead" - Comedy / Horror film

> Here s the video Link.