RESEARCH: HOW TO SHOOT A GUNSHOT AND WOUND

For my second part in my individual research for my opening sequence, I have decided to research further specifically how to make it successfully look as though someone has been shot. This regards the very opening scene, whereby the audience are hit with an instant death to one of the ‘hunted’, as the character is shot. Specifically, I believe this skill will enable my sequence to instantly engage audiences and also acts to quickly let audiences develop the sense of horror and gore.  

This research will include how one successfully uses the camera, prosthetics and fake blood to suggest a gun shot and wound. Firstly, I needed to establish with my production group what is the intention behind the opening shot scene, whether that be to sadden, shock or engage audiences. Collectively, we decided that the audience needs to be both shocked and engaged after seeing the gun shot and death afterwards and therefore to successfully achieve these desired effects, the sequence needs to be as realistic and gory as possible.

This research will include how one successfully uses the camera, prosthetics and fake blood to suggest a gun shot and wound. Firstly, I needed to establish with my production group what is the intention behind the opening shot scene, whether that be to sadden, shock or engage audiences. Collectively, we decided that the audience needs to be both shocked and engaged after seeing the gun shot and death afterwards and therefore to successfully achieve these desired effects, the sequence needs to be as realistic and gory as possible.  

When researching into this technique, I used a variety of YouTube videos in order to understand visibly and see the effect of exactly how to pull of a gun shot wound:

Firstly, the equipment's needed to make an actual timed gunshot wound include:  

         . Small fireworks  

• . Model rocket igniters  

• . Number 14 electrical wires  

• . 9-volt battery  

• . Metal plate  

• . Duct tape  

• . Condoms/water balloons  

• . Fake blood  

Step 1) To cut a small hole in the fire work and push the model rocket igniters inside 

Step2) take two pieces of number 14 electrical wires and attach them to the igniter  

  

Step 3) Take condom or water balloons and fill with fake blood  

Step 4) cut a small hole in shirt or top (wherever you want the actor to get shot)  

Step 5) tape the condom, with the firework underneath, onto the metal plate using duct tape  

Step 6) put shirt back on and line up the hole  

Step 7) attach the electrical wire with the 9-bolt battery 

This specific type of film gunshot ‘wound’ is made using an electrical squib and is often referred in the script as a “bullet hit”. When researching, I found some tips that could offer a more realistic performance when the bullet hits; when the electric squib goes off, the actors sometimes feel a small pressure which would alternatively activate an activated response which they would then use to create a much more compelling reaction to the ‘gunshot’. In order to achieve an exit wound ‘splatter’ effect, then it is advised to position the squib under the blood bag to allow the blood bag to splatter outwards. Likewise, if the desired effect was to be slower and to have the blood bleed through the fabric and almost ‘ooze’ out, then the squib would be positioned over the blood bag.  

This is something that myself and my production group would have to consider when deducing the overall ‘desired’ effect of the gunshot wound, whether that be a splattered effect or to slowly drip out. Personally, I feel as though the effect right at the beginning with the gunshot is intended to shock audiences and therefore a splatter effect would be more visually pleasing and could emphasize the ‘shock factor’ desired.  

 Another way in which a gunshot could be activated is through using modified paint ball guns; the pellets are filled with dolomite and a chip of zirconium in order to achieve the spark that an actual bullet would give off. This way is another consideration that myself and my production group can discuss when deciding on alternate ways to suggest a real wound and gunshot. However, I feel as though the initial technique written above would be much more effective in demonstrating the actual gunshot wound rather than just the bullet side of things as we do not need to fire actual bullets, but instead suggest a wound and the blood.