The unfortunate thing, however, is that making a batch that not only looks good but acts good is a challenge for those of us who aren't pro SFX artists. But RocketJump Film School has put a bunch of fake blood recipes to the test to find out which ones work best for different cinematic needs. So, if you need blood that looks good soaking into a shirt, splattering against the wall, that looks realistic or cartoonish, or won't poison your cast with toxins or mold, RJFS has something that'll work for you. And as an added bonus, they share SFX legend Dick Smith's famous blood recipe that took gore to the next level.
Check out their video below:
You can find the full list of all of the materials RJFS used in the video on their discussion page here (pretty standard stuff, mostly Karo syrup and food coloring), but here's Dick Smith's blood recipe, which he used in films such as Taxi Driver and The Exorcist. Remember though, this concoction is toxic, so avoid getting it in your actors' eyes and mouths.
Dick Smith's Famous Blood Recipe
- 1 qt - clear corn syrup
- 1 tsp - methyl paraben (can be omitted, but the shelf life will decrease)
- 2 oz - powdered red food color
- 5 tsp - powdered yellow food color
- 2 oz - Kodak Photo-Flo (TOXIC)
- 2 oz - Water
Of course, you can always buy fake blood that'll work pretty damn well, but a gallon of ReelBlood is going to run you $120 -- so unless you've got a King's budget for blood alone, you'll have to downgrade your bloodbath to a bit of mildly gory puddle jumping. Besides, it's way more fun (and inexpensive) to mix your own -- and you can adjust your recipe to get the look and texture that you want.
Do you have a killer fake blood recipe that RJFS didn't mention? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: RocketJump Film School
