The Gunshot or How To Die In Film With Your Pants Off!

“I don’t want it to look like ALIENS” director Erik Pagan told special effects wizardess Melissa. He was referring to the spurt of blood that was supposed to shoot forth from my chest when I’m blasted at close range by a hand gun. I can’t give the story away, but Matt Servitto and I play opposite each other as two bad cops (or maybe we’re two good cops with issues!). You will soon be able to decide for yourself when short film FAITH is released to a waiting public. Servitto, as many already know, is actor extraordinaire and SOPRANOS regular. “Maybe we should try 150 pumps this time”, Pagan added. Servitto resisted the urge to make a lewd comment, but his raised eyebrow screamed it all from behind his iphone session of WordWarp. He showed me the game which became an obsession for both of us between takes over the course of this shoot.

I was rigged with thick plastic tubing, a blood squib that was supposed to fire on cue powered by high pressure air. Larger budgets would use some form of powder explosive device triggered electronically. This “economical” version proves just as effective, but with less control over the end effect. I was fascinated how it all worked.

The tube is sealed on one end with a small hole drilled into the side, like a flute. It’s then strategically placed over my shoulder and adhered to my chest with gaffer’s tape. This required I shave what little chest hair I have, both to allow the tape to properly stick and to avoid violent pain when the procedure was done and the tape is ripped away. The tape stayed in place, but there was pain.

Filled with fake blood, a nasty sticky fluid, the tube’s drilled hole is packed with shredded foam wadding. The open end of the tube is attached to a trigger activated valve that, when released, blasts high pressure air from the pump. This forces the blood and wadding to shoot out of the hole which is carefully lined up underneath a scored slit in a shirt. The spewing blood looks like a bullet has entered the site. In theory it should all work perfectly, but practical reality is rather tricky.

Now add context of the scene where my character must take in what’s in front of him, turn around, and upon turning react to being shot. Easier said than done. The EFX operator must blow the trigger at precisely the right moment in the staged action. If the director were to call “Bang” (instructing the effect to fire), I may instinctively react to his command too early before the actual blast. I would need to react once the squib blew, not from a verbal cue. We rehearsed the action for the operator and so I could react to the squib. The first take just farted out some of the wadding that looked more like I snorted from my nose (No comment Servitto!) Not the desired effect.

An added complication is that although wardrobe had multiple copies of my shirt and white undershirt, I only had one suit to wear. We still had scenes to shoot that took place chronologically before this moment. The suit had to stay clean and blood would no doubt dribble down below my shirt. As the camera would only see me from above my belt line, I shot the scene without my pants!

For the second try director Pagan wanted a good spurt, but not too much blood. Everything was set, we took our places, “ACTION” was called. I took in the scene in front of me, my back to the camera. The EFX operator was hiding behind a dresser to my left, the blood filled tube leading to my body like a backed up colostomy bag. I turned towards the camera then with a pop the squib fired and I jerked back. I felt a wet spray. “CUT” came the call from the other room “That looked great!”.

A moment later I felt this cold fluid dripping from chest onto my stomach, soaking my briefs then flowing down my leg. As one might have done in real life I looked down to see blood oozing from me. I look up and across the wall are the splattered drops of more blood, looking like a real murder scene! Cameraman Rolf Dekens, sporting a huge grin, has blood splattered on his forehead, cheek, and down his neck. “Oh Man! You really got it” I pointed out, “You want to get a cloth?” But, I think he loved this new battle scar which he wore proudly for the rest of the evening! We shot a couple more takes, trying to perfect the effect, which entailed quite a clean up job and re-setting of all the elements. Playback in the monitor looked very real, so hopefully when all together it will have the impact intended.