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A bullet hit squib or a blood squib is a pyrotechnic special effect device used in the film industry and theatre productions to simulate a bullet impacting an object or on actors. The bullet squib device comprises a squib (a small, firecracker-like explosive), an electric match, a small pack of simulant (most commonly fake blood), a protective plate and some padding attached to the costume of an actor. The blood squib device is then connected to a battery, a wired/wireless remote, which can be triggered by the actor or a crew member, creating the visual effect of a gunshot wound.

Bullet hit squib preparation

To achieve the practical special effect, a special effects technician builds "blood squib" or "blood pack" devices for the required scene and its dress rehearsal, while a costumer prepares several identical outfits in advance, typically at least three depending on the budget and sometimes it can be as many as six sets. These clothing with bullet holes worn by such actors are called "dead character" costumes. The time taken, personnel costs and materials for resets can therefore be costly for independent/low budget filmmakers.

Blood squib device

To build the blood squib device, a small balloon, packet or condom is filled with a desired simulant, which is coupled to the squib and a concave-shaped metal protective plate roughly the size of a coin and padding. Simulants such as fake blood, dust, down feathers (for the desired stylistic gunshot effect on a down jacket as the outfit worn by the actor), water (for rehearsals), glycerine (for night time shoots) are employed.

The squib itself is typically 0.5–1.0 grain of a flat disc-shaped encapsulated explosives (by comparison, a party popper is ~0.25 grain), suitable for approximately 10–30 ml (0.3–1.0 fl. oz.) of fake blood, simulating an entry or an exit wound respectively. The bottom half of the blood packet is aligned to the squib so that ideally, a puff of red mist bursts out, followed by a stream of fake blood flowing out completely upon activation.

Dead character costumes

Dead-character costumes are stage clothes worn by actors whose characters are killed off in movies or theatre productions, in this case, they are used for bullet hit squib stunts. Typically, multiple duplicates are prepared for the planned number of takes, whereby bullet holes are first created and squib devices are attached to the clothing beneath the fabric.

Bullet holes on the clothing's fabric are first made by cutting, sanding, scoring, grating or plunging a scoring tool. In most cases, they are used once per take. Some types of clothing can however be reused more than one take by wiping off the fake blood on a waterproof jacket or parka, using dry simulants like dust, or down feathers on a down jacket, and/or using non-staining simulants like a water-filled "rehearsal pack" instead of the blood mixture for dress rehearsals.

Activation of squibs on set

Once the squib devices are taped or sewn to the costume, they are connected to a power source (e.g. battery) and sometimes also via a programmable controller to sync with multiple squibs. This can be placed in the clothing or off camera. Blood packs can be triggered with a wired or wireless remote by a crew member off camera or by the actor him/herself. A wireless solution would enable the actor to walk around and the electronics would therefore be self-contained. A wired, but much simpler solution would be done with wires hidden within the costumes, running down the pants leg to the crew off camera, for example. When the trigger button is pressed, the squib propels the fake blood or other simulants away from the actor and rips open the weakened area of the clothing fabric, creating the effect. The actor then jolts his/her body to portray the impact of being hit by bullets, which is further enhanced with post-production sound effects. The actor should also avoid looking directly at the squibs and keep their arms away. Only a properly manufactured, securely attached and adequately padded blood pack is safe for the actor. After the take, bullet holes may be enhanced or touched up for the subsequent scene. The actor should remain still until the special effects technician confirms all squibs have been set off and declared safe (and for the costumers to photograph the 'aftermath' for continuity). Technicians may fire the sequence again to set off any untriggered squibs in multiple bullet sequences. Once safe, blood packs and/or the costume may be removed by the wardrobe department for retake, redressing or cleaning up.

Alternative practical blood squib devices

Low- or no-budget filmmakers also achieve the practical effect using the same setup, but without squibs. A fishing line is tied to a washer that is superglued onto the blood pack. The fishing line is then fed through the pre-cut hole on the costume fabric. The effect is triggered by a crew member off camera pulling on the fishing line. A rocket igniter or an electric match could also be used instead. These methods largely reproduces the same effect of a stream of blood flowing out, but without the initial puff propelled by the squib.

Alternate, more advanced methods have also been developed in recent years, primarily by means of pneumatics (compressed gas). These devices are safer for the actor and do not require specialised pyrotechnicians, which also reduce cost. While they are reusable, they are bulkier and heavier, and is not preferred for multiple bullet hits, as well as being more difficult to control, less consistent and less reliable. Pneumatic alternates may still be referred to as "squibs", even though they do not use explosive substances.

The pneumatic-based devices were originally developed from garden sprayers and then further refined. The resulting look is less convincing as a jet of blood sprays out instead of a 'burst'. Tubing was also difficult to conceal, as it is generally quite rigid.

Miscellaneous

The record for the most squibs ever set off on a person is held by Mike Daugherty in 2005, on whom 157 out of 160 squibs successfully detonated.

References

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• Pyrotechnics
• Special effects
• Stagecraft