research into fake blood

I have chosen to research fake blood, which will be extremely important within our opening title sequence as the first shot alone will be of a woman being brutally killed. 

The video I watched showed numerous ways to make fake blood as well as how to make different consistencies. I really liked this video as the creator used ingredients that people tend to have at home, and her instructions were also very clear.

Ingredients 

For thick blood:

- Maple syrup (alternatives: corn syrup/golden syrup)

- Water

- Red and blue food colouring

- Gelatin powder

For stage blood:

- Icing sugar (powdered sugar)

- Water

- Red, green and blue food colouring

* Optional cocoa powder

Thick blood

The first step to making the thicker blood is to pour a cup of maple syrup into a bowl, then you must put half a cup of water in the mixture, the ratio of water to syrup is 1:2, so depending on how much fake blood you want to make, this ratio is important. Once you've stirred your syrup and water together you're ready to add the red food colouring, two teaspoons is recommended although it is a personal preference and obviously depends on the quantity you're making. Be careful when adding the blue food colouring, if you add too much it can go purple! So, you need to add about a quarter or half of a teaspoon to the mixture and then stir it. Next, to make the texture thick and blood like we need to add two teaspoons of gelatin powder and then stir until it is dissolved. Finally, to activate the gelatin we need to put the mixture in the microwave for around 10 seconds, if it is not microwaved it will set at a jelly-like consistency.

Stage blood

First of all, you need to add two cups of icing sugar to a container (that you can put a lid on and it won't spill!) then add a cup of water and shake the mixture until both ingredients have combined together. Next, add around 1.5 teaspoons of red food colouring, the amount of food colouring very much depends on personal preference as well as the quantity you're making. Then add a drop (a quarter (or less) of a tea spoon) of blue and green food colouring to the mixture to make the colour deeper. The final step of making the blood is optional, and that would be to add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, this gives it more of an opaque look and makes it look more blood-like than red water! Finally, give the mixture a good shake and then its ready to use.

Fake blood will be crucial within our opening scene, and the consistency and colour of it also play a major role in making our opening scene appear more realistic. Despite the ease of making fake blood, an easier alternative would be to buy it pre-made blood, which can be bought for around £1.99! Or for 0.5 litres it will be £16.