Blood On Location

Written by Shiva Rodriguez


I am every home-owner's worst nightmare. They see me pull up in their driveway with a trunk full of nasty-looking props, spraying devices, big machinery pieces, and big bottles full of very red stage blood and they start to panic. They just know that I'm the one who is going to wreck complete havoc on their beautiful home... the one that they so generously volunteered for a film production to use.

They're in for a very pleasant surprise.

I'm very aware of how most stage bloods are a real pain in the arse to clean up. I try very hard to know exactly what to prepare for when I walk onto a set. I want to know what kind of textured walls (and ceilings) I'm dealing with, if there is upholstered furniture I should know about, and what kind of flooring is underfoot. If I have all this information beforehand, I can mix up some formulas for blood that is least likely to pose any staining problems.

Of course, I'm not always granted this luxury. So I take precautions by using detergent-based and water-soluble blood concoctions.

I'm also always armed with enough plastic sheeting to suffocate the entire crew six times over and a myriad of cleaning supplies. As soon as the director yells "Cut!" on a freshly blood-spattered set and then nods to me to re-set, the next thing you hear is my voice yelling "All hands on deck!" to put the clean-up crew into action. I often joke that my team could pass a Luminol inspection.

I was taught at an early age that if you're going to make a mess, you should always leave the area cleaner than it was when you found it. Those childhood lessons have really served me in my work with bloody effects...especially since I'm the one that nervous home-owners are keeping a very close eye on!