If you are the least bit squeamish, best avoid this diehard team as they work — and play — to create gruesome, yet realistic, film effects for the upcoming Salt Lake Community College student film, “CheckNOW.”
For part of the summer Film Bootcamp course, this film crew’s urgent mission is to discover the ultimate special effects for a pending class shoot — where execution is serious science as the pressure mounts.
“We have a scene where one of the characters gets his fingers cut off — slammed in a door. It’s an interior shot where blood is shooting from the stumps,” says assistant art director and prop master Randy Harward, who says they worked late the night before to perfect the blood splatter effects.
For this scene, students go through a trial and error process with a bike pump to achieve the desired effect.
“We need to build more pressure. It’s gotta go bl-urp,” says art director Michael Allen, as a blood-red liquid spray gets all over his hand and dyes it crimson.
“Drill one hole out the side so it goes gr-gr-gr,” says production designer Ian Anderson.
“I wish we had a centimeter bigger tube so we could have more of an arterial spray. We can test out this one, though,” says Allen.
“Yeah, I think we’re golden,” says Harward.
“Good one, Randy, the bike pump is where it’s at,” says Allen, as they pump the liquid through the tube.
The crew is always thinking about they will need for the next scene.
“A lot of things we came up with on our own,” says Allen.
Later, in post-production, students will edit in pre-programmed digital effects, which will enhance the live effects to top off the visual impact.
A lot of SLCC film students enjoy learning the craft and being a part of Bootcamp’s ultimate filmmaking experience.
“Where else can you hang out with buddies and have such a good time?” says film professor Mark Davis.
Although the class is an elective for the program, registration fills up quickly and hosts a perpetual waiting list.
Each year the Bootcamp films are included in a free fall screening at Brewies, and also entered into the SLCCSA Film Festival in spring.
