Let The Right One In:

Blood Effects

For this project, I was tasked to create two blood effects for the stage direction: “… as pores in her face open and tiny pearls of blood appear in dots all over her skin.”

I created a contraption called a blood wig. The actress could squeeze a bottle and send the blood through her wig, dripping down her face. I also co-created a second contraption rigged to the actress’s chest, which she controlled with a separate squeeze bottle. The chest piece was co-created with Jess Fields.

Both of these rigging systems were created with 1/4” vinyl tubing that used a combination of slits and awl-holes with a removable hair dye bottle at the end that the actress used to squeeze the blood out.

Video of the blood effects in use from the final dress rehearsal.

Full body shot of the blood effects in use.*

Full body shot of the blood effects in use.*

Close-up of the blood effects in use.*

Close-up of the blood effects in use.*

*Denotes that this photo was taken by Lynn Willis, courtesy of the Appalachian State Department of Theatre and Dance.

Initial prototypes and the first version of the blood wig.

Initial Prototype.

Initial Prototype.

First blood test.

First blood test.

Full version 1 rigging.

Full version 1 rigging.

Full rigging prepared with water on a styrofoam head.

Full rigging prepared with water on a styrofoam head.

Front view of rigging on the styrofoam head.

Front view of rigging on the styrofoam head.

Rigging setup on actress, Sophie Tucker.

Rigging setup on actress, Sophie Tucker.

Full rigging on the actress, back view.

Full rigging on the actress, back view.

Actress wearing full rigging set up underneath her wig.

Actress wearing full rigging set up underneath her wig.

Water test with the wig on the actress.

Water test with the wig on the actress.

Securing the second version of the tube structure to the wig.

The wig turned inside out and tacked in place.

The wig turned inside out and tacked in place.

The wig secured by tacking, back view.

The wig secured by tacking, back view.

A view of the wig turned right side out with the tubing securely in place.

A view of the wig turned right side out with the tubing securely in place.

Various blood tests in order with a combination of different slit and awl-hole patterns.

Test #1: not enough blood on the center of the face.

Test #1: not enough blood on the center of the face.

Test #2: Great flow, wrong positioning.

Test #2: Great flow, wrong positioning.

Test #3: Very successful test! Unfortunately, it did not hold up at the dress rehearsal later that night.

Test #3: Very successful test! Unfortunately, it did not hold up at the dress rehearsal later that night.

Test #4: Slitting was too large initially so the blood couldn't get past this point.

Test #4: Slitting was too large initially so the blood couldn't get past this point.

Test #5: Slits and awl-holes were facing the wrong direction and were not big enough.

Test #5: Slits and awl-holes were facing the wrong direction and were not big enough.

Test #6: Successful test!

Test #6: Successful test!

Test #7: Final test, using the wig. The final version of the tubing used on stage.

Test #7: Final test, using the wig. The final version of the tubing used on stage.

The Design Team for this Production

  • Jack Thorne

    PLAYWRIGHT

  • Derek Davidson

    DIRECTOR

  • Willow Brookshire

    STAGE MANAGER

  • Ella Drymon

    COSTUME DESIGNER

  • Kristin Grieneisen

    COSTUME SHOP SUPERVISOR

  • Gina Grandi

    PROPS MASTER

  • Lenny Lively (Guest)

    SCENIC DESIGNER

  • John Marty

    LIGHTING DESIGNER

  • George Antczak

    SOUND DESIGNER

  • Gina Grandi

    DRAMATURG