I Need Some Assistance Please!!!!!!!

[thecrazydraven]

Dudes im working on a project for a class of mine and i need some info. I choose the topic of zombie deaths or mainly the zombie head explosions and i cant find much on it. The expert i have looked at is Gregory Nicotero but there is little info on him. So if anybdy can help me out it would be awesome

[chewy]

What is the class, and what specifically do you need to know?

[thecrazydraven]

It's an english class and I need to know how they make the heads explode specifically but any history on the subject would also be usefull. And I need some info n Gregory Nicotero. So if you know of any sites or something that would awesome and duely appreciated

[Chuck Norris]

If you're interested in "Zombie head explosions" in terms of special effects and how they're done I would say maybe look at getting one of these videos http://www.costumesandprops.com/how-to_instructional_videos.htm

Or maybe one of the Savini's Grand illusion books http://frightcatalog.resultspage.com/halloween/Tom%20Savini Greg Nicotero is a one of the Best but I'm not sure what so you need to know about him? His bio is on Imdb...have you tried looking there?

If you're inquiring for hypothetical/semi psychopathic reason look around I'm sure you'll find something regarding the zombie head and it's destruction. Have you tried searching "head explosion" in this forum?

[thecrazydraven]

allright I've looked at both the sites mentioned and neither is really giving me waht I need. I'm not trying to be an ass but this aint as easy as I thought. I need readable info on zombie stuff and mainly head explosions. For my project I plan on wiring up a buddy of mine and making it look like I've blown his head off any ideas? As for Gregory Nicotero I need yeah a bio but alsoo insight on how he does it. So basically anything on zombie creation

[Rocque]

Try Monstrous.com, Im not sure if they have it but they have alot of things on zombies

[MaxVeers]

As in, the special effect?

In Land of the Dead, many were plaster-cast heads, like mannequin heads, and the backs blew out from an airpump inside.

[Chuck Norris]

I don't mean to discourage you but you do realize it's unlikely you'll get the kinda of results your looking for the first time you try a special effects stunt. Nicotero has had a lot of practice. It's conceded to think you could just pull off an effect as well as someone who's made this their lives work. Not that you shouldn't try, just don't freak out if you get less than professional results.

Blowing up a Zombies head will most likely involve casting and fabricating a head. Then once the head is finished(bladders filled with blood, wired with explosives) you'll have to match the zombie heads environment to that of the actor playing the role of the zombie (leading up to the head explosion) At this point (also depending on your results) you may want to shoot it with a tight shot (so when you edit it later you won't see what's supporting the exploding head....stump....table......pole)or maybe use a blue screen (allowing you to key in your background later).
It's actually too bad you didn't chose an easier Zombie effect like when someone gets ripped in two. All you need is a shovel, stuffing (too fill the legs/lower body) condoms filled with peanut butter (intestines) and some fake blood. A couple zombie actors and you're in business

If you are still really hung up on Nicotero and the way he does things, maybe try to find a zombie DVD with his commentary. Sometimes they'll give you a run down on how they did the stunts. Other than that, play safe. Zombie head explosions are cool but their not worth losing an eye.

Also I ran into Pericles Lewnes (director of "Redneck Zombies") at some other zombie site. He said anyone could PM him with effects questions. Maybe your project would benefit from some professional advice here's a link to that site/conversation were he offers to give fx advice.http://www.dropdeadproductions.com/forums/showthread.php?t=577&page=3

[thecrazydraven]

Thanks Chuck for all the help and don't worry bro I know it won't take one day to become an expert I just need something solid to present to my class and freak the hell out of them. But dude whats this on the ripping apart being easier? due tell!! I'm always in the mood for a side experiment of my own and freaking people out is a hobby of mine.

[Chuck Norris]

You basically film the zombies converging on some poor bastard. They force him onto the ground (then Cut). You dig a hole at the location (easier to achieve outdoors obviously) then you bury the actor either from the waist down or up to the neck. Once you have your actor buried you reconstruct the body. You can be as elaborate or as low tech as you'd like. I recommend buying huge amounts of condoms to make intestines. It's so easy you just fill the condoms with peanut butter and corn syrup (with red food colouring in it for blood) then you tie the condoms together. At this point you may want to check with the zombie mob for food allergies/what they're willing to eat. So now you reconstruct the neck, torso,hips and legs all stuffed into the costume of the actor (may want to fill some bladders with blood or have the guy who's playing "the meal" could engage the blood effects .....water pistol ....whatever you want to use) creating a sort of facade body. Then you shoot the zombies ripping the actors body apart. Once you have the ripping off of the limbs you can shoot individual zombies eating their fresh meat (as zombies tend to do) It's always great if you can find mannequin parts and shoot them from farther away (zombies tend to steal a chunk of meat and leave the group to eat it so it makes sense that if a zombie ripped off a whole arm he might book it away from the group to avoid sharing)but all the close up shots of eating should be of zombies eating those intestines or any other fake (edible) organs. The picture below although on a bed(not on the ground outside) you can see how the actor could be concealed under the bed (probably a table with a hole in it with white sheets draped over)to create the illusion that she's just been ripped apart. What makes this effect creepy is the fact that the human victim can twitch and spaz out while bleeding to death whereas a prop/prosthetic would be still unless you spend big money)
http://www.lightanddark.net/images/Lycanthrope2.jpg

[Captain Colostomy]

Get the Troma and loyd kauffman special effects books, all you need to know about making convincing head explosions. Also, watch the dawn of the dead 04 special features.

[Elijah The G Hunter]

If you have the Latest Dawn of the Dead, they have a special feature about the anatomy of Head Explosions.

[BarnabusBlackoak]

http://www.lightanddark.net/images/Lycanthrope2.jpg

what film is that from?

[Chuck Norris]

I'm not sure. I Google imaged 'body ripped in half'(or something) and that turned up. I tried to find it (to answer you're question) but I couldn't find the image.

[Cornflakes]

that is a class pic