In regards to "PLEASE HELP"...

[jtefx]

ORIGINAL MESSAGE:
Hey everyone... I'm trying to create a special effect for a live-action show/play where someone gets their arm sawed off with a chainsaw and blood is squirting and gushing out. The scene is somewhat similar to something you would see out of the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Does anyone have any ideas? I was thinking about maybe using an arm that has a piece which easily collapses and falls to the ground. And then from the part thats left hanging, have it look stringy with tubing and a pump hidden and attatched to the actor to opporate. Keep in mind this is a live stunt in front of an audience. When the arm gets sawed off, we want the squirting/gushing action to be strong enough to splatter on a wall a short distance away. Any ideas? We want the cut to happen around the mid-section of the arm. We plan on using a real gas-powered chainsaw but without the blaid/chain. The actor does have to act in the scene and will not be stationary. The actor will definitly be moving around.


Does anyone ere have any suggestions as to how I can make the seperating arm?

[darrigaz]

The reason no one has replied to this is because it sound not only spectacularly hard but also stupidly dangerous. This is for a play ? What the hell have you written ? Do you want your audience to pass out ?

Obviously use a prosthetic arm, make one or buy one from a costume shop im sure it's possible. The arm wont move if it's gotta be detatched though so it might look a bit odd.
Maybe use a quick off stage break to attach the arm ? or make sure the arm is facing away from the audience so they dont notice the stiff arm and have him turn to them for the part where it's cut off.

You'll need some sort of compressed air system if you want blood to squirt that forcefully and that's getting into stuff i have no idea about.

[Epsilon]

Find an amputee.