Making the Bad Blood & Mall Maze trailer videos:

During the making of the video trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze, I got to make fake blood again.
Something I always loved to do during many Halloweens past.
Great fun.

There are various recipes for making fake blood, using water, flour, corn syrup, chocolate syrup, etc …
Through trial and error … a lot of trial and error … I eventually settled on clear liquid hand soap and food dye.
It’s easier and faster.
The soap already has a thick consistency, with an effect that mimics the slow flow, ooze and drip of real blood.

To make the fake blood, I filled a jar with soap, added red food dye, then green food dye to darken it.
Apply the green dye one drop at a time as you continue to mix.
If you add too much green, the solution turns brown and you have to dump it out and start over.
It’s that simple.
 
Choose the recipe that works best for you.
If you’re going to use my method – remember that it's soap.

Be cautious how you use it.
One advantage is that soap and food dye doesn’t permanently stain clothes.
I patch-tested a white washcloth and it cleaned no problem.
The disadvantage is that it’s SOAP.
Patch-test to make sure it doesn’t irritate your skin.
Get any in your eyes – it’ll sting.
Swallow any – it’ll make you sick.
Be mindful and careful.

Remember the pros and cons.

Pros ... it's soap.

Cons ... it's SOAP!
 
For the Bad Blood trailer, in reference to one of the key chapters in that novel, I repurposed the machete from my collection of gardening tools and two precision craft knives from my art tools I use for miniature model making.
In the future, I will be making videos using miniature models.
 
To make the fake blood flow down the blade, I used an applicator bottle with the narrow funnel.

You can control the flow better, with less mess and waste.

I draped one of my plain black T-shirts over the front of the sink.

The black fabric absorbs light and prevents reflection when filming metal surfaces.

My wife exclaimed: “What the …?!” when she walked into the bathroom and saw I’d used the fake blood to make a bloody handprint and put some nice smears around the inside of the tub.

Another advantage of using soap … it rinses away no problem.

For part of the Mall Maze trailer, again in reference to part of that novel, I filled my left driving glove with fake blood and let it ooze out through the seams for the effect of a wounded hand.

Using the same method of preventing reflection, with black curtains around the camera lens, I made another short film of the jar I’ll be using in a future video.

I'll be using the same blanketing method when filming and photographing a glass tank, for mixing inks and paints in water.

Below are the trailers for Bad Blood and Mall Maze:

Finally, here’s my assistant, Bodhi, our crazy Ragdoll cat:

Home security:

Recent prowling incidents prompted us to enhance our home security system.

Our home alarm was triggered in the early hours of the morning on two separate occasions.

At other times, vehicles and people, who don’t belong in the neighborhood, were sighted in the area.

Police and neighbors were informed.
 
Incidents of prowling, stalking, and possible intimidation and harassment should never be ignored.
 
We installed security cameras.

Recording video and audio around our grounds, and inside our home, with night vision, and motion detection.

All doors.

All windows.

All rooms.

Including our garage, where some people might think they can’t be seen or heard.

All activity is logged.
 
To some, this may seem like over-reaction, but I’ve had past experience.

When I was fifteen, my home was burgled during the early hours.

My dog had been killed a couple of weeks previous to the break-in.

Someone had thrown poisoned meat into the yard.

It can be an early warning signal that your home has been targeted if someone murders your guard dog.

During the break-in, I woke to sounds below.

I got up to investigate, but the thieves heard my movements.

They escaped.

The cops were called.

The crime became a statistic.

The money and goods they stole were eventually replaced.

But the incident haunted me ever since.

These crimes start with prowlers.

Stalkers.

Opportunistic thieves who case a property.

They assess their options, and the risks, as they plan.

I’ve described the experience in part of a forthcoming book.
 
I’m reminded of the characters, Mikey Platt and the O’Sullivan brothers, in The Breaker.

I remember their real-life counterparts, how they inspired me to give them fictional echoes in my book.
 
My research, over decades, gave me an insight into the selfish mindsets and toxic personality disorders of those who indulge in harmful, criminal behavior.
 
To those of this ilk, I say this:
 
You have a choice.

Why do this?

Instead of creeping about, with the intention of stealing, cheating, or hurting others …

Dedicate your time to something positive.

Consider someone else’s wants and needs, instead of just your own.

Help others.

Volunteer.

Find someone to love and share your life with.

Make some friends.

Real friends that don’t have a personality disorder and won’t land you in trouble.

Learn something productive and beneficial.

Better yourself.

Be creative instead of destructive.

Make a positive difference in the world.

Make life better for someone else.

Be known and remembered as a good, decent human being … not a miserable, selfish, wretched loser.

In short … get a life.

 
I believe in home security and deterrence.

I believe in insurance.

It gives us peace of mind.

Just in case.
 
Visits to our home are by invitation only.

If you haven’t been invited, you have no business being here.

It’s that simple.
 
Intruders will be prosecuted.
 
If you play stupid games, expect to win stupid prizes.
 

You have been warned.