Born on this day – Victor Rietti:

Victor Rietti

Director

Writer

Actor

February 29, 1888 – December 3, 1963

Credits:

Shipmates o' Mine (2022); Harry's Girls (1963); Come Fly with Me (1963); The Saint (1962); Village of Daughters (1962); Joseph and His Brethren (1961); Danger Man (1961); Uncle Martino (1960); Man from Interpol (1960); ITV Television Playhouse (1960); BBC Sunday-Night Theatre (1952–1959); Armchair Theatre (1958); Dick and the Duchess (1958); Your Past Is Showing (1957); The Story of Esther Costello (1957); The Jack Benny Program (1957); Encounter (1957); As I Was Saying (1955); The Bob Hope Show (1954); Kraft Theatre (1953); The Prodigal Son (1953); The Plate on the Wall (1952); The Little World of Don Camillo (1952); To Live in Peace (1951); Mr. H.C. Andersen (1950); The Glass Mountain (1949); A Man About the House (1947); Sinfonia fatale (1947); Give Us the Moon (1944); Hotel Reserve (1944); Yellow Canary (1943); The Peterville Diamond (1943); Thunder Rock (1942); Room for Two (1940); 21 Days Together (1940); The Viper (1938); The Divorce of Lady X (1938); Take It from Me (1937); Who's Your Lady Friend? (1937); Girl in the Street (1937); Show Flat (1936); Hideout in the Alps (1936); Juggernaut (1936); Where There's a Will (1936); Jack of All Trades (1936); Two Hearts in Harmony (1935); The Ghost Goes West (1935); Man of the Moment (1935); Jimmy Boy (1935); Escape Me Never (1935); Oh, Daddy! (1935); Power (1934); The Song You Gave Me (1934); The Charming Deceiver (1933); Bitter Sweet (1933).

Born on this day – Alice Davenport:

Alice Davenport

Actress

February 29, 1864 – June 24, 1936

Credits:

The Dude Wrangler (1930); Legend of Hollywood (1924); Unmarried Wives (1924); Monkeying Around (1923); The Show (1922); Oh, Mabel Behave (1922); Fool Days (1921); The Hayseed (1921); Skirts (1921); The Sleep of Cyma Roget (1920); His Private Wife (1920); Her Private Husband (1920); How Dry I Am (1919); Her First Kiss (1919); Spotlight Sadie (1919); Rip & Stitch: Tailors (1919); Tony America (1918); Her Blighted Love (1918); His Nimble Twist (1918); A Coward's Courage (1918); Little Red Decides (1918); His Double Life (1918); His Hidden Shame (1918); An Ice Man's Bride (1917); His Social Rise (1917); A Maiden's Trust (1917); Secrets of a Beauty Parlor (1917); Pinched in the Finish (1917); Luke Wins Ye Ladye Faire (1917); His Last Scent (1916); Pills of Peril (1916); Counting Out the Count (1916); The Snow Cure (1916); Ramona (1916); A Love Riot (1916); The Egyptian Mummy (1916); Fido's Fate (1916); Perils of the Park (1916); Because He Loved Her (1916); The Worst of Friends (1916); Fatty and the Broadway Stars (1915); Stolen Magic (1915); His Father's Footsteps (1915); My Valet (1915); Dirty Work in a Laundry (1915); Mabel Lost and Won (1915); Mabel's Wilful Way (1915); Wished on Mabel (1915); Ambrose's Fury (1915); That Little Band of Gold (1915); From Patches to Plenty (1915); Mabel and Fatty's Married Life (1915); A Bird's a Bird (1915); The Home Breakers (1915); Mabel, Fatty and the Law (1915); Fatty and Mabel at the San Diego Exposition (1915); Mabel and Fatty's Wash Day (1915); Rum and Wall Paper (1915); Hushing the Scandal (1915); His Second Childhood (1914); Wild West Love (1914); Fatty's Magic Pants (1914); The Plumber (1914); Among the Mourners (1914); The Sea Nymphs (1914); Fatty's Wine Party (1914); Tillie's Punctured Romance (1914); His Talented Wife (1914); Cursed by His Beauty (1914); Gentlemen of Nerve (1914); The Love Thief (1914); Hello, Mabel (1914); He Loved the Ladies (1914); Those Country Kids (1914); The Property Man (1914); Mabel's New Job (1914); Love and Bullets (1914); Mabel's Married Life (1914); The Water Dog (1914); Caught in the Rain (1914); Caught in a Cabaret (1914); Mabel at the Wheel (1914); The Passing of Izzy (1914); Fatal High C (1914); The Star Boarder (1914); Against Heavy Odds (1914); Tango Tangle (1914); A False Beauty (1914); Love and Gasoline (1914); Mabel's Strange Predicament (1914); Making a Living (1914); Won in a Closet (1914); The Under-Sheriff (1914); A Hornet's Nest (1913); Schnitz the Tailor (1913); Mother's Boy (1913); When Dreams Come True (1913); Mabel's Dramatic Career (1913); The Firebugs (1913); The Riot (1913); Cohen's Outing (1913); Just Kids (1913); A Noise from the Deep (1913); Love and Rubbish (1913); The Telltale Light (1913); The Tale of a Black Eye (1913); The Hansom Driver (1913); Passions, He Had Three (1913); Toplitsky and Company (1913); The Water Nymph (1912); Just Brown's Luck (1913); The Mistaken Masher (1913); For Lizzie's Sake (1913); A Double Wedding (1913); Mabel's Stratagem (1912); Hoffmeyer's Legacy (1912); The Drummer's Vacation (1912); Pat's Day Off (1912); Brown's Seance (1912); Mabel's Lovers (1912); At It Again (1912); Ambitious Butler (1912); Stolen Glory (1912); The Leading Man (1912); The Love Trail (1912); The Baron (1911); Got a Match? (1912); A Near-Tragedy (1912); Lily's Lovers (1912); Pants and Pansies (1912); The Engagement Ring (1912); The Best Man Wins (1911).

Born on this day – Gioachino Rossini:

Gioachino Rossini

Composer

February 29, 1792 – November 13, 1868

J. K. Rowling, on writing:

I'm a writer, and I will write what I want to write.

- J. K. Rowling.

Born on this day – Piper Laurie:

Piper Laurie

Actress

January 22, 1932 – October 14, 2023

Credits:

Around the Sun (2022–2023); Carcerem (2020); White Boy Rick (2018); MacGyver (2018); Snapshots (2018); Bad Blood (2012); Another Harvest Moon (2010); Hesher (2010); Saving Grace B. Jones (2009); Hounddog (2007); Property (2006); The Dead Girl (2006); Cold Case (2005); Dead Like Me (2004); Eulogy (2004); State of Grace (2002); Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2001); The Last Brickmaker in America (2001); Midwives (2001); Possessed (2000); Will & Grace (2000); Partners (1999); The Mao Game (1999); Inherit the Wind (1999); Frasier (1994–1999); Brother's Keeper (1999); Palmer's Pick-Up (1999); The Faculty (1998); St. Patrick's Day (1997); A Christmas Memory (1997); Touched by an Angel (1997); Intensity (1997); Alone (1997); Wolf Pack (1996); Diagnosis Murder (1996); ER (1995–1996); In the Blink of an Eye (1996); The Road to Galveston (1996); The Grass Harp (1995); The Crossing Guard (1995); Fighting for My Daughter (1995); Shadows of Desire (1994); Traps (1994); Wrestling Ernest Hemingway (1993); Love, Lies & Lullabies (1993); Trauma (1993); Rich in Love (1992); Storyville (1992); Other People's Money (1991); Twin Peaks (1989–1991); Rising Son (1990); Twin Peaks (1989); Dream a Little Dream (1989); Beauty and the Beast (1989); Mother, Mother (1989); Go Toward the Light (1988); Tiger Warsaw (1988); Distortions (1988); Appointment with Death (1988); Promise (1986); Matlock (1986); Children of a Lesser God (1986); The Twilight Zone (1985–1986); Toughlove (1985); Love, Mary (1985); Tender Is the Night (1985); Return to Oz (1985); Murder, She Wrote (1985); Hotel (1985); St. Elsewhere (1983); The Thorn Birds (1983); Mae West (1982); Macbeth (1981); The Bunker (1981); Skag (1980); Tim (1979); Rainbow (1978); The Boss' Son (1978); In the Matter of Karen Ann Quinlan (1977); Ruby (1977); The Woman Rebel (1976); ; Carrie (1976); The Long Hunt of April Savage (1966); Breaking Point (1964); The Eleventh Hour (1964); Ben Casey (1963); Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre (1963); Kraft Theatre (1960–1963); Naked City (1963); Westinghouse Presents: Come Again to Carthage (1961); General Electric Theater (1956–1961); The Hustler (1961); Play of the Week (1960); Goodyear Theatre (1960); Winterset (1959); Westinghouse Desilu Playhouse (1959); The Eighty Yard Run (1957–1958); The Seven Lively Arts (1957); Studio One (1957); Until They Sail (1957); The Ninth Day (1956); Kelly and Me (1956); Front Row Center (1956); Robert Montgomery Presents (1955); Ain't Misbehavin' (1955); The Best of Broadway (1955); Smoke Signal (1955); Dawn at Socorro (1954); Johnny Dark (1954); Dangerous Mission (1954); The Golden Blade (1953); The Mississippi Gambler (1953); Son of Ali Baba (1952); Has Anybody Seen My Gal (1952); No Room for the Groom (1952); The Prince Who Was a Thief (1951); Francis Goes to the Races (1951); The Milkman (1950); Louisa (1950).

“Gaslighting” is Merriam-Webster's choice for Word of the Year 2022:

“Gaslighting” is Merriam-Webster's choice for Word of the Year 2022:
 
Read the article:
 

Gaslighting: How to Recognize it and What to Say When it Happens

 
By Dr. Gabriela Sadurní Rodríguez
 

Gaslighting: How to Recognize it and What to Say When it Happens (thepsychologygroup.com)

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: