Creating Special Effects for TV and Video, 3rd Edition

Gunge and Custard Pies

 

Materials used in messy scenes are invariably water-based. This makes cleaning easier and is less likely to prove objectionable to performers. The main problems arise from the use of colouring matters and dyes which in most cases are designed for their permanence.

Some of the most useful substances for gungey mixtures are the thickening agents used by the food industry. They bulk out most water-based concoctions and are generally harmless to people and props. Other materials can be used to thicken water, but these rely on their ability to soak it up, so adding bulk. Sawdust, flour and Fuller’s Earth can be used for this purpose.

Oil and tar

A passable imitation of these can be made up from an intense black dye manufactured ...