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How To: Make unzipped eyes with makeup

Apply the zipper eye makeup Halloween costume look by gluing real zippers below your eye. This gives a really creepy, skin opening look. Make it more gruesome with fake blood and darker eye makeup. It's originally a MAC makeup look, but many use it for scary costuming or an industrial zombie look.

How To: Make a blood spurting knife wound

It's time for Halloween, maybe it's time for your ultimate independent horror movie you've been dying to make, whatever the case may be, you're going to need some blood, you're going to need some weapons... you're going to need a bloody knife wound.

How To: Make a latex skin over carved foam

Are you in need of some kind of mold or cast for your next feature film, but need to save a few bucks? As an alternative to casting (making a shape from a mold) one can carve foam into a desired shape and then coat the foam with liquid latex. This will not create a perfectly smooth surface, but is much less expensive than casting as it requires fewer steps and less resources. So, with this video tutorial, you can learn what you need to know about making a latex skin over carved form.

How To: Build a breakaway tombstome prop

Are you doing a graveyard shot and decided it would be cool to throw someone through a tombstone? This video tutorial will show you how to make a breakaway tombstone. It can also be used to make a cool fake graveyard. You will need foam insulation, a tape measure, sand paper, a utility knife, a marker, string, and paint. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how make a breakaway tombstone for your next scary movie.

How To: Build a sci-fi cryo containment chamber

Making a prop for a science fiction movie? This how-to video dives step by step guidance on how to build a super cool, futuristic, sci-fi, cryo containment chamber. You will need a cylindrical object, craft foam or sytrofoam, a hot glue gun, plaster of Paris, aquarium line tubing, and paint. Check out this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a great sci-fi like cryogenic containment chamber.

How To: Make a Spiderman gun for Halloween

Modify a hot glue gun and shoot streams of sticky web goo all over your haunted house with the Spiderman gun in this how-to video. Add a little extra something to your Spiderman costume, to impress while trick-or-treating or at a Halloween party. You will need a hot glue gun, an air-compressor, air-compressor tubing, and copper fittings. Watch this video Halloween tutorial and learn how to make a Spiderman gun.

How To: Clean a smoke machine

Smoke machines can add great atmosphere to any occasion. But your smoke machine can get clogged. You need to clean the smoke machine every 6 months. This tutorial teaches you how to clean your smoke machine. Great care must be taken as the smoke or steam is very hot and can burn you in a split second. Watch this how to video and soon you will have a sparkling clean smoke machine.

How To: Make a flying crank ghost on Halloween

Check out this Halloween tutorial video to learn how to make a flying crank ghost. This is essentially like making a big Marionette ghost puppet. All you need is the following easy to find materials: a styrofoam skull, 7 wire coat hangers, black spary paint, pliers, cheese cloth, tacky glue, and laundry detergent. This flying crank ghost promises to be a delightful scare on Halloween trick or treaters!

How To: Choose a prop gun for your indie film

One of the long-standing problems of guerilla and indie filmmakers is the quest for exactly what kind of prop gun to use in their films. To help guide you through this quest, Mat Nastos takes a look at all of the options open to filmmakers, including blank firing guns, Airsoft guns, Japanese Model Guns, Real Action Markers and even firing blank loads with real guns. Check out this instructional prop video to learn how to choose a prop gun that's right for your film.

How To: Make Axel's chakrams for Cosplay

Check out this tutorial video to learn how to make Axel's chakrams for Cosplay. This instructor guides you along every step of the process, even taking you to the store and providing tips on which materials to use. Watch this instructional video that details how to make Axel's chakrams for cosplay, and enhance your role playing.

How To: Make a cardboard sword for Cosplay

Check out this step by step instructional video to learn how to make a Cosplay Sword from cardboard and wood! Make sure you have all of the following materials to start making your Cosplay sword: spray paint, hard cardboard, wooden dowel, bendable metal wire, silver colored tape, embellishment, super glue, hand saw, paper clay, masking tape, scrap papers, pen knife, and a PVC pipe. Watch this Cosplay video and enhance your role playing with this tutorial!

How To: Make prop glass out of sugar

Don't use real glass as a prop and end up cutting or hurting yourself. Prop glass made out of sugar looks just like the real thing, and won't end in a bloody mess. You will need two cups of water, three and a half cups of sugar, one cup white corn syrup, and one fourth teaspoon cream of tartar. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to make prop sugar glass.

How To: Make a Halloween Jason hockey mask

Jason Voorhees might be one of the scariest horror villains, and that's why he would make for a great Halloween costume. For this project, you will need a hockey mask, white spray paint, black spray paint, clear spray paint, an artist's brush, red, black, and brown acrylic paint, sand paper, an X-acto or utility knife, a drill bit, and a black barker. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to make a Jason Voorhees hockey mask for a Halloween costume or movie spoof.

How To: Transform from a female to a male temporarily

Ladies, have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a dude for the day? Maybe as part of a Halloween costume, or even just for fun? No need to get a gender reassignment surgery, take a test drive as a man with the help of a little makeup, ironically enough. You will need eyeliner, makeup powder, and a hat to cover up your hair. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to temporarily change your gender from female to male with a little bit of cosmetic magic.

How To: Make a cheap corpse head prop for Halloween

Dr Kreepy, Halloween crafter, shows how to obtain a rotting head without killing someone! For this project, you will need a skull, paintbrushes, liquid latex, black spray paint, brown paint, and cotton balls. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to make a cheap corpse prop head for Halloween.

How To: Make a Latex Skull Mold to Make a Plaster Skull

Dr Kreepy, Halloween craftsmen, shows a cheap and easy way to make full and partial skulls from Plaster of Paris! For this project, you will need a plastic skull, cheese cloth, a paintbrush, melting latex, anchoring cement, and Plaster of Paris. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to build a latex skull mold to make plaster skulls or skull fragements.

How To: Make cheap prop eyeballs for Halloween

Super cheap eyeballs without breaking the bank! While grapes are the safe standard to spook out trick or treaters, they don't look very realistic. For this project, you will need clear spray paint, white spray paint, black spray paint, blue acrylic paint, black acrylic paint, red acrylic paint, coat hanger or wire, tweezers, an artist's brush, a foam ear plug, a rag, sanding block or sanding paper, and bouncy balls. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to make cheap prop eyebal...

How To: Build cheap prop tombstones for Halloween or effects

Follow along with Dr Kreepy in this quick video tutorial on how to do cheap and easy tombstones for your home haunt. You will need a marker, a hobby knife or X-acto knife, a hacksaw, an electric rotary tool, black acrylic paint, black spray paint, white paint, a spray bottle full of water, a paintbrush, and foam board. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to make a cheap prop tombstone for a Halloween decoration or a film prop.

How To: Enhance videos of a static scene using photographs

This video presents a system for automatically producing a wide variety of video enhancements and visual effects. Unlike traditional visual effects software (e.g., After Effects, Shake, Boujou, etc), the system is completely automatic and no manual labor is required from the user. The major limitation of the work is that it can currently handle only videos of static scenes (i.e., videos shot with a moving camera but containing no moving objects in the scene). Efforts are being made to lift th...

How To: Build a lightsaber prop for film making

Backyard FX shows how to build a real lightsaber. Erik Beck unearths the original lightsaber blueprints from the special effects creator for Star Wars, and show you how to buy parts to a real lightsaber so you can have your own custom Star Wars weapon. In the test film you'll see our rotoscoping technique on how to complete the effect with some simple computer animation. You will need chrome plated slip joints, black vinyl rubber, a nylon slip joint, a rubber slip joint, rubber O rings, and m...

How To: Recreate the Joker's makeup from the Dark Knight movie

This video series demonstrates a take on the screen accurate Joker from "The Dark Knight." The materials and makeup used are all from a company called Mehron, specifically the Extra Flesh that used for the scars, the Liquid Latex, the Spirit Gum, and the Fantasy F/X Tube Makeup. Watch this video special effects tutorial and learn how to do the Joker's makeup from the Batman Dark Knight movie for a Halloween costume or a new life as a sociopath.

How To: Build a prop hover board

Ever since Back to the Future Part Two, every kid has wanted their own hover board. Parker put together this tutorial to show how to get one step closer to the dream, by building a prop hover board. You will need a plastic lid, spray paint, hot glue, a small circuit board, Mod Podge sealant, and an old skateboard. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build hover board prop.

How To: Build a Batman grappling gun prop

No Batman Halloween costume is complete without a grappling gun and hook. Parker put together this video to teach how to make this easy prop. You will need a fake plastic gun, two mini DVDs, cardboard, scissors, miscellaneous hardware, two checkers, duct tape, spray paint, and a hot glue gun. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a Batman-style grappling gun prop.

How To: Build a Ghostbusters proton pack prop

When you need to make a Ghostbusters prop, who are you going to call? Parker! In this video, he shows you how to make a proton pack prop for Halloween, play, or a home movie. You will need a vacuum hose, a small box, miscellaneous plastic parts, a medium circular tin, a big box, a tin can, a water bottle, a coke bottle, a race car trigger, a cookie package, and a pudding container. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a Ghostbusters proton pack.

How To: Build a prop teleportation chamber

Unfortunately, no one seems to have, or willing to share, the science of making a real teleportation chamber. That doesn't mean you can't make a prop one though. Parker put together this video to show us how. You will need foam core poster board, a hot glue gun, duct tape, a pane of glass or plastic, silver spray paint, black paint, and cardboard. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to build a teleportation chamber.

How To: Build a mini machine gun prop

Feeling a bit like Bonnie or Clyde, without the reckless disregard for human life? This mini machine gun is a great prop for Halloween or a homemade action movie. You will need a joystick, pipe, cardboard, a small box, PVC pipe, a cylindrical box, a hot glue gun, a sharp knife, and a stand. Watch this video prop-making tutorial and learn how to make a mini machine gun.

How To: Make fake blood

Scare the crap out of people this Halloween by sporting some very realistic fake blood. This recipe also makes for a nice and cheap movie prop. You will need 20 oz. of light corn syrup, red, blue, and yellow food coloring, cough syrup, and chicken livers. Watch this video prop making tutorial and learn how make fake blood.

How To: Build a green screen

This instructional special effects video uses fast-forward action to quickly display how to construct a green screen from scratch in an empty room. Watch this video if you are a visual learner or someone who learns by observing others in action as a team builds a green screen set.

How To: Make squibs to strike the walls

Watch this instructional special effects video on how to make a squib to simulate fired bullets striking a wall. This squib making process will not work for contact on people. Follow the step by step procedure by watching this instructional video to produce realistic special effects for your film.

How To: Simulate a gun shot wound special effect

Watch this short tutorial on how to make a realistic bullet hit to simulate an actor getting shot by a gun. Materials needed include a pressure sprayer, clear tubing that will fit on to the hose of the pressure sprayer, a small Translucent PVC elbow, fake blood, duct tape, a funnel, a shirt you don't mind damaging.