How do movies typically do corpses, with real people or manikins?

How do movies typically do corpses, with real people or manikins? - Silhouette of Man and Woman Kissing during Sunset

What is the usual practice for displaying random corpses in movies (not corpses of principal characters)? Is the usual practice to use extras made up to look like corpses or is it possible to buy or rent extremely life-like (or dead-like) manikins?

For example, early in the movie "Sicario" there is a scene in which the FBI opens up the walls of a house and finds dozens of corpses in plastic bags in the walls. Would those be real people or manikins?



Best Answer

Corpses can be presented in movies in multiple different ways:

  1. There can be corpses acted by real people, but these are usually when there is a close-up of the face, or the body isn't injured or maimed anywhere, even if they are bloody makeup can be used.

  2. Like you said, manikins, but these would probably only be used if the corpses are out of sight, or extremely far away so avid viewers wouldn't notice.

  3. The last way would be to use CGI. This can be used to create a 3D picture of a corpse, sometimes with the distinct or even accurate facial features of the actor or person portraying the dead person. See below for an example from Sicario. This method would probably be used for high-budget movies and films where they cannot get actors to portray corpses in difficult positions.

Example from Sicario.

Of course, most films produce outstandingly good visual effects using the combination of the methods above and more.




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Do they use real people for dead bodies on TV?

The Screen Actors Guild doesn't keep figures on corpse roles, but currently, seven of the top 10 most-watched TV dramas use corpse actors, including CBS's "CSI," "NCIS" and spinoff "NCIS: Los Angeles." The new ABC series "Body of Proof" revolve1s around a brilliant neurosurgeon turned medical examiner who solves ...

Do people play dead bodies in movies?

Naturally, actors whose characters die have to go limp and convince us they are lifeless. At other times, prosthetic bodies can be used in place of real people, depending upon how ravaged their body is. The trick is to make sure that the real actors look dead, especially during long takes.

How are morgue scenes filmed?

Actors call it "corpse duty", and many of the shots that you see are actors in makeup with various molds to mimic things like the "Y" incision of an autopsy, and bullet holes, cuts, etc. The rest is done with makeup and makeup effects, depending on how they "died", how long ago they passed, etc.



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