The color of 'blood' in HD?

I haven't noticed this in the movies, but on TV its a standards and practices thing. Even on shows like the Walking Dead, which has about 10 bullet hits to the head per episode, networks seem nervous about red blood, and ask it to be colortimed darker. Aparently, it looks less violent if it is less red.

So, recaping what we know about American television:
Exploding heads: Good
Red blood: bad
Nipples: bad

American television executives are goofy.

yup, takes away from the 'real' aspect of it for people and makes it seem more like TV sci-fi/fantasy...some people are squeamish and don't want the violence on TV to hit too close to home so they need to make it look less 'real'

I'll be honest... I kind of appreciate it... because I don't like the sight of blood. I can condition myself to the unreality of most TV... but it certainly helps when the color is off.

Now... what I really wish they would do is apply that same rule to the news shows that unfortunately show the proper color!

Ok, I'm joking... but not. I would learn to deal with TV... and am not looking to encourage "censorship" but at the same time, I do not like the sight of blood, even though I like some movies that seem to feature a lot of it.

I never did watch ER, though, because of the hospital scenes. I manage through a show like House by looking away a lot when they are jabbing people with stuff and it's worth it for the rest of the show.

I'm going to be honest with you guys. I think it's kind of retarded to be perfectly OK watching things like bullet hits shattering heads into tiny fragments, hands shoved into garbage disposals, victims being autopsied on crime labs, TV shows about serial killers, and TV shows about sexual predators/killers, all the while being squemish about the color of blood.

If you you have desensitized yourself into thinking these other things are acceptable entertainment on television (I personally don't find them entertaining), why not go all-in? Why let a little red turn your stomach? Maybe the color red is natures way of telling you that those things aren't good, and you shouldn't be finding them entertaining. Just sayin...

The phrase 'don't want the violence of TV to hit too close to home' is just sad. It should hit close to home. It's supposed to remind you that violence isn't good or acceptable.

Two really good posts in this thread, vfxproducer. Nice work.

I can't speak for everyone... only me... though I think your comparison of mentally challenged people is not appropriate...

but to the point of your post...

We watch TV to be entertained. If that entertainment makes us sick, then we wouldn't watch.

I think it is a fair question to ask why do we want violence without blood, when a lot of violence results in blood... but I think it is also ok for consumers to ask for less detail in their F/X.

The original Halloween featured very little blood... and is largely recognized as a good thriller/horror movie... Later movies that showed more gore actually had less story/plot and arguably are not as good.

I like the Romero Zombie movies... but less for the gore and more for the message/plot.

I would never mandate a color change for blood... but sometimes I find myself glad as it allows me to watch more of the movie.

I also happen to not like needles and knives... and wish they wouldn't show people getting shots in shows... the story would be just as well served by knowing the person was going to get a shot, without actually simulating the needle going in.

Honestly, truly red blood really isn't realistic, especially for a stomach wound, which actually bleeds close to black.

To be accurate in many of the shooting, stabbing and other mayhem scenes, it should be more of a rust color, not bright red. For the most part, it's mostly wounds to the extremities that bleed red since they're away from other organs and tissues that can pollute the blood as it exits the body. In the case of head wounds, a smack to the head with an object should result in reasonably red blood while a wound that opens the skull (like a bullet wound) should be much darker.

I actually find those 70's movies somewhat laughable when they show bright red blood. It looks terrible.

If you want to see red blood, go watch some UFC fights. There's always someone bleeding.

I had a personal bet that it would be four posts before the PC police came out. Surprised it took only one.

Sorry... but it isn't PC if you have known people with disabilities... it's one thing to joke and pick, especially if you know them... but to use language to describe them AND use that same language to insult others... well, that's what is wrong.

When you do that, you are equating a person with that diagnosis to a person you find dumb or somehow less of a person... and while you might feel justified in insulting that person, I doubt you would openly mean to also be insulting towards the challenged person.. and yet that is what the use of the language does.

These PC arguments are always the same. Very tiresome. But you are missing the point. I'm not comparing somebody with a weird idea to a mentally challenged person. I'm saying, flat out, that in my opinion, people who are OK with graphic violence and find it entertaining, but are just bothered by the color do have a mental disability. I personally consider that a sickness, to be looking for a way to make graphic violence more palatable for your entertainment pleasure. I think its symptomatic of what's wrong with our society, when we start worrying about the color and not be concerned with the action portrayed. But that's just my opinion. We'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

Or wrestling matches with Ric Flair.

I think NetworkTV nailed this anyway... blood in movies is a lot like guns and fistfights in movies.

When you see/hear an actual fight or gun in real life, it is usually not as impressive as they make it out to be in a movie or TV show... same with the blood... a lot of times they have to go overboard to make it look "real" even though it really doesn't look like it really would in real life.