What do ‘CSI’ and zombie movies have in common? Not much, unless you work at VCU

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What is it about this time of year that evokes terror? Is it the chill in the air as night falls? Or the bare tree branches reaching down like long, bony fingers? The crunch of leaves underfoot?

Whatever the cause, by mid-autumn, many people are in the mood for a little good, old-fashioned horror.

Virginia Commonwealth University aims to appease those horror fans this week with “When Does Hollywood Cross the Line? The Reality of Blood Spatter,” a presentation blending forensic science and theater.

“Blood Spatter,” the first in the VCU School of the Arts seminar series “Unexpected Connections,” takes place Friday, Oct. 24, from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. at The Depot.

Marilyn Miller, Ed.D., associate professor of forensic science in the College of Humanities and Sciences, will teach the audience how to analyze blood spatter patterns to determine the cause of an injury, while Theatre VCU instructor Maura Cravey will address how makeup is used in stage and film — particularly to create horror “victims” — and how makeup artists strive for reality.

Horror makeup is one of Cravey’s favorites because “it is the most fun to do and the results are always creepy,” she said. However, she hopes the audience “will understand the difference between what they see in the movies and the horror of reality. Film generally enhances or goes overboard when it comes to gore and blood effects. And sometimes reality is much more horrific than any film.”  

Cravey will apply makeup and prosthetic appliances to a “victim” during Miller’s presentation. A question-and-answer session will follow, as well as an analysis of some of the best-known horror scenes from movies and TV.

“I want the audience to see that there are lots of connections between science and art,” Miller said, “and to look for them even in some ‘strange places.’”

Recognizing those connections is the goal of the “Unexpected Connections” series, the brainchild of a team from this year’s VCU Leadership Development Program. Part of the Grace E. Harris Leadership Institute, the 10-month program enhances the knowledge, skills and experience of VCU leaders by having participants work in teams to fill a need of the university. The GEHLI group, Team Mosaic, concentrated on Quest for Distinction themes of creative expression, innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration when considering a project for its client, the School of the Arts.

“We knew we wanted a way to bring people together and although we had many ideas, the one that fit Quest so well involved exposing more people to art by pairing up ‘traditional’ art and ‘non-art’ disciplines,” said team member Alison Jones, senior vice president for health sciences at VCU. “We wanted to create a method for faculty, staff and students to display existing efforts, while also fostering new connections. A lecture series that allowed for interactive discourse just felt right.”

Moreover, the group decided to create activities that could be held at The Depot, a new facility designed  to foster multidisciplinary collaborations. Members came up with melding forensic science and theater after discussing the fascination surrounding “CSI” programs. They then reached out to the respective departments, which led them to Miller and Cravey.

“That’s all it took to start the ball rolling,” Jones said.

A second lecture in the series is planned for April, when professors from the Department of Craft / Material Studies in the School of the Arts and the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the School of Engineering will demonstrate how pain can be shown in a 3-D print. Jones says that the response they have received from simply sending out a few emails and making some calls about “Blood Spatter” shows there is a demand for a series such as “Unexpected Connections.”

But while “Blood Spatter” has generated a lot of interest, Miller warns it is not for the faint of heart.

“We are applying what we do routinely to some special situations [and] hoping for the best,” she said. “Sometimes forensic science needs to be ‘bloody.’ I don't want to gross people out, but it may happen. We will see.”

 

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