ENDA Episode 151 → The time when ENDA volunteers as a tribute for the Hunger Games (Part 5)

In a previous episode, we hinted that blood would play an important narrative role in the shot.

You probably imagined something dramatic: blood spilling from the mouth, dripping from the eyes, maybe even a full-on spectacle. But here's the truth:

VFX doesn’t need to be spectacular to be effective.

In this case, we chose a subtle approach: small traces of blood on President Snow’s shirt collar.

And the key question is: Why?

Why go for such minimalism? Why not pour more blood in to show how “hard” we worked on the shot?

Because it's not about showing off, it’s about serving the story.

If we had gone for a more graphic approach, we’d be breaking the logic of the scene. This is a public appearance, a formal event. The character is the President of Panem, hence he can’t show weakness, not in front of allies or enemies. Even if he’s being slowly poisoned, he would do everything in his power (or rely on his staff) to mask it.

So, blood from the mouth? Eyes? That would contradict both the acting and the tone of the scene.

Instead, those small blood stains say a lot:

🩸 The poison’s effects linger. He still coughs, occasionally, uncontrollably.

🩸 He uses a handkerchief when he can, but in surprise fits, he covers his mouth with his collar.

🩸 The small bloodstains on his shirt can be dismissed as a wine spill from a waiter or a clumsy guest.

With this, we respect the tone, preserve the performance, and reinforce the story; all while keeping our VFX seamless.

But now, you might be wondering…

How does it all look when everything comes together?

Well, that’s for another episode.

The journey continues…