Dead-character costume

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Stage clothes worn by actors who portray characters who have been fatally wounded in movies, TV shows, or theatre productions are consumables called "dead-character costumes".^[1] These costumes often include special effect elements such as blood squibs or prosthetics to simulate bullet impacts or stab injuries. Despite the character being "killed" only once on-screen, multiple identical costumes are typically prepared for repeated takes to ensure consistency across multiple shots, as the irreversible damage caused by squibs or blood effects limit their reusability. After their use, they are placed on the "dead-character rack" for eventual disposal, unlike other clothing articles that may return to the costume shop. These costumes serve as a metaphorical canvas to portray injury and death without the need for digital post-production effects.

Costume selection should consider script requirements, possibility for modification, aesthetics, and budget. If fake blood is used, the outfit's colour should be bright or have sufficient set lighting to show bloodstains.^[2] Typically, 3^[3]-6^[4] identical stunt pieces are modified for the planned takes, rehearsals, backups and tests, and one hero piece without modifications is used for close-ups and prior scenes. Sufficient duplicates ensure smooth execution.