Bullet hit squib

A bullet hit squib or a blood squib is a practical, pyrotechnic special effect device used to simulate the appearance of a person being shot and wounded in films, TV shows and theatre performances. This is achieved by detonating a small explosive hidden in the actor's clothing, bursting open a packet of fake blood and a pre-scored hole to create an aesthetic that filmmakers and audiences alike have become accustomed to associating with a gunshot wound.

The device comprises a squib (a small, tablet-shaped, firecracker-like explosive) with an integrated igniter or glow wire, a pack of simulant (often fake blood), a protective shield and padding attached to the actor's costume. It is connected to a battery and a remote, allowing the squib to be triggered by the actor or a crew member.

The effect is usually carried out with clothing instead of on bare skin in order to conceal the device. While the portrayal is not necessarily accurate and is exaggerated compared to real life (in the main figure, bullet holes are blown outwards and blood projects through the entire jacket), it is nevertheless a useful tool to illustrate the demise of a character.

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