...for a movie I'm making.

The problem is, I don't think I would be able to just smash the actor's head in without telling them I'm going to. They have a couple laws about that, unfortunately.

Anyone on here theatre savvy? I've already googled some info, but would like to have a direct conversation with someone whom knows how to pull this off.

Camera angles?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kI_ukqMO3lk

Is it important that you actually see the axe hitting their skull? If not, you can simply make the impact occur off camera, or make good use of editing.

It's not esential, but I would prefer to have it done on camera.

I figure if I can't find a way to do it, I'll do something similiar to what happened in the recent episode of The Walking Dead.

All movie fights are accomplished by using camera angles to disguise the fact that no punches actually land on the actor's faces. Sure, some movies are more real about this, but those are the exception.

Thing is, if you have to see it hitting the person, then that will have to be done with an edit. Long/Medium shot from an angle showing the swing (that misses but the camera does not see that) and then another Medium/Close shot of a mannequin head (or whatever) actually being hit.

Could always pray there is a video version of 'photoshop' and make proper edits to de' recordings of ya "hitting" said person and make it look more realistic.

Do you have to actually show the axe hitting their head?

Just before you actually hit the screen could cut black and transition into the next part of the film if possible.

It probably would only fit for certain genres, but one possibility is to show a shadow silhouette of it happening.

Make-up...in between the swing and the aftermath slip in a few frames of the axe hitting something made to look like the actor's head (from rear is easiest). Substitute an appropriate melon for the actor's...well...melon.

Unless its done for action purposes, like in the walking dead, it doesnt make sense to show someones head getting smashed in on camera.

if you're aiming for something much more dramatic, and suspenseful, i'd build whatever tension you're doing with a series of close ups. Have a medium shot of the person swinging. If you really want to show the impact, do an over the shoulder shot of the victim with the focus on the killer.

You could then go wide and show the aftermath and super impose the caved head in via Adobe after effects or Auto desk flame if you wanted to.

The best violence is the one we create in our heads. When it is shown to us in graphic detail, it's just gore for gore's sake. An example of this is "The Untouchables" where they would focus in on the brain matter on the walls after a gun fight. Totally unnecessary to the scene.

You could foreseeably do the shot from behind the person's head, with the back of his head in the foreground and the person swinging the axe in the background (facing the camera). This would allow you to create a mannequin or other type of double that wouldn't require nearly as much work to make look convincing (you only need convincing skin, hair and ears) since you wouldn't need to create an entire face.

You could pass off doing this angle as "artsy," but as others have said, you can easily film the scene in a way where you don't need to show it. Quentin Tarantino is one of those directors who loves showing everything in great detail, and many people film in similar ways because they aspire to be able to direct like him.

All of these are good suggestions, and I think I'm warming up to the idea of not showing the actual smashing. I remember the end to the first season of Game of Thrones was extremely dramatic, and can see how "that" scene could have been less dramatic if they showed his head falling off.

Maybe I'll have a really quick half second shot of the victim's legs spassaming before a blackout.

You should do it so that right when you're about to axe them in the head the camera turns to the wall where you at least see the shadow of it happening or see blood splattering on the wall.

If there is a wall included in the scene.

Make sure they're homeless so no one will notice their disappearance.

You could use a prop axe so the person doesn't actually die.

cornstarch and red dye make good enough blood and chunks. for the head i recomend getting some styrofoam and gluing it into a cube, then cutting it into the shape of a head. hollow it out and fill it with the fake blood corn starch.

If they still sell those foam Nerf axes you could get one of those and hit him in the head with that. They don't hurt and you'd get the hitting shot.

Point to Mirglof over Vault Ninja...definitely superior to hit a nerf head with a real axe than a real head with a nerf axe.