Hi there,

 does anyone have any ideas how i can create a 'cut throat' effect on some one.

thankyou

I hope I can remember all of this.  I was at a class at this year's USITT conference taught by members of the theatre department at the University of Alabama.  They showed it on a wrist, but I am sure it would work on a neck. 

To begin with, put red makeup on the neck where you want the cut to go.  Then cover it with nose putty (I am 99% sure it was putty, but may have been wax, sorry no handouts on this one).  You then use makeup to blend the putty into the skin.  The putty on the neck should not be too thick.  The instructors from Alabama used a real knife that was ground down to blunt to make the cut.  I am still not sure I would attempt that, but it worked for them.  When you draw the knife along the putty, it opens up and the red makeup shows through.  It is a really good effect, and is very realistic.

The other way I have seen this done is with a special fake knife which has a place to hold fake blood. As the actor draws the knife across the persons neck the he squeezes the handle which causes the blood to come out through a tube along the blade.

As the early posted suggested I would recommend using a real knife no matter how dull your have it. A plastic blade painted right should be pretty convincing.

Dan