The first thing I looked for was the load path — how the performer’s weight was actually supported — because that’s where the stunt safety lives. For that hanging sequence in '28 Days Later' they’d use a professional rig: a full-body harness under period clothing, distributed attachment points, a spreader bar to avoid pressure on the neck, and shackles or quick-release carabiners run to a rigging point. There’s no drama about choking; the visual noose is cosmetic and placed over the shoulders or chest, not under the jaw.
Technically, close-ups and long holds are where puppets and prosthetic heads come in. An animatronic or lifeless latex head can be dirtied, cut, and shot from tight angles without medical concern. For mid-shots a stunt performer in harness will be winched just enough to create the suspension look for a few seconds, then lowered immediately. Rigging teams coordinate with camera ops so wires line up with background elements, while smoke, low light, and quick edits mask rig points. It’s a choreography of safety, makeup, and camera
trickery — and every take is timed and monitored, which is why the scene reads as both brutal and believable. I love the blend of engineering and artistry in moments like that.