We are Designers of All Things Halloween!
Now that we’ve had a chance to catch our breath from the madness that was this past Halloween season, we want to thank everyone for all the support shown to YCHH!
This year was one of our busiest years and we want to thank everyone who booked us for haunts, props, and consulting. Thanks to everyone who visited and liked our page, and though we may be quiet for a while know that we are already starting to prepare for an even bigger and better Halloween season next year.
Stay scary my friends!
With 16 days left to go til Halloween, some people are still scrambling for costume and decoration ideas. Here are 6 tips for getting into the Halloween spirit without breaking your budget:
Tip #1
The first tip comes from blogger Kendal Perez of HassleFreeSavings.com: Off-price retailers like T.J. Maxx, Ross, or Marshalls present spooky decor in the housewares section. You can even find costume accessories and trick-or-treat bags from these retailers.
Tip #2
If you want to decorate on the cheap, there’s no better place to shop than the Dollar Store. In addition to skeleton cutouts and pumpkin lanterns, you can stock up on Halloween decorations and toys for parties and goody bags.
Tip #3
DIY decorating: If you want some great ideas on Halloween decor look no further than the collecting website Pinterest. There you can get ideas on inexpensive and creative decorations along with instructions on how to create them.
Tip #4
To save on costumes explore your own closet, basement, or attic. You can re-purpose existing clothing and accessorize with inexpensive extras like costume jewelry, masks, and/or makeup.
Tip #5
Reuse or swap costumes. Try consignment shops for gently used children or adult costumes. You may even be able to exchange your old costume from last year for credit towards your new purchase. Think about swapping with friends or family for no-cost costume options.
Tip #6
Wait until the last minute to pick up Halloween candy. Though the best prices can be found after the 31st, some supermarkets start marking down candy a few days before Halloween to clear out inventory; sometimes it pays to procrastinate.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
Looks like the haunted industry is not only scaring up big fans, but big profits as well! In this great story from Martha C. White, NBC News contributor (http://nbcnews.to/GDaM9L), she takes a look at the profits the haunt industry is generating and how this once season holiday has turned into a year round money making machine.
Enjoy!
What used to be a one-day kids’ holiday of candy and homemade costumes has morphed into a seasonlong commercial juggernaut that has growing numbers of adults forking over cash to get scared out of their wits.
Haunted houses, once a homespun hobby for dedicated horror fans that netted maybe a few million dollars a year in sales, has mushroomed into a $300 million industry. Today, there are around 2,500 haunted attractions worldwide, most in the United States, said Patrick Konopelski, president and owner of Shocktoberfest in Sinking Spring, Pa., and president of the Haunted Attraction Association.
“It’s a legitimate industry now,” he said. “Now we’re a season.”
Indeed, Americans plan to spend nearly $7 billion on Halloween this fall. And about 20 percent of the 158 million consumers who plan to celebrate Halloween say they will visit haunted attractions this year, according to the National Retail Federation’s annual Halloween survey.
Chances are they’ll be leaving the kiddies behind. In tandem with the rest of Halloween, haunted houses have grown bigger and more elaborate. Hollywood-style production ramps up the fear factor, and attractions are combining haunted houses with more grown-up activities like rock concerts, mud runs, paintball battles — even a strictly adults-only underwear haunted house tour.
“In the beginning, people would joke about spaghetti for brains and grapes for eyeballs,” said haunted house producer Steve Kopelman. “Now you have animatronics [and] dramatic advances in technology … so you get the realism you couldn’t have until the last decade.”
Kopelman estimated that a big haunted attraction can earn $2 million or $3 million a season. Even smaller ones can make upwards of $50,000.
“Haunted houses seem like the holiday brought to life,” said Joseph Szemiot, a 37-year-old New Jersey resident who said he has traveled as far as Massachusetts to visit a haunted house. “As Halloween becomes more popular and more commercialized, I guess it paid off for them to make the haunted houses better and better.”
The haunted house is “a completely different animal than it used to be,” said Chris Stafford, co-owner of 1331 Entertainment Group, a brand that runs haunted houses in Denver, San Antonio and Phoenix, and just opened a fourth in McAllen, Texas. “It’s a form of live entertainment the same way a play is. The production value is high and the entertainment value is high.”
That’s largely because many movie special effects professionals who lost their jobs to the growing use of computer-generated images have found work at haunted attractions, Kopelman said.
“We create Hollywood-style sets, our makeup crew is all professional makeup artists,” said Michael Jubie, who owns Headless Horseman Hayrides & Haunted Houses in Ulster Park, N.Y., with his wife, Nancy. “We have seen a steady increase,” he said. “People that enjoy the Halloween season and the fall season will come out for that entertainment …. Here, they’re part of the movie.”
On the opening night of the Headless Horseman, crowds lined up outside the gates and milled around a cluster of outdoor Halloween-themed gift shops. Visitors posed for pictures in front of the park’s signature ghoul, some startled when the animatronics kicked on and the horse reared as its rider brandished his head.
Repeat visitors Gary Call and Joe Deitrich, both 27, were heckling a friend for “screaming like a little girl” last year.
“How’s it feel to be 30 and scared?” Deitrich asked.
Konopelski said eliciting that reaction is trickier with an older customer base.
“It’s harder and harder to scare mature adults,” he pointed out. Tackling this challenge led him to come up with one of the more chilling — not to mention chilly — tweaks to standard haunted-house fare.
Inspired by the Discovery Channel show “Naked and Afraid,” Shocktoberfest started selling tickets to an adults-only “Naked and Scared Challenge.”
Since launching the website a few weeks ago, “We’ve been inundated with inquiries” and sold upwards of 100 tickets already, Konopelski said. Visitors keep their shoes on, but strip down to their undies for the roughly 15-minute tour. (Originally, the plan was to let visitors go through the tour naked, but local officials shot that down.)
Image from Haunted Attraction in Hamden Connecticut.
Most haunted houses aren’t asking guests to disrobe, but they are going out of their way to add more bells and whistles.
“Within the last three years, they’ve become aggressive. They’ve become an extreme sport,” said Timothy Haskell, creative director and co-owner of Nightmare, a New York City haunted house. “They’re all mirroring our culture in the same exact way. We all want extreme everything.”
Today’s haunted houses are really more like compounds: Many have multiple sets along with outdoor elements like forests, corn mazes and hayrides. For people who want to break out in a real sweat rather than just a cold one, the opportunities to battle zombies with paintball guns or elude them in obstacle races are proliferating nearly as fast as the mud run fad itself.
Musician and horror moviemaker Rob Zombie is spearheading a mashup of haunted house and rock concert called Great American Nightmare that opens Oct. 10 on the site where the Los Angeles County Fair is held. Lighting and sound alone cost $100,000, Kopelman said.
Haskell estimated he spends between $100,000 and $200,000 every year overhauling his Nightmare attraction. The investment has paid off, especially in an urban setting where space is at a premium.
Adding more gore and ghouls also gives haunted house owners the opportunity to raise ticket prices. “If you’re trying to get a higher ticket price, you have to give the general public more,” Kopelman said. “Initially, a haunted house that was 10 minutes long was just fine.” But visitors today view a haunted house as an evening’s entertainment.
“It’s a social night out,” said Samantha Steinhilber, 23, who came out to the opening night of Headless Horseman with a group including her mom and grandmother. She said she would probably visit another haunted house this fall with friends or family. “I love the whole horror and Halloween type thing,” she said.
Industrywide, ticket prices range from around $15 to $40, depending on the market, Kopelman said. Most of the bigger haunted houses now have a higher-priced “fast lane” option that shortens waiting time, and some have rolled out even more expensive VIP packages that offer shorter waits, private tours and other perks.
“It seems like the price has gone up, but they are giving you more for your money,” said Szemiot, of New Jersey, who estimated that he spends a few hundred dollars a year on haunted house tickets. “This is what I wait for all year long.”
Connecticut is known for having some of the scariest haunted places in the Northeast and in this on-going series we will take you behind the scenes of a few of them.
First up in our series is the Undercliff Sanatorium in Meriden. Read more about this creepy mental hospital in an article by Ray Bendici from damnedct.com website.
The Damned Story: What is it with the state of Connecticut and creepy old mental hospitals? At the base of South Mountain, near Hubbard Park in Meriden sits the abandoned Undercliff Sanatorium, a former state health facility that was closed decades ago but that some claim is still in use—by the ghosts of former patients.
According to the Connecticut State Library, Undercliff was originally opened in 1910 as the Meriden Sanatorium and in 1918, became the first facility in the nation dedicated exclusively to treating children afflicted with tuberculosis. The name was changed to Undercliff Sanatorium in the early 1920s, and about two decades later, it began to accept adult patients. In 1954, the tuberculosis patients were transferred to other state facilities, with many children going to Seaside Sanatorium in Waterford. Two years later, the property became part of the state Department of Mental Health and was rechristened Undercliff Hospital; more buildings were added to the main hospital, including residences for staff, and soon thereafter, it started accepting patients with mental diseases from around the region. Undercliff served in this capacity until 1976, when on May 28, the last patient was discharged and the staff was transferred to other facilities across Connecticut. It has essentially remained empty since, although a few buildings on the property are used by various state agencies, including the Department of Developmental Services.
Like many mental health facilities, even though many people were treated well and cured here, there are still dark stories attached to the property, including tales of abuse and horror, although no actual evidence of any such activity has ever been uncovered. Considering that Undercliff served for decades as a refuge for those afflicted with turberculosis and other serious diseases, no doubt that more than a few people have died on the property.
Consequently, there have been numerous reports of hauntings here. Some allege to have heard the voices of children, both laughing and crying, while others have claimed to have seen the shadows and spirit of children in the windows of the now-empty buildings. Those who have ventured inside the buildings have supposedly heard the footsteps of patients running from orderlies as well as the screams of the mentally ill undergoing treatment.
A few purported sightings involve the ghost of one patient who was supposedly attacked and murdered by fellow residents (again, unsubstantiated); the story goes that you can see the phantom of the lost soul wandering the grounds at night. EVPs and other otherworldly manifestations have also been reported to have been captured by those investigating the facility.
As it is state property, it is off limits to the general public, although that doesn’t prevent adventurers from trying to investigate the place on their own. Numerous pictures and videos of Undercliff taken by amateur explorers and the curious can be found across the internet. In July 2010, three local teenagers (and aspiring ghosthunters) made headlines when one of them was injured after jumping from a cliff near the property while being chased by police for trespassing.
Further adding to the creepy mystique of Undercliff is that it’s rumored to be tied to notorious serial killer Hadden Clark. In April 2000, Clark, who evidently had lived in Meriden with his grandfather back in the late 1970s and early 80s, was taken from his prison in Maryland and brought by authorities to Connecticut to show them where he had possibly buried one of his victims, but no body was ever found. Although never stated officially exactly where the search was made, it’s been speculated to have been on the grounds of Undercliff.
Which totally makes sense. Where else would a cross-dressing cannibal psychopath bury the remains of his victims then in the shadow of an abandoned and supposedly haunted insane asylum?
Our Damned Experience: We have never been to Undercliff, and unless we get some sort of immunity or the state opens the grounds to visitors, we’re not going any time soon.
If You Go: You can’t.
Undercliff Sanatorium is located on Undercliff Road in Meriden. Again, like many abandoned former state facilities, it is closed to the public. No trespassing signs are posted all over the property, tall fences surround many of the buildings and the grounds are patrolled by security and police regularly. Those caught trespassing will be arrested and fined.
– See more at: http://www.damnedct.com/undercliff-sanatorium-meriden/#sthash.bdYGs6tW.dpuf
So it seems we are finally making the transition from summer to fall, can you feel it?
The cool nights and mornings, the chill that is in the air, can you feel it?
The days are getting shorter, and night falls a lot quicker now, can you feel it?
Do you see the displays, the costumes, the candy, it all seems to start earlier and earlier, can you feel it?
Did you see that shadow move in the far corner of your yard, did you hear that noise in the other room, can you feel it?
49 more days til Halloween!
Continuing with our lead up to Halloween here is another article from insidethemagic.net’s Ricky Brigante which talks about the full reveal of Universal Studio’s Halloween Horror Nights.
This incredible haunted attraction is worth the trip to Disney alone! Enjoy the article below…
As tickets go on sale for Halloween Horror Nights 2013 at Universal Studios Hollywood, the full details of this year’s event have been revealed including all haunted houses, scare zones, shows, and other special experiences.
The event’s official web site has been updated to include a new VIP experience for 2013 called “The Insidious Experiment,” taking place on the Universal Studios Backlot and based on the movie “Insidious” and upcoming “Insidious: Chapter 2.” VIP guests will be led by a crew from Spectral Sightings, the investigative team featured in the films, to encounter some unusual disturbances.
The rest of the event details are as follows…
The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven
In the aftermath of the apocalypse, our world is in a state of decay.
Welcome to The Walking Dead: No Safe Haven, a terrifyingly twisted maze inspired by Season 3 of AMC’s hit series.
Follow in the footsteps of the survivors as you journey through the shadowy confines of the West Georgia Correctional Facility. Seemingly abandoned, this prison has been breached by Walkers with an insatiable hunger for human flesh! Then, if you’re still alive, make your way into the Walker-infested wilderness that surrounds the prison and into the town of Woodbury, where The Governor is hiding a terrible secret.
In a world that belongs to the dead…there is no safe haven
There is a book of unspeakable evil.. an ancient tome of human flesh inked in the blood of the innocent. Its text is the key to unleashing vengeful demons into our world, hell-bent on possessing your very soul!
You’ve come to take shelter in a remote cabin in the woods, but someone has read the words that should never be read aloud from the Book of the Dead. And the demons have been released.
You can try to find a way out, or pray for daylight to save you from the evil that rules the night. But it doesn’t matter. One thing is certain… you’re all going to die tonight.
Beyond our world lies The Further, a dark realm occupied by tortured souls of the dead. But one evil soul – a cold-blooded murderer – has escaped into our world.
Uncover the horrifying secret that has haunted the Lambert family as you enter Insidious: Into the Further.
It’s a nightmare journey into the paranormal where the dead crave the one thing they can’t possess… your life!
Since the dawn of time, the number 13 has symbolized evil, bad luck, catastrophe, and even death. One band’s music warns of these evils and far, far worse.
Welcome to Black Sabbath: 13-3D, where you’ll begin your descent in a demon-filled cathedral and continue on through graveyards, madhouses, corpse-filled battlefields and a nuclear apocalypse with mutated beasts.
Listen for the sounds of agony with every chord; your pain is music to their ears!
For generations, legends have been told of a shape-shifting monster that kidnaps and devours disobedient children leaving no trace behind. This tale has spawned countless nightmares, but none as gruesome as what you’re about to encounter!
Come face-to-face with El Cucuy: The Boogeyman, a manifestation of fear itself.
Do you remember when you were afraid of the dark… the possibility that some horrible creature may be hiding in your closet or under your bed? People call him the Boogeyman, but in Mexico, he’s known as “El Cucuy.” Some say he’s a shadow, an evil spirit that changes form to become whatever you fear. Some say he’s a hideous monster that lives in the caves.
But it’s all just a myth, right? Or is it?
Universal Monsters Remix: Resurrection featuring the Music of Figure
Universal’s infamous legacy of horror is brought to life in a terrifying experience made for the 21st century.
Immerse yourself in a modern horror-inspired soundtrack to your merciless slaughter, courtesy of Figure, and follow the trail of entrails through darkened corridors as you enter a crypt of bloodthirsty creatures.
There’s no escaping the monsters that started it all. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt…for long!
Terror Tram: Invaded by The Walking Dead
The world has become a graveyard where decaying Walkers crave only one thing…to feed! Some survivors have locked themselves in a prison, while a vigilante army remains barricaded and armed to the teeth in the town of Woodbury.
Navigate your way beyond the walls of the West Georgia Correctional Facility, only to find yourself lost in a Walker-infested wilderness as you risk certain death in Terror Tram: Invaded by The Walking Dead. Even if you make it out alive and reach Woodbury, law and order has broken down and the living can be even more dangerous!
The Walking Dead: Dead on Arrival
The Walking Dead infestation could not be contained and has spread to the Universal Studios Backlot in Hollywood.
For the first time ever, the urban movie sets of the world famous production backlot will be the backdrop for new mazes and scare zones. Imagine making your way on foot through the isolated city streets and alleys of the backlot invaded by The Walking Dead from Season 3 of the hit television series along with a nightmarish landscape of doom inspired by Black Sabbath’s recently released Billboard #1 album, “13.”
Police and law enforcement dispatched to the urban street sets and movie soundstages have been infected. Hordes of hungry “Walkers” are everywhere. They’ve been spotted on fire escapes and alley ways. It’s become an epidemic. Proceed with extreme caution. And stick together.
The Curse of Chucky
Years ago, Charles Lee Ray, “The Lakeshore Strangler,” transferred his soul into a toy doll – becoming the pint-sized, merciless killer known as “Chucky.”
Now, he’s back and he has a personal score to settle. Get ready for a deadly game of hide and seek.
The Purge: Survive the Night
Once a year, there’s a day where law and order become chaos and bloodshed – and murder becomes legal. That day is The Purge and you’re here to try to live through it!
Sadistic masked murderers wielding knives and chainsaws are on the prowl to hunt you down. Can you last ‘til dawn?
Cirque Du Klownz
Bienvenue! Welcome to the elegant streets of Paris, home to the Grand Guignol. Come see the lively clowns perform right before you.
But, beware, they may not be there to entertain you… they may be looking to put you in their next act… the gruesome ending to their horrific show.
Scarecrowz
Scarecrows were once built to ward off crows and evil spirits. Now they welcome them. A new breed is on the loose!
Tremble in terror as colossal, haunted Scarecrowz tower over you, driven to harvest the blood of the innocent to fertilize their land. They’ll take whatever’s left back to their fields, limbs and all. Slaughter is now in season.
Bill & Ted’s Excellent Halloween Adventure
The Wyld Stallyns of time travel, Bill S. Preston, Esq. and Ted Theodore Logan, return in an all-new parody show ripped from today’s headlines. Join Bill and Ted as they skewer a who’s who of infamous guest stars in this most excellent musical comedy that you won’t want to miss.
TRANSFORMERS: The Ride 3D
Fight alongside Optimus and try to survive as you protect the AllSpark from Decepticons over four stories tall. Remember, the future of the human race is counting on you.
Revenge of the Mummy The Ride
Take a ride on the world’s most intense indoor rollercoaster, if you dare. Face the heart-pounding special effects and unexpected twists at every turn as you escape The Mummy’s revenge in life-like horror. Rest assured, this ride will change you…forever!
Jurassic Park — In The Dark
Be stalked like prey as you make your way through the darkness and find yourself amongst prehistoric predators. Keep your eyes peeled for a 50-foot T-rex and a treacherous 84-foot death drop. You’re going to want to hold your friends close for this one.
The Simpsons Ride
Laugh ’til it hurts on The Simpsons RideTM virtual rollercoaster. With a surprise waiting around every turn, you, Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie will have to watch out for Sideshow Bob as he tries to take you out for good. Get ready for an unforgettable thrill ride that will leave you in stitches.
Halloween Horror Nights kicks off at Universal Studios Hollywood on September 20, 2013. Tickets along with more information and artwork available on the event’s web site.
Just in time for the lead up to Halloween, here is an article from insidethemagic.net by Ricky Brigante which talks about Universal Studio’s annual makeup and costume preview press event. These artists are truly amazing, enjoy the article below!
The creepy creatures of Halloween Horror Nights 2013 were unearthed yesterday by Universal Studios Hollywood during their annual makeup and costume press preview event.
On hand were Horror Nights creative director John Murdy and longtime horror makeup artist Larry Bones to discuss how this year they are bringing to life familiar fiends from AMC’s “The Walking Dead,” “Evil Dead,” and “Insidious” along with original creations for haunted houses Black Sabbath 13 3D, El Cucuy, and Universal Monsters Remix.
Also among the makeup artists demonstrating their techniques was Laney Parkhurst from Syfy’s “Face Off,” one of the creators of the show’s winning “Future Frankenstein” designs that will be duplicated for Halloween Horror Nights.
Watch the two videos below for an over view of the makeup and costuming process, including this year’s return of “The Walking Dead,” followed by a closer look at each of the designs.
Video: Creating creatures for Halloween Horror Nights 2013 at Universal Studios Hollywood
(See website for video)
Video: The Walking Dead scareactor & makeup preview with John Murdy and Larry Bones
(See website for video)
(Videos shot by Jeremiah Daws)
Every year the artists behind the many makeups and costumes that play important roles in shaping Halloween Horror Nights push themselves as far as they can go, developing elaborate masks, prosthetics, appliances, and outfits for their “scareactors” to don each evening while pursuing their theme park victims all in the name of fun.
“The Walking Dead” has the biggest presence at this year’s event, both in Hollywood and Orlando, even with no particular new look to latch onto from the latest season. “Being that it’s based on season 3, there really aren’t any iconic walkers from that,” explained makeup artist Larry Bones. “There wasn’t any ‘Bicycle Girl’ or ‘Well Walker’ or anything along those lines.” But there will be around a dozen familiar walkers featured in the haunted house, Terror Tram, and scare zone based on the hit AMC TV show, each requiring lengthy multi-step makeup processes.
The walkers will be reaching out to new areas of the park. “We’ve been doing Terror Tram since I brought Horror Nights back in 2006,” said creative director John Murdy. “What’s different this year is that we’re taking guests to a new part of the backlot as well, which is the area of the backlot we call our metro sets.” And there the streets will be filled with the recognizable undead as guests make their way between mazes.
But zombies are old hat for the Horror Nights team. This year’s difficulties lie in the replication of characters from the recent “Evil Dead” film, also spanning both coasts’ events. “It’s going to be our biggest challenge by far because we’ve got the character Demon Mia and we’re using Pros-Aide Transfers,” said Bones. “She’s got up to nine different appliances glued to her so it’s going to be quite a challenge for us this year.”
Model BriarRose Galla sat patiently while her detailed Demon Mia look was applied, layer by layer, over the course of nearly two hours. This will be a nightly occurrence throughout the run of Halloween Horror Nights.
But Mia wasn’t the only one of the unfortunate visitors to that creepy cabin in the woods afflicted by evil. Among the most memorable moments from “Evil Dead” was when Olivia turns her knife on herself, slowly slicing open her cheek. The results of that horrific happening will also be part of Hollywood’s maze.
For both “The Walking Dead” and “Evil Dead,” Universal Studios Hollywood and Universal Orlando discussed how each coasts’ events would offer experiences based on these franchises. “We get together early on, both teams, and talk about what we’re thinking about doing for the coming year,” said Murdy. “Sometimes we join forces on certain properties, sometimes we don’t. We joined forces this year on ‘The Walking Dead’ and ‘Evil Dead.’ It was cool this year – we all saw the movie together, for ‘Evil Dead’, and we all came back here and brainstormed together, which was kind of new. We’ve never really done that before. Then we go our own ways and come up with our own scenes.” From there the experiences diverge, allowing visitors to each event to experience something different and unique.
For the return of the Universal Monsters Remix maze, Universal Studios Hollywood enlisted the help of designers on Syfy’s hit TV show “Face Off” to create new looks based on Frankenstein’s monster and his bride. The winning team included Laney Parkhurst, a big Horror Nights fan who also worked the event last year. Having her design featured at the event is a top honor for her. “It’s probably the best feeling in the world,” Parkhurst admitted. “I can’t even explain how awesome it is. It’s a dream come true.”
While applying her winning makeup at this preview event, she added that her time on “Face Off” was fun but exhausting. “It’s very stressful, but at the same you almost don’t have time to be stressed. It’s just go go go. They definitely keep you very busy.”
With Parkhurst’s assistance, it was easy for Larry Bones to adapt the design from the show to Halloween Horror Nights. “It wasn’t that much of a challenge because I knew how it was constructed,” said Bones. And working with someone from “Face Off” wasn’t novel either. “We’ve had probably three or four of the people who have worked for me have been on ‘Face Off’ before, so it’s nothing to me.” It just goes to show that Horror Nights employs the best of the business.
When fully assembled, these characters are sure to creep out everyone who attends Halloween Horror Nights beginning next month.
But beyond this set of five prominently displayed during the preview, many more creatures will lurk in the shadows of Halloween Horror Nights across its mazes and scare zones. Not every character receives hours of prosthetics, many donning custom created masks and hand-crafted costumes.
Among the most unique creations this year are the designs from El Cucuy: The Boogeyman. “It’s really nice that it’s an original character for Halloween Horror Nights so there were no limitations on what they could do with this,” said Bones. “It’s going to have really creepy elements.”
Following in a series of mazes featuring rock music icons (previously Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper), Black Sabbath 13 3D will be one of Universal Studios Hollywood’s first soundstage haunted houses, offering a chance to really play with the 3D concept. “We actually did about four to six weeks of just R&D, using every possible kind of UV glow-in-the-dark materials we could possibly find and just using them on any material we can, knowing what tools we had to work with,” explained Bones. “If you’ve been in ‘Alice Cooper’ last year you’ll notice that warmer tones like reds are going to seem like they’re virtually floating in space. Where we’ve had that in the walls before they’re now actually in the characters. So if the character has a blood drip it’s going to seem like that blood is floating in front of your face. People will be swatting, trying to touch stuff that isn’t there.
And why Black Sabbath? “I grew up with Black Sabbath,” said Murdy. “I actually didn’t know them when my partner Chris Williams suggested the idea to me.” From there, the team used connections in the horror and rock music worlds to begin discussions with the legendary band. Ultimately, it was a surreal experience for Murdy. “About a month or so ago I was with them in Texas and it’s pretty wild to sit here and go, ‘Oh yeah, Ozzy Osbourne. I listened to you when I was in junior high.’”
Guests will face their fears at Halloween Horror Nights 2013 beginning September 20, continuing on select nights for several weeks, keeping an eye out for these creepy creatures, the results of countless hours of hard work by Universal Studios Hollywood’s talented team of artists.
More photos from the Halloween Horror Nights 2013 makeup and costume preview:
(Photos by Josh Daws)
I wanted to share with you an excellent article that I came across on hauntopic.com which talks about a new film that documents the journey from haunted attraction hobby to haunted attraction business owner. This ties in perfectly with our recent video and E-book about getting into the haunted attraction industry.
There is more interest than ever before in this specialty field and we as hauntepreneurs are finally starting to get the recognition we deserve!
Check out the article below and for more excellent articles on the haunted industry, check out hauntopic.com
Monsters Wanted is the New Haunted Attraction Documentary from ThoughtFly Films. The movie follows Rich Teachout, an IT professional, as he quits his job and invests his life savings into opening a one-of-a-kind haunted attraction. He and his partner Janel dedicate every moment, ounce of energy and dollar to making their “scream park” a reality. Along the way they have to deal with sabotage, civil war, and the crunch of time to achieve their goals. The resulting movie is a rare peek into a multi-million dollar industry known for its well-guarded secrets and self-proclaimed madness.
“We can’t be more excited about how this project turned out,” says co-director Joe Laughrey. “We knew starting out that the industry was interesting enough to support a feature, but we had no idea the level of emotional investment these haunted house owners have in their work. This is really a great story for anyone who’s taken a chance or followed a dream.”
“We had over 200 hours of footage,” says co-editor and co-producer Kaley Roberts. “The editing process was intimidating, but I’m glad we took the months of work we needed to find a story that people inside and outside the industry can really connect with.”
In addition to following the Asylum Haunted Scream Park, “Monsters Wanted” also gives an insider’s perspective on several different haunted houses and the industry as a whole.
“Going to the Transworld Haunt and Attraction Show was an eye-opening experience,” says director Brian Cunningham. “Here you had thousands of haunters and vendors set up in one place, all working to try and make their attraction stand out from the others. It wasn’t until then that I realized how big the industry was and how many people are involved in it. It’s one of my favorite sequences.”
The movie also features music by acclaimed indie rock bands Sick of Sarah and Viva Viva as well as Louisville locals OK Zombie and Two-Pump Chump.
“We needed music that could blend together all the different emotions the characters were feeling,” says Cunningham. “We really found a great soundtrack to support the images on screen.”
“It’s a great mix of horror, comedy and real-life drama,” says the film’s co-director Joe Laughrey. “But at its core, ‘Monsters Wanted’ is about following a dream at all costs.”
Next up in our Summer Haunted Attraction series is a post from insidethemagic.net by Ricky Brigante about a new year round haunted attraction in Orlando, Florida. Keep reading to find out more details…
At last weekend’s Halloween Extreme convention, Legends Dark Amusements offered a first glimpse into Orlando’s newest haunted attraction called Legends A Haunting at Old Town. Promising new fear at Old Town, the year round haunted house will feature live actors, detailed sets, state of the art special effects wrapped in a funeral parlor theme.
The teaser video below (go to the website to see the video) debuted at the convention, introducing the world to Mr. Archibald Ashdown, founder of Ashdown and Sons Undertaking Establishment since 1889. As the story goes, Mr. Ashdown has laid thousands of clients to rest – even some still alive. As they put it, “Death is how the Ashdowns make a living, and… business is good!”
Unfortunately for the Ashdowns and all who will pass through the parlor’s spooky halls, the dead aren’t quite staying dead.
Legends A Haunting at Old Town replaces the Haunted Grimm House at Old Town, located along highway 192, less than 10 miles from Walt Disney World. Legends Dark Amusements is completely renovating the old building, essentially starting from scratch with all new wiring, props, scenery, show pieces, and more.
The new experience is scheduled to open sometime this summer, with the group hoping to have it ready as soon as July. In addition to the haunted house, there will be The Stuff of Legends gift shop and Legends Ghosts of Old Town Haunted history Tour.
More information can be found on their Facebook page and soon at LegendsOldTown.com
The next haunt in our Summer Haunted Attractions series is the historic Bell Witch Cave in Tennessee; this post comes to us from the bellwitchcave.com website. Read on…
No supernatural story in American history is more famous than that of the Bell Witch. In fact, tales of the spirit were so widespread that they caught the attention of a General and future President, Andrew Jackson.
To the right you will see the very famous picture of Betsy Bell, John Bell’s daughter. Betsy was tortured by the Witch for several years of her childhood.
What was the Bell Witch? Like most supernatural stories, certain details vary from version to version. But the prevailing account is that the Bell Witch claimed to be the spirit of Kate Batts, a mean old neighbor of John Bell who believed she was cheated by him in a land purchase. On her deathbed, she swore that she would haunt John Bell and his descendants. The story is picked up by the Guidebook for Tennessee, published in 1933 by the Federal Government’s Works Project Administration.
We invite you to come take a tour of the old Bell farm. Visit the Historic Bell Witch Cave and canoe down the Red River. For a truly haunting experience, schedule a Special Night Time Haunted Candlelight Tour. Come and learn the details of one of the most famous mysteries in American history.
Betsy Bell
(Queen of the Haunted Dell)
There are many “ghost” or “haunting” tales in American History and when you investigate the many paranormal events it is hard to overlook the Bell Witch. The human interactions with the spirit date all the way back to 1817. Former president Andrew Jackson was quoted as saying “I had rather face the entire British Army than to spend another night with the Bell Witch” after he and some of his troops spent a night at the Bell’s farm.
Over time so many people traveled great distances to visit the Bell’s home that it had to eventually be torn down for safety purposes in the latter part of the 1800’s. The Historic Bell Witch Cave, Inc. has preserved some of the artifacts from the original cabin such as a chimney stone and an iron kettle. You can see these articles along with some other artifacts, news articles and photos from the time John Bell and his family resided on the farm when touring the re-constructed Bell cabin.
The Bell farm is in a secluded area in Adams, Tennessee and it is a very beautiful representation of the state of Tennessee with its rolling green hills and farm land. If you are interested in paranormal activity or if you are a history buff then the Bell Witch Cave and Farm will definitely not disappoint. If you like canoeing or kayaking the Red River is a great river to navigate and enjoy the beauty of Tennessee. We would love for you to stop by if you are ever in the area.
Be sure to check out our blog and follow us on Facebook and Twitter. We update these outlets often with special events and you can read about visitor experiences as well. If you would like to share an experience you had, you are welcome to post comments on our blog.
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Lately, I am asked, Why are you selling your haunted attraction in Hamden, CT, Creeperum.com!? Well to answer that question, I must first introduce my self to those who might not know me and my back ground. My name is Angelus and I have been an entrepreneur for the past 20 years. I own two […]
As Haunted Attraction Consultants & Advsors, we are called in to help create, design, and/or help our clients add a haunted attraction to an already existing business. We have helped farms, escape rooms, museums, tree farms, ski resorts, horse race tracks, municipal storage facilities, schools/colleges and universities, aquariums, car dealerships & the list goes on….. […]
If you have general questions you may contact us at: Phone Numbers Direct: 203-645-1580 Email: Info@YourCustomHauntedHouse.com A personal agent's phone number and email will be provided to all … [read more]
