Haunted House

[movieman64]

I don't know if I have mentioned this before, but I help host a haunted house each year in our local community. We had our first meeting a little over a month ago and decided on the theme, "House of the Dead". We have already started working, and re-working some of the props from the previous years, and plan on some new ones. I thought some of the people in this forum might have some good ideas for this years haunt.

[Vodstok]

Cool. Is that just a name, or are you basing it on the "House of the Dead" game?

Sorry if it's a silly question.

[movieman64]

It will be the name, and that is how it will be advertised. We also try to have a common theme for all the areas of the haunt.

[Vodstok]

Cool, so this year is going to be undead then? Mostly zombies, or will it branch out into vampires, and maybe frankenstein monsters?

[movieman64]

Due to our budget, (almost nothing) each year we re-use a lot of our standared characters, if needed we re-work them to make them more in line with our theme or the scene they are in. Zombies will be a big element, but not the only. One of our main goals is to make it look like an old house, (on the inside).

[xNalyx]

I must say, some people can be very rude here. Not saying any names of course.

btw it's thinks it's great that whole haunted house thingie

CYA xnalyx

[movieman64]

I thought I'd post a couple of the better pics from last year. The Theme was Jeepers Creepers, we played the song constantly, it got really old...

[movieman64]

Originally posted by movieman64
I thought I'd post a couple of the better pics from last year. The Theme was Jeepers Creepers, we played the song constantly, it got really old...

[kpropain]

Originally posted by xNalyx
I must say, some people can be very rude here. Not saying any names of course.

btw it's thinks it's great that whole haunted house thingie

CYA xnalyx

Sicko is the asshole, he is someone who comes on this site under many different screen names posting shit about nazi stuff and pictures and videos of american soldiers being beheaded and gets off on that kind of shit....

Since you are new I figured I'd give you a heads up.

[kpropain]

Originally posted by movieman64


Awesome pics dude, I bet that was fun as hell.

[Stingy Jack]

I've worked in a couple of community haunted houses in the past, and they are LOADS of fun! Here's some ideas that have worked for us before.

1. Rent a Hearse: I don't know if you have the budget for this, but this was THE TOP attraction at any of our haunted houses. People all over town were talking about it. The trail actually went THROUGH the Hearse, and people were creeped out by that alone. But what made it great was the open coffin in the back, with the corpse laid out. People were so paranoid and terrified that the corpse would pop out at them while they were in the Hearse (tight space, nowhere to really run). It was a true hit.

2. Black lighting: This is easy, and produces some cheap thrills. Lead a group of people into a room or hallway that appears normal under regular white light, then switch the lighting to black light when everyone is in. Have the walls decorated with really creepy images and warnings that only show up under the black light. Instant change of atmosphere, and people like to look at how their friends' lips are purple. (shrugs)

3. Claustrophobia: You'll be surprised how many people get really uncomfortable under tight conditions ... even if they say they aren't claustrophobic. The fear is increased immensely by the fact that they are in a haunted house! Try to have plenty of single-file hallways, tiny rooms, and places where groups actually have to get on hands and knees and crawl. Of course, you HAVE to have all sorts of beasties reaching out for them through the walls.

4. Dying group member: This is always fun, and really messes with people. Have an actor ready to go through the house with every group. This actor will appear to be a paying customer, just like everyone else. Of course, at some point in the house, one of your haunts will grab your actor and drag him screaming from the group. If you have any severed limbs as props, they can be put to good use here. The actor is dragged behind the scenes, and the sounds of the horrible murder assult the "surviving" members. Have your killer come back, weilding a bloody arm or leg, looking to pick out his next victim. Nobody will think they're safe after this!

EVerything else I can think of is just standard haunted house stuff, and I'll probably be wasting my breath with it here.

[movieman64]

Thanks for the suggestions. We have wanted to get a hearse, but they are hard to find, so the hunt goes on. We did a bottomless pit last year for the first time. We patterned it from the well on the Ring. Some people would not even get close to it. We are thinking of doing an endless hallway this year, bigger and more costly, but I'm sure it would be great.

Lighting, (or lack of) is one of the most dramatic parts of the haunted house, strobes, blacklights, down/up lighting it all can really add to the effects.

We have a meeting after the July 4th holiday, and I hope to have several ideas from this site to share with them.

[movieman64]

another pic

[Hate_Breeder]

Wheres this at Movie Man?

[movieman64]

Northwest Indiana