It's officially crunch time in Hauntsville. While the main event won't take place until the night of the 31st day, we are doing an invitation only chicken run on the 30th. A chicken run is a lights and sound only rehersal event which will permit our friends with young children to go through the haunt without having to experience any of the traumatic "shocker" scares. They may discover that Day31 is plenty scary even minus its main dishes. The other purpose of a chicken run is to test the load all these energy sucking contraptions are going to put on the individual circuits to see if they can shoulder the load. Nothing worse than a blown circuit on Halloween night.
I allowed a few neighborhood kids to go through the haunt tonight. They had come by yesterday and said they were going to be out of town Halloween night. Despite it's 3/4 finished appearance, I allowed them to go through, and I accompanied them to make sure they wouldn't trip over any of the tools or building supplies I had scattered throughout the haunt. To my surprise, they were quite frightened by the haunt, and most of the impact scares were not even lighted or operational. This makes me a little concered about my haunt being a little too intense for the average joe. I'm brainstorming some last second ideas to tone things down for certain attendees.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
6 days until showtime
Today I got the north side of the house wired for light and sound. I'm absolutely thrilled at the result having just tested it out in the dark. I have nicknamed it Thunder Hall as it is a 40 foot long corridor filled with the sound of wind, rain and thunder with lightning flashes periodically illuminating the distressed portions of wall where the lathes are showing. As any home haunter can tell you, we are brutally hard on ourselves as our vision of a project rarely matches the reality despite our best efforts, but this hallway comes very close. I also downloaded some good sound bits to mix for different areas of my haunt, and I have nearly completed the video that will be shown at the haunt entrance to entertain as well as state the haunt rules to all who are entering.
A couple guys from another local haunt called Night Terrors (I added a link for their haunt to my Links page) dropped by today, and I was happy to walk them through Day31 and go over most of the plan and some of the tricks with them. This is their first year haunting their new home, and they will be operating on Halloween night and the following Saturday night. I'm planning on checking out there haunt on Saturday, and you should do the same.
I almost finished the build for the slide wall on the east side, and it is really the last major build. Everything else is detail and gingerbread from here on out.
Went to Wally World tonight to pick up a few last minute supplies, and I dropped by the Halloween express store on Madison in Murrieta across the street from the Home Depot. If you are looking for the best selection of costumes and props under one roof, I haven't seen a better one in the area, except maybe for Party City. Their prices pretty much suck, but I get that they are a seasonal business and need to make some bread in the short time they are operating.
A couple guys from another local haunt called Night Terrors (I added a link for their haunt to my Links page) dropped by today, and I was happy to walk them through Day31 and go over most of the plan and some of the tricks with them. This is their first year haunting their new home, and they will be operating on Halloween night and the following Saturday night. I'm planning on checking out there haunt on Saturday, and you should do the same.
I almost finished the build for the slide wall on the east side, and it is really the last major build. Everything else is detail and gingerbread from here on out.
Went to Wally World tonight to pick up a few last minute supplies, and I dropped by the Halloween express store on Madison in Murrieta across the street from the Home Depot. If you are looking for the best selection of costumes and props under one roof, I haven't seen a better one in the area, except maybe for Party City. Their prices pretty much suck, but I get that they are a seasonal business and need to make some bread in the short time they are operating.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Day 5
Got a late start today, but what time I had was pretty productive. Was able to build 3 walls and cover them with the great wall paper I was able to get at the Habitat for Humanity store in Temecula. Check out the Habitat store for home improvement supplies. Their prices are great and the proceeds go to an awesome cause. I can't say enough about their store and how friendly the volunteers who staff it are.
With the garage build nearly complete, the only major project left is the pepper's illusion. After that I have a few more walls to get up in the back and then I can start running the necessary wiring and test the sound and lighting effects. The rest of the surveillance cameras and other detail work starts after that, but I should finish in plenty of time. People keep asking me why I don't open this event for multiple nights, and the reason is because it's difficult enough to get volunteers to commit for even one night, much less two or three. Maybe next year if I can get the staff, I will think about a Friday, Saturday run.
Plenty of people came by to look at the front of the house today. It's nice to see people bringing their kids by to enjoy it- that's what it's all about.
With the garage build nearly complete, the only major project left is the pepper's illusion. After that I have a few more walls to get up in the back and then I can start running the necessary wiring and test the sound and lighting effects. The rest of the surveillance cameras and other detail work starts after that, but I should finish in plenty of time. People keep asking me why I don't open this event for multiple nights, and the reason is because it's difficult enough to get volunteers to commit for even one night, much less two or three. Maybe next year if I can get the staff, I will think about a Friday, Saturday run.
Plenty of people came by to look at the front of the house today. It's nice to see people bringing their kids by to enjoy it- that's what it's all about.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Day 4 Build
Where does the time go? Finshed the facade in the front yard, so the front is nearly finshed. The only major task remaining is the garage build and the Pepper's ghost, the plans for which are completely in my skull and not even sketched out on paper yet. I scrapped a pretty cool plan I had for one of the door ways on the north side due to time constraints. The wall panels for the east side are there and waiting for a quick assembly, but I'm still playing with ideas for how I am going to meat them out this year. I have plans for a very intense scare on the east side, so I want something durable on those walls in case someone tries to escape by climbing over them like happened last year by the electric chair, but I don't want to use anything as heavy and expensive as plywood. I will probably save it for last.
I'm pretty much set on the idea that the pet cemetery will be semi-retired this year. Given the intensity of the scare I have planned on that east side, I doubt anyone will be of a presence of mind to look at or even notice that cemetery in the back. I know this will disappoint some people, but they will be too busy changing their pants to complain after what I have in store.
I'm getting a little help on Friday and Staurday. That will be great just to get some of the painting and other labor intensive tasks done. Good stuff. I'm so tired....why in the hell is it still 90 degrees out 10 days before the end of October? It's not natural!
I'm pretty much set on the idea that the pet cemetery will be semi-retired this year. Given the intensity of the scare I have planned on that east side, I doubt anyone will be of a presence of mind to look at or even notice that cemetery in the back. I know this will disappoint some people, but they will be too busy changing their pants to complain after what I have in store.
I'm getting a little help on Friday and Staurday. That will be great just to get some of the painting and other labor intensive tasks done. Good stuff. I'm so tired....why in the hell is it still 90 degrees out 10 days before the end of October? It's not natural!
Monday, October 20, 2008
Day 3 of the marathon build
I'm pretty beat after my third day of working on the haunt. I took a couple time outs to pick up supplies at Big Lots, Walmart and Lowe's, but for the most part the day was all about the build. I finished another section of wall and finished the spark fence wall and part of a doorway on the north side of the house.
I'm a little bent over the tendency the blue paint on the colored Sylvania spot lights has to peel away after only a few day's use. Those things are nearly $7 each, so I'll be packing them back up and returning as many as I have receipts for to Walmart. The green and red spotlights have not given me any trouble, but I really liked the soft, eerie effect of the blue.
The web site is starting to get a response since I put up the mural advertising it on the front of the house. I added a hits counter and it has been viewed more than 70 times in 24 hours. It's a pretty wild feeling to watch this thing start to take on a life of its own. It's a little freaky, too, as I really have no idea how many people might show up for the haunt this year. It could get pretty crazy around here. I'm taking precautions this year with video cameras, fire extinguishers and radios for my volunteers....all things that cost money and are launching me well beyond the budget. Hello plastic!
I still have to do the garage build from scratch and the entryway. I'm starting to feel the clock ticking down. I'm not sure I have enough days left to complete the entire vision, but I'll do my best. Tomorrow I will finish the double door and the one remaining unfinished wall on the north side. I still have a couple gaps to figure out in the front as well. Stretch goal is a mosoleum facade in the front, or possibly the inside garage build.
Storage is going to be a major issue this year, but I'm shelving that thought until November 1st.
I'm a little bent over the tendency the blue paint on the colored Sylvania spot lights has to peel away after only a few day's use. Those things are nearly $7 each, so I'll be packing them back up and returning as many as I have receipts for to Walmart. The green and red spotlights have not given me any trouble, but I really liked the soft, eerie effect of the blue.
The web site is starting to get a response since I put up the mural advertising it on the front of the house. I added a hits counter and it has been viewed more than 70 times in 24 hours. It's a pretty wild feeling to watch this thing start to take on a life of its own. It's a little freaky, too, as I really have no idea how many people might show up for the haunt this year. It could get pretty crazy around here. I'm taking precautions this year with video cameras, fire extinguishers and radios for my volunteers....all things that cost money and are launching me well beyond the budget. Hello plastic!
I still have to do the garage build from scratch and the entryway. I'm starting to feel the clock ticking down. I'm not sure I have enough days left to complete the entire vision, but I'll do my best. Tomorrow I will finish the double door and the one remaining unfinished wall on the north side. I still have a couple gaps to figure out in the front as well. Stretch goal is a mosoleum facade in the front, or possibly the inside garage build.
Storage is going to be a major issue this year, but I'm shelving that thought until November 1st.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Vacation: Day 2 of the Haunt Build
Today was the second day of my vacation leading up to Halloween. I managed to build the wall frames that will make up the new edition of the haunt at the front of the house. I also painted the haunt logo and web site url on the front of the tarp stretched over the wall panel. I think it looks pretty decent considering my lack of artistic talent. Tomorrow I will finish off the north side of the house and begin working on the east side, or possibly work more on the west side. I have options, and thankfully, time.
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