# How Long Does it Take You to Get Out of Character?



## Deadlands (Jun 13, 2011)

Man, I need some help. Last year, I created a new character based on the Exhumed mask from Zagone Studios. He's a temperamental, crazy old miner who "collects" (ie. steals) things from each of his guests and add them to his collection. Of course, I don't really steal anything, but I have enough props to make it look like I do. He's also very much no-holds barred in his personality. He never goes outright inappropriate, but just off-color enough to get a reaction. 

For instance, two 70 year old women came wandering into my area last year. Well, Abner's been dead for quite a while, and he's been a little lonely. So he began to court them. And he courted them hard through the rest of the maze. In the end, he didn't get their numbers, but he got two big wet kisses from them (on the cheek, of course.) Both said they're coming back this year just for Abner.

I got so into character that he took off. It got to the point where I ceased to exist, and "Washboard" Abner Johnson took over. He became an instant rock star, and people are already talking about how they can't wait to see Abner again this year.

What's great is that he's so crazy and unpredictable, that he can go from doing the sweetest little thing to a scared ToT to full-bore scare mode in half a second. He's a jack-of-all-trades, master of Halloween it seems. He embodies the perfect balance between terrifying and hilarious.

The problem is, it's May, and I still can't get rid of the guy. He shows up every once in a while and sexually harasses people who show up to my house. They love it, mind you... as they've worked with Abner before. It seems to be getting worse. He knows Halloween is coming up. He's getting antsier every day.

My question is, how long does it take you to put your character into storage? Is there anyone else who has been permanently forced to live with theirs?


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## CreeepyCathy (Mar 28, 2009)

""He shows up every once in a while and sexually harasses people who show up to my house."" ??  .... I'll be right over! 

Oh, and to answer your question (How Long Does it Take You to Get Out of Character?): .... Three minutes. The length of time it takes to drink two shots of tequila. After that, I take on a whole new character. One that I'm sometimes not proud of.


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## wandererrob (Aug 8, 2007)

I'm in and out of character pretty much on demand. When I'm in the haunt with TOTs present I will do my damnedest not to break character. But when the kids, or adult haunt-goers, aren't around I switch it off if needed. 

For example, I had a couple of friends stop by to check things out. After they'd amde the rounds and were just hanging out in the garage talking to my girlfriend, I dropped the persona (thought obviously not the makeup) and walked over to say hi and such.

Maybe I just haven't keyed into the right character yet. The one that comes from within using elements of my own personality.


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## QueenRuby2002 (Oct 23, 2011)

actually I think it's great. In my mind at lest, that means you have finely found the charicter that is all you. besides we all wish for those stories where someone says there coming back just to see us. And is he is coming out at inaporperate time then maybe you need to let him out to breath every once and a while. find something near you like a zombie walk or costume ball and let him out to party with others like him.


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## FredKrueger (Apr 12, 2012)

On Halloween night I stay in character pretty much the whole time. Although, I beleive it was two years ago, some older kids came by and knocked over and broke two pillars I had set up as the entrance to the graveyard. I got so pissed, I broke character and yelled at them. 

But when the last TOT's have come and gone, I am so exhausted I am able to break character immediately and start gathering the expensive props and equipment to take into the house.

A little backstory if you are interested. I have been a Nightmare on Elm Street/Freddy fan all my life and about 6 years ago I got a Freddy mask, glove and painted my own Freddy sweater. Freddy was immediately a hit (unbeknownst to me) at the time. People loved Freddy for three years in a row and then....

The next Halloween I dressed a Sweeny Todd. I was Sweeny Todd for approximately 20 mins. before people started yelling "Where's Freddy?" "We came to see Freddy!" etc. I went back in and became Freddy. Putting on the costume is all I need, really just the glove, to fully become Freddy. I am no longer me, and I love it and I don't mean to toot my own horn, but I've now realized that people love it so much because I actually become Freddy and I have the voice down and mannerisms because I have studied Freddy for years.

Anyway, this year to play up the Freddy aspect even more I am hanging a torn and stained white sheet on my archway leading to the side garden so I can stand behind there and when someone comes by, I step on a switch and a light behind me goes on, revealing my shadow (also played up in the films) then a trash can with fake flames starts roaring and I make my entrance. I also plan on getting some video of a child trying to escape and yelling for help at the window, and back projecting it from inside the house.

I will also rename my cemetery Springwood(Where most of the films took place and Freddy carried out his dirty deeds) Cemetery. I apologize for the long winded post!


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## CenCalHaunt (May 12, 2012)

I scare people 365 days a year. I don't even have to get "in character" for my haunts, I just act normal


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## Headless (Sep 4, 2011)

Lol


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

Ok, wait, you are supposed to get OUT of character??


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## Deadlands (Jun 13, 2011)

I don't break character for anything. Even during the down time, I'll talk to myself (mainly arguing), talk to objects, randomly leave conversations at awkward moments... pretty much everything a truly crazy person would do. I guess it's method acting. But I've found that it helps everyone else loosen up and get into the groove of things before the show starts.

What shocks me is the amount of "gray area" conversation I can get away with. Last year, some kid kept asking me for hugs. So finally, I got in his face and said, "What's yer problem, Kemosabe? Yer pappy didn't love you enuff?" then gave a quizzical look to his father, who was standing behind him. The dad, without missing a beat says, "He was dropped on his head as a baby."

I think people want debauchery on Halloween. I know those of us from the elder generations miss the roarin' 70's and 80's when things were a little wilder. Sure, the kids all say they love you (they have notoriously low standards), but when an adult stops you to say that they haven't had this much fun on Halloween since they were a teenager, you know you've provided a valuable service to the community.

I guess I should just accept the fact that Abner is a part of the family now, and give him due respect year round.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

I also tend to stay in character most of Halloween night. But it is a mask and a costume, so I can take it off and come back to reality at some point. It's funny cause I sometimes change the character and I get a lot of people who get upset because I'm not the Troll Wizard every year. I've even had adults get mad at me because of it, and say they won't be back if I'm not him next year. 

I sometimes think it can be boring to be the same character every year, but people request it of me. I have come to where I do remove my mask with little children who are just starting out on their first or second Halloween. I want them to enjoy it and not be so scared of it at first. They can have the crap scared out of them when they are older and understand it better and can be more involved. 

So we will see, I don't know if I will be him this year or not. I always start thinking about him around the time summer hits. 

I do look at him at times of being my alter ego!:googly:


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## QDance (Aug 16, 2011)

Unfortunately in my neighborhood, I have mainly elementary kids who were really creeped out last year (first year last year) by my grim reaper standing static prop.

I did my makeup to be very gory, but didn't even know there were this many children in the neighborhood. I couldn't take off the makeup, so I just acted like a nice guy because I didn't want to scare them off, lol!


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## Pumpkin5 (Aug 8, 2010)

:jol: I don't really have a 'walk through' but more a walk around (the fence) and for the little ones, I smile with my best zombie black teeth, and for the mean ones...I eat their brains.........:zombie:


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