# Jobs in the Halloween Industry?



## Cat_Bones (Jun 1, 2012)

Random question I was wondering if anyone had any ideas for how to get into Halloween related jobs be it building props or professional haunts anything like that. 

I have a huge passion for Halloween and anything related to it would be an absolute dream job for me but I have no idea where to even begin. 

Any push in the right direction would be greatly appreciated. :jol:


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Do you have an interest in a specific aspect of the industry? Prop building is certainly one, and then there's acting, costuming, makeup, the business end of the haunt business, basic construction, etc. There are some folks here who have worked in professional haunts, so hopefully they can offer useful pointers.

My two cents - Professional haunts are going to want to see some experience, so perhaps the place to start is by volunteering at a local charity haunt to get your foot in the door and make connections. If you want to be an actor, you can learn a lot and acquire useful basic skills by getting involved with local community theaters. Even if you don't get on stage right away, you can get experience with everything from makeup to lighting to set construction and sound design if you're pleasant and willing to lend a hand.

Building props on a professional level requires the ability to do quality work on what are often short timelines. Here again, you need to be able to showcase those skills. Test the waters on what I'll call a crafts level by making things for sale on sites like Etsy or at local craft fairs. Volunteer to help with prop builds at charity haunts. The more experience and skill you acquire, the more marketable you'll be to a professional organization.

Good costuming and makeup require an artistic eye and technical skills. If you want an idea of the range of abilities needed to pull off special effects makeup, watch FaceOff. You won't learn all the details, but you'll get a good idea of what people who do that type of work for a living have to deal with. You'll also get a good idea of the caliber of work demanded by other professionals in the business, and how important it is to be able to absorb criticism and learn from it.


----------



## Bone Dancer (Oct 7, 2005)

You might send a PM to AllenH and see what he says. He has a pro haunt.


----------

