# theme and name help?? kinda long



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

hello , i have a chance to rent an old church that's maybe 1,800 square feet,i live in a small town of maybe 6000 people ,but every last weekend in september we have the pumpkin festivel that draws around 25,000 people at least .there has not been a haunted house for the festival in about 15 years which was jaycee's haunted house(dont know if affiliated with the same i see on the net)this church is right in the pumpkin festival and i want to try to have a haunt for charity (animal shelter) but for the life of me i cant think of a name or a theme, since it's an old church ..any ideas , also it's going to be mainly actors any help would greatly be appreciated.. thanks


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

What are the names of the town? The street? The church? Is there a cemetary or space for one?


----------



## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

When you mentioned a church, the first thing I thought of was the church in Sleepy Hallow. Maybe you could do a headless horseman theme?


----------



## Northern Touch (Nov 8, 2006)

I went to a haunt that was in a church a couple of years back they were trying to save it from being chrused...what they did was turn it into a old nunery with many room with people that were pessed by a demon that had taken over the town.....and eventualy even the nunes lost it and left ther pations for dead....


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

hey thanks for replying so quick....
the name of the town is barnesville, south st. no cemetary but maybe enough room to put one..
i was thinking along the lines for name 

church of terror,church of nightmares, ect..but i think there are already haunts with these names..

but if i could think of a theme i could go from there for a name .
but my mind goes blank...


----------



## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

whats the name of the festival?


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

South Street Church of Lost Souls


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

thanks for the idea's everybody, i love this place.. 

lilly.... it;s the pumpkin festival

do you guy's think it's as important to have a theme with a smaller haunt compared to a larger haunt???


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

I've always thought some kind of theme is a good thing - keeping a consistent thread of scares throughout your haunt - keeps things tied together - gives it a cohesiveness...like you're telling a story.


----------



## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

roadkill said:


> South Street Church of Lost Souls


I like that, I think you have a good idea with a "lost souls" theme. Nightmares is also good, I think those two would fit better for a church than words like terror or evil. You and I would surely understand and enjoy a haunt like that but some locals may take it wrong, even though it is for a charity. Plus if it is in a church that may remain a church you have to consider people's feelings for it's sanctity.


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

Excellent point IshWitch - one I was mulling over as I was mowing the yard today. One thing to seriously consider is the venue and the almost certainty of people objecting to a haunt held in an old church. While it may be nothing more than an empty building to you - to many it still bears tremendous significance.

Do not be surprised if you have the occasional protestor. Even though they are supposed to be christians many are extremists and do not follow the real teachings of their claimed religion.


----------



## frightmare (Feb 9, 2007)

nightmares on south street

thats all i could think of the otehrs were kinda brutal for a festival haunt.


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

very good point.. since it is a small conservative town..

church of the lost souls is a killer name i like it .now what about a theme that fits the name?? church of nightmares, or nightmare on south street. is good also and the theme could be more variable touching on phobias and stuff ..

WOW!!! thanks guy's when i get to my 10th post ill put a pic up of the church..


----------



## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

Here's another name that may work "Temple of Shattered Prayers" though may be a little risky for your town. Or maybe ""The Cursed Church on South Street"?
And I like the plan to work with the animal shelter. Have you talked with them yet with a proposal? Or talked with the township on your plans?


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

festerboy said:


> very good point.. since it is a small conservative town..
> 
> church of the lost souls is a killer name i like it .now what about a theme that fits the name?? church of nightmares, or nightmare on south street. is good also and the theme could be more variable touching on phobias and stuff ..
> 
> WOW!!! thanks guy's when i get to my 10th post ill put a pic up of the church..


Seems to me church theme are replete with ideas that are horrifying - in some cases they seem to be trying to engender those fears (can't possibly imagine why...).

Anyway - several images come to mind but it would really depend on the style of the building (which we'll see after you make a few more posts).


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

i like cursed church on south street also, great ideas, 
yes i have talked to the animal shelter, they have donation box in every buisness around town, so they are doing pretty rough, when i proposed to them they were all about it and said they could get me radio airplay...

i talked to the fire chief and he didnt know anything about "fire codes for a haunt" so i might get lucky with the over the 1000sqr.ft sprinkler code..i have my fingers crossed...thanks just wanted to let everybody know i feel at home here already...thanks again


----------



## frightmare (Feb 9, 2007)

just be careful what you do. this was an old church and probly some of the people from the town went there or had past family members go there.

im not sure if this is like a landmark or something in the area but the last thing you wanna do is make some1 mad. as far as a theme for inside the haunt... for a first year haunt i wouldnt try to go balls to the wall. but thats just me. im not sure if you ever built a haunt before or a display or any type of decorating but building a complete walk through haunt takes alot of time. you could start out with a simple zombie theme this year and let that help you build up set ideas and props for the 2nd year. 

are you planning on making wall panels? shoot us some idea what kind of materials and what general direction you want to go on this.. what i do in my haunt is when i have the guests walk into the huant they are standing in the 1st room of the house, towards the middle i turn it into a darker maze type deal and by the end they are walking into more themed rooms. keeping the middle dark and cutting the guests ability to see much really creeps them out, never know whats around that next bend.


----------



## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

A church??
Hell I don't even think you NEED a theme!
Just make the church really creeping looking.

And also, idk who has played Resident Evil 4,
but it takes place partly in a church type of building and alot of the time you hear these EXTREMELY creepy chanting monks.
It's like a low mutter chant.
GOD it is so creepy.
You should record some sort of low chant and have it playing from the place where it will echo the most.
That would be pretty creepy.

Don't forget to cover up windows so it's as dark as possible.
Put some bodies in the pews or something.
I don't know what type of church it is and how far their letting you go with it haha.


----------



## frightmare (Feb 9, 2007)

re4 is awesome. i agree those chants make me have goosebumps!


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

ERICK WITH NO K said:


> And also, idk who has played Resident Evil 4,
> but it takes place partly in a church type of building and alot of the time you hear these EXTREMELY creepy chanting monks.
> It's like a low mutter chant.
> GOD it is so creepy.
> ...


My current SFX track / project is an "Exorcism" replete with a slooowly tolling bell - the wind whipping around the outside with a raging storm - in the distance you can hear monks chanting, their echoes ringing off the walls from across the sanctuary someplace...

and in the foreground you hear a priest administering the rites of exorcism as well as the tortured soul of a girl screaming and crying - her obscenities lashing out violently at the cleric.

Only one hitch - I need to find the rite of exorcism in latin (and find someone who can reasonably speak them) as well as get recordings of a female / girl uttering these profanities and curses in various languages. I've already had an offer for the female part. I'll gladly perform the priest's role but I do not know Latin well enough to make a passing attempt at recording that part.


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

well the church is completely empty it;s a big open room .and has been closed for about 10 years.. im planning on making portable wall 2x2's with plywood on hinges i already have a few made from the yard haunt i had the past few years .. zombies was the first thing i thought of... zombie priest, ect... since its a small haunt i was thinking a small entry room to tell people the rules, the story line , and what to expect, then have mostly maze and small room scenes , if everything goes right im hoping to have 25 actors...


----------



## roadkill (May 11, 2006)

Excellent idea to get your backstory in line now. Maybe research the area to see if there are any stories that can be twisted somehow. May take a bit of digging but will make the backstory that much creepier if it ties in with stories from the local community.

Somehow explain why there are undead in the church - a tale of the priest/minister performing un-natural and unholy ceremonies that defiled the sacred ground, etc...

I know there are many potential themes - many possible contrasts - and it's hard to pin down something that hasn't already been done. What counts is you get a backstory and really flesh it out to make a very complete haunted house for your vict . . . ummm . . . . patrons.


----------



## BooGirl666 (Jul 29, 2006)

festerboy said:


> i talked to the fire chief and he didnt know anything about "fire codes for a haunt" so i might get lucky with the over the 1000sqr.ft sprinkler code..i have my fingers crossed...thanks just wanted to let everybody know i feel at home here already...thanks again


Hey festerboy... 
There are more restrictions used if your township uses the ohio building code i.e. minimum clearances, egress paths, etc. Call your townships building inspections/building department. They will be able guide you in the right direction.

...Animal Shelter... very cool idea. Keep us posted on your progress.


----------



## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

You could say that it was built over and ancient burial ground, if you're into the lame cliches. ;D

Hahah.
But you should really do the thing with the monks like far off somewhere playing and echoing around the church.


----------



## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

I don't know of a more lost soul than a zombie, so that could tie in very well. 

Scenario #1
Maybe it was at the height of services on Sunday and something went wrong like zombies came in and attacked. Have 1/3 actors zombies that attacked, all old and rotted and zombified. Have 1/3 actors parishioners that just got attacked, all in their Sunday best and grey and slightly/freshly mangled. The last 1/3 are the ones who are still normal church goers, so still in Sunday best (go to thrift stores and get outdated but very dressy clothes for cheap, lots of fancy hats makes it easy) and trying to save themselves and kill the zombies. So will need a few defeated zombies lying around. Okay. Wait. Why couldn't they just run away. Not a service, they took refuge in God's house because Zombies were attacking the town. There, that makes more sense. 
Creepy sounds, hmmm. The organist got attacked and is playing all freaked out zombified organ music. Lots of screaming, moaning and growning. 

Scene #2
Dead/spirits who are left to walk the earth, begging and pleading to be granted entrance to heaven and forgiven for their sins here on earth. These can be people from all walks of life who have maybe been good but their deeds prevent them from entering heaven but they haven't done anything bad enough to be sent to hell. Of these people I see Lawyers, Police, Doctors, IRS, social workers, Nurses, Teachers, just people from every walk of life. Have a really ancient (maybe undead) priest/reverend surrounded by them begging and pleading and he must try and cleanse them one by one, but he is old and it takes a lot of strength and prayer and he can barely keep up. Maybe this is the only way he can enter Heaven himself. How 'bout when they are cleansed they suddenly scream and reach up and are engulfed by fog as a bright light from above suddenly shines down on the spot. While the patrons are blinded by the glowing fog the actor ducks through a hidden wall panel, the light goes out and the fog disperses and they're gone.
This would be perfect for the creepy chanting monks and stuff. 

Scenario #3
The church is being taken over by miscreants and have the locals locked in it and are having sick fun with them. This one is pretty generic, the church is basically housing as it could take place in a house, barn, store, whatever. So no worries as to it's sanctity. It is just the place the locals went to hide and got caught and trapped again. Basically your typical gore movie theme.

Idea one and two I've had tossing around in my head for our son who wants to be a director and is presently making a horror short.


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

hey thanks everyone...
name..
church of the lost souls..
theme..
zombies..with a good storyline
or church of nightmares
theme..phobias..

1 more post and i can post pics...

ishwitch...[I don't know of a more lost soul than a zombie, so that could tie in very well. ] i agree. nice scenarios..

babygirl..thanks for the tip..im calling today to find out

eric ..what's cliche' about that.

roadkill..i like youre style..


----------



## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Church of Lost Souls. I like it. Perishioners hiding inside from flesh eating zombies. The leader of the Perishioners of course is the minister. Quiet! The zombies that are already preoccupied will ignore you...but anything to call attention to your group, and the zombies just may attack! hmmmmmmmmmmm...now why are you and your group there?.... to look for possible survivors. Watch out though, because although they may look normal, some may actually be zombies themselves - just haven't had time to decompose fully...


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

bump...10th post. pics of the church is on it's way


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

hers the pics ...not very big , but it will work..what ya think..


----------



## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

Nice and weathered on the outside.


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

i was thinking of take the shutters out of the bell tower put up plexiglass, and hang vile things winged skeleton fcg..but if i go with lost souls..zombie theme... it might look out of place...


----------



## Eric Striffler (May 6, 2006)

Oooooh I like the pictures.


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

thanks...im going to use them as a layout for my website..as far as everything goes with the town officials... as of now it's a go..i got to see about some insurance...im working on a floorplan ill post it when i get it done


----------



## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

How much is this costing you to rent out and for how many days?


----------



## Sickie Ickie (Jun 20, 2006)

How about a "human" armature leaning out of the bell tower with a sign that has been desperately written "SURVIVORS IN HERE!!!" His head could be a human mask animated by an oscillating fan to look left and right.

On the slope of the roof could be a static zombie that has spotted him and is climbing up to get him.


----------



## IshWitch (May 31, 2006)

Nice Sickie!

Love that idea!

I'd buy that place and make a house out of it to live in!


----------



## festerboy (Feb 27, 2007)

sickie ickie..ill be able to rent it from sept to novemder 15th..

that would look pretty cool..

ishwitch ...i wish i could ,actually some one i know just bought it to put a wood shop in the basement and hes gonna rent me the main floor ..1800 measley square ft.. thanks


----------



## Front Yard Fright (Dec 23, 2005)

awesome idea ickie!!!
and i love the place! you wouldn't have to do much to make it look creepy!
add some boards to the windows and you'd be set!
.


----------



## dusty588 (Oct 8, 2006)

I did a charity haunt back in 2005, and we hasd 21 different scenes, but they all revolved around one theme. The them was "Twisted Classic Stories" We took stores, such as "20,000 Leagues Under The Sea," and we made/bought props like skeletons, camo netting, and bubble machines. We made a few boats, as well as a throne, for Captain Neptune. We did a pirates theme, which had a ship and other pirate stuff. We did a large Sleepy Hollow scene, with the fllor full of leaves, a small graveyard, and a horse. The sign that I designed, was a "Farm From Hell." I had an old antique tractor in the middle, with aa small shack behind it. There were bodies under the tractor, and heads on pitchforks. We did other scenes like The Exorcist, a "Mad Trappers Hut," a large castle, and a funeral home. WE used all live actors, about 60 in all. I find that if you do different scenes that revolve around one theme or idea, it works quite well. I hopw this info helps you, and if you got any question, PM me or e-mail me at

[email protected]

Dustyn
:jol:


----------



## Haunted Bayou (Feb 16, 2007)

Is there a working bell? You could ring it when it is time to let people in. If not then maybe you could use a recording.

You could add a tag-line to your haunt name...

CHURCH OF LOST SOULS...THE BELL TOLLS FOR YOU!


----------

