# Trying too hard (as seen on da youtubes)



## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

Am killing time fumbling through haunt related vids on YouTube and I noticed something we all likely want to avoid. I want to see dedication, a bit of tasteful overkill, and even unrealistic graveyard where the bodies better me of pets due to the headstone density. I get it. What bums me out are these haunt walkthrough vids that fall into two main categories: The screamers....where every actor is screaming something from the haunt cliche manual, or just screaming. It isn't scary. It is annoying. The other peeve vid is of the haunts that look like someone likes animitronics so much they seem to have gone to Spirits and said they want 1 of everything so they could display all their wares next to each other like a casting call for a Hollywood horror celeb reunion. I get that they apparently either have oodles of discretionary income or a helluva credit card limit. 

So yes, this is a rant. But what is the deal with so many bad haunts? Not just difference of opinion haunts, but Freddy next to Hannibal next to Frankenstein rooms with a girl screaming "get out!" at the camera?


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

Should have been "Trying Too Hard". I typo pet peeved my own thread...... :'(


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## Copchick (Apr 10, 2012)

I think I understand what you're saying although I haven't seen the vids you are referring to. That said, I put out most of my animatronics on my coverd porch. Frankenstein is next to the witch who is next to Jason, etc. The ToT's love making each one "talk" and interact. It may look like a mish mash of animatronics, but the Tot's interaction is what I get out of it. Not really showing off what I can buy. Trust me, I don't take it personally, but people have different styles and interpretations of what they like to display. I would love to have the space for a whole house haunt like some of the members have, but I don't. I really wish I could make all of my animatronics, but this girl doesn't have time to spare for that. I really don't feel like I'm showing off a disposable income and I am very mindful of expenditures. But then again, I am an adult and if I like it, I'm displaying it, regardless of what others may think or disapprove of, and I don't feel it's their business what I spend. Like I said, I don't take it personally, I just want to explain my take on it and merely express my opinion for what it's worth.


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## [email protected] (Aug 25, 2012)

I think we can all agree on the screaming. Less is more. If the patrons aren't doing any screaming, the actors should save their breath!


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## Will Reid (Sep 2, 2013)

xx


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## Lunatic (Oct 3, 2006)

AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!
AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Geez, that is annoying.

Seriously, I totally agree and don't connect with that kind of entertainment.
It makes me want to punch someone in the neck.


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## Lord Homicide (May 11, 2012)

Different stokes for different folks...


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

I was a few hours deep into YouTube wandering... and after a slow midnight shift when I started this rant. I apologize if I threw too big a net. The animations family reunion I was speaking of was in a full covered walkthrough. Front yards and patios are one thing. Makes sense to put it all out. It's the walkthroughs and especially for-profits that do the shotgun approach that I don't get.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Few haunts out there and even fewer yard haunts theme their walkthrough to a consistant storyline. Sometimes that has to do with budget as buying enough of one style of prop say clowns, zombies, or lab stuff is too expensive. Getting a hodge podge collection over the years is easier when things get clearanced. 

What you end up with is the hodge podge mess of everything that doesn't line up with anything else. And since it doesn't work with a theme and nothing flows, the scare level isn't kept up because your brain is trying to figure out why a Clown is sitting on Jason's shoulders. So the actors can't play off of a fear of the atmosphere, so they scream at you instead hoping to get a reaction because loud noises usually work. 

I still stick with my thought process of Gore and Blood is over rated. People see it everywhere and it isn't scary to 90 percent of them, unless it is actually real. But being in a haunt they know it isn't. Personally my favorite scares in haunts have been costumes that blend into the walls, and the general pop out of a doorway in your face right now scare(Door rooms with open doors not knowing where the actor is). Of course you do yell here but usually Hey or wrong door etc....

So ya, that is my opinion from working and going through countless haunts and seeing a bunch of youtubes as well.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Well, you know, some folks buy props the same way they shop for clothing - see something they like, bring it home, and end up with a closet full of things that don't go together:jol:


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

LOL @ Roxy..so true!


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## Wildcat (Nov 3, 2007)

See you can up the fear with out screaming if you just announce that each night one randomly chosen patron will be captured/killed and made into a prop.

Bring in the twin actors. One dressed normal, one dressed/made up as (insert dead/haunted costume here) Normal twin is set into the crowd and goes in with the group (must make a minor scene at the beginning prior to entry so he'll be remembered). You also set another actor in the group (he'll make sense in a minute). During the tour, normal twin will go missing (fake wall etc.) Upon everyone exiting the haunt the second planted actor will inquire (loudly) where is normal twin (and possibly make a stink about it but then blend away). After a few minutes he will find dead twin in the yard/haunt and announce he's been killed.

No need for screaming and the rest of the night people will be talking about it.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

I'm just glad when someone does anything. I wish some other neighbors would do something to make it feel more like Halloween. So bring on all the animitronics you can. It's a holiday folks, let's celebrate.


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## pandora46514 (Aug 24, 2013)

This is my second year doing a haunt and last year I was on a $150 budget. Yes, severe newbie here. But I tried to have each corner of my yard have its own theme. I like to stick with the classics, Dracula, spiders pit, witches hut, etc. This is the first year I'll be trying with the harder stuff. I like a human basic fear start more than things screaming


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## Sblanck (Sep 13, 2007)

How about too much of the same thing? Went to a pro haunt that had at least 6 chainsaw guys. I told others we must have gotten off at a lumberjack convention instead of a haunt.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

Ha! "if one can scare em, let's put 6 in there!!! Brilliant!"


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## zombastic (Aug 27, 2012)

scareme said:


> I'm just glad when someone does anything. I wish some other neighbors would do something to make it feel more like Halloween. So bring on all the animitronics you can. It's a holiday folks, let's celebrate.


 My thoughts exactly. Be it ghosts, gore, screaming or whatever.
I'm just glad people have the Halloween spirit.


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## Troll Wizard (May 3, 2012)

_*I've come to learn from over the years that there are all kinds of haunts. Some people have themes, while others just put stuff out. Some of us have pro haunts, and some have yard haunts. Some have haunted garages and others might have haunted porches. There are those who just have parties, and some who participate in other people's haunts.

Yes, there are those of us who may not be as experienced as most of us are when it comes to haunting. There are those who don't have the knowledge of what it takes to make a good or even a great haunt. Most of us know what works and what doesn't work. There are those who don't....that is why this is one reason I think this forum was started.

I myself don't try to go to overboard with my haunt from year to year. I like to keep things somewhat simple and easy to work with. I do think that sometimes there are people don't really care what they do as long as they do something. Experienced haunter's sometimes hate this and are frustrated because things don't flow.

Less experienced ones tend to do the opposite and just put things out. Over time though we all hope they learn and begin to catch on so to speak and begin to build from mistakes as we all have and to start creating a nice haunt experience. Yes we all know that too much of one thing can be bad, and can be annoying at times. But if it's what a person likes then so be it!

Everyone has different taste, and wouldn't it be boring if we all did the same thing. No one would have a choice on what they wanted to do for Halloween. Yes it can be frustrating for some of us when we see a set or design that just doesn't seem to flow or make sence. But hopefully the response we would get from people going through the haunt would make us rethink on what we've done and that we would try to improve for the next year.

All this to say...is that it's okay to do what you want with your own haunt, as long as it's within reason. Who's reason you ask, well as long as it's not endangering someone, or putting someone at risk then it's okay to try to scare the "HELL" out of someone if that's what you want.

As some of you have stated earlier....at least they're doing something!

You're not just handing out candy, is it tradition...yeah but anybody can do that! :jol:
*_


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## Turbophanx (Jun 30, 2008)

This is why:
1. I don't post my haunts on Youtube.
2. I get just as annoyed as you guys with poor haunt setups.

I don't have the resources or storage to do a full facade that some of you do. So basically I have some neat stuff that kinda goes together but isnt the full haunt experience with a theme that some of you guys have. 

That being said, every year I try to add something new. I dont have the talent that some of you have, I cant corpse things, or make molds or stuff like that. I made a pretty cool FCG, a neat pallet wood coffin, and I do have a Jason animatronic from Spirit. I really don't know how to incorporate him into the haunt. So basically I still have a suburban house, with a fence, tombstones, and a few other things on green grass, with shrubs, trees and a driveway. Its going to be very hard for me to turn this setup into something really scary. I have made the best of the situation with lighting and sounds/music. 

I agree whole heartedly with Troll Wizard that every one really does enjoy it and in the end its just my case of keeping up with the jones' with regard to haunting.


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## graveyardjunkie (Sep 29, 2013)

I too started as a all over the place type graveyard but I'd like to think i've evolved through the years. Ive donated items that didn't work with the graveyard but I've now moved to life size zombies and reapers. What's wrong with staying with this theme and adding new zombies each year? Same theme every year but graveyard grows larger. Most can't afford to change themes every year, especially when you are doing for people at no cost to them.


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## Zurgh (Dec 21, 2009)

I, too am glad to see home haunters do something, anything on Halloween. Doesn't bother me if they have some or any rhyme or reason to there haunt or not. I'm cool with Scooby-Doo kiddy themes and most scary/gory ones, too.

Not a fan of screaming actors, and only have 1 homemade animated prop. 

Most of my stuff is homemade and I generally stick to a 'night of the living dead/walking dead/graveyard' theme... mostly 'cause it's what I got (24 mache zombies and growing) and I like it. It would be way out of budget to radically alter my theme.

I do get a little ill at a few home haunts that have packed 4 times the tombstones than is even remotely believable, in addition to 1/2 the contents of a spirit store and most of the projects of the Monster List, all crammed in there yard. 
I have seen a few on youtube and just don't get why someone would do that. I've never commented ill to them, only wondered why someone would make such a jumbled, crowded Halloween mishmash in there yard... but it is there yard, not mine. 
They can do what they want with there stuff. If someone likes doing it that way and it makes the local kids happy, and it celebrates my favorite holiday, who am I to complain? I don't have to like it, but also don't see any great need to try to impose my thoughts or ideals onto them... differences make us unique...:googly:


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## typoagain (Feb 27, 2012)

I don't really do a "haunt" per say. I just enjoy building cool props and learning to do something new. Eventually it ends up out in the yard for a couple of years.

Every year my work has a pumpkin-decorating contest and I build a prop for that. The only rules are that it can't be too vulgar, and you HAVE to use a REAL pumpkin as part of the focal point of the prop/centerpiece/etc. We get all kinds of different things. For example, the girls in finance always do these beautiful, elaborate tabletop centerpieces. ER always does something gross. Last year one of out clinics did a life-size headless horseman, (but failed to use a real pumpkin-new office, and were they pissed!)

Last year I did a pumpkin thief. The year before I did a pumpkin choir. This year I am going to "borrow" another idea from a member of this forum. Remember the thread named "The Horrible Truth about Pumpkin" pies?

Which remind me I need to open a new thread cause I do need some help with painting it!


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## FreakShowQueen (Oct 3, 2013)

My favorite memories growing up were when my father and I volunteered our time (and a little money) and helped out at our local EMT/Firefighter yearly haunt. I remember my Dad , who wasn't involved much in the community really come out of his shell and some of the ideas he came up with were brilliant mostly because they were cheap, scary, and totally effective. As a teen - seeing my Dad get excited every year to come up with something better then the year before was the best feeling in the world! Sadly the community no longer puts on that haunt. So I was greatly suprised and delighted when we moved back to our hometown area 2 years ago and found that a local family had started a haunted walkthrough attraction not far from where we live. After 2 years of bieng patrons - we decided to audition at it and now we are hooked ! The actors and owners are like a huge family. And believe it or not our haunt is now ranked #1 in Oklahoma and #28 in the Nation. It has taken 5 years and many many man hours but the owners have done an AMAZING job with theme, craftsmanship of props, and finding like minded people in our area that have the makeup and prop making skills.
So in saying all that - I understand the people that hate the mish mash type of haunt but I also understand the people that do it just because they love Halloween and want to celebrate it. I applaud all you home haunters ! You inspire me .


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