# Just hired by the zoo!!



## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I was just informed by the zoo that I'll be in charge of running the haunt for 2011!!!! I'm sooo psyched!!! I'll also be tapping into the great minds here to come up with some different idea's, and not be a cookie cutter type of haunt like we had this year. So I'll be popping in from time to time on this thread for some idea's!!! Wish me luck!!!


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

Good luck!


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## Glyphen2010 (Aug 30, 2010)

*crosses fingers hoping it turns out to be amazing for you*


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

I see zombie animals in your future!


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## sickNtwisted (Sep 29, 2010)

Congratulations!!! That's soo exciting!!!


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

Oooh. Give us details when you get them.


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## mic214 (Jun 22, 2010)

Wow, that is great......Congratulations!

The possibilities will be endless....!


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## Johnny Thunder (Feb 24, 2006)

Very cool - congrats on the gig!


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## autumnghost (Sep 12, 2009)

Congratulations and best of luck!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

I've already started mapping out the area we'll be using, and thinking up a theme, and yes it does involve lots of zombified animals and a gene splicing lab, but thats as far as I've gotten. I'm still not sure what my budget's going to be, but I've been told that I have creative license. Sooo...I can build as many props as I need over the course of the year, and it's all covered!! I do need to see what available props we already own. I was responsible for the scare zones out on the walkways this year, but all those props remain in that area, so I'll have to incorporate the props I have or start from scratch. It's so awesome planning for 2011, and halloween for this year JUST passed!! I'll give ya'll more updates as I get them. Oh, and thanks for the great support, Ya'll rock!!


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## tot13 (Jul 25, 2007)

Jack, that is just freaking awesome! i'm not ashamed to tell you how envious I am of you, lol. It's so great that you found out now and have plenty of time to plan and think things through instead of at the last minute. Good luck with all of it and I'll be anxiously awaiting updates - I've never seen a haunt at a zoo, lol!


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

tot13 said:


> Jack, that is just freaking awesome! i'm not ashamed to tell you how envious I am of you, lol. It's so great that you found out now and have plenty of time to plan and think things through instead of at the last minute. Good luck with all of it and I'll be anxiously awaiting updates - I've never seen a haunt at a zoo, lol!


Thanks, I just found out my budget for the haunt is $75,000, but a good portion of that will go to the framework, and the signage out front. still a nice chunk of change to work with!! I'm still trying to determine what the square footage will be. More information to come.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

*Update on zoo haunt*

I've been working on the basics of the haunt for the last several weeks, and have come up with a theme, a basic layout, and have recently started working on the actual haunt schematics. I had no idea how involved, and complex it would be to run a haunt!! I've had to run all of my idea's through the local fire department to make sure they're up to "code", and that they're are enough fire exits, and no obstructions to any exits, have to have handicapped access, etc. .... Do all attractions have to go through this, or is it just my haunt due to the fact we are run by the county?


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

Welcome to dealing with The Man.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

All Haunts that are on a professional level (charge for admission or open to the general public on public property) have to go through some the same things you are dealing with now. A lot will depend on the type of fire marshal you have. I have dealt with a few and some are intrigued by the display while others find any way possible to stop it.

I work in construction (safety manager) and at a new hospital, we had to remove all fire extinguishers which were bought by the hospital for permanent use because they came from Pennsylvania vs Ohio, where the Hospital was built. 

A Fire fighter friend of mine told me one that the Fire Marshal has the last say. If he wants green lit exit signs in your building, he gets green signs. Just keep that in mind and go with what the Fire Marshal asks. 

You may even invite him and his family to a trial run through so he can see it all in action. Better that than have him show up opening night and say he doesn't like this or that and shut you down. 

Good luck with everything. 

Spider


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## Joiseygal (Sep 3, 2008)

Congrats Howling! That is really cool that you are in charge of the haunt! I'm sure it will be really cool! Good Luck and I will keep up with this thread because I'm anxious to see what you will do. If you have bats in the zoo than maybe you can do some kind of vampire room?!?!


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## hpropman (Jul 27, 2008)

May I suggest a line distraction to amuse the folks waiting to get in so that they do not realize the time that they may have to wait. The Joking Skeletons jumps to mind or something similar. Maybe a spooky fortune teller or clown. Here is some video of my Joking Skeletons to give you an idea. I can send you the sound file if you need it and show you how I made them. Here is some video.

Halloween 2007 :: Halloween 2007 video 3 video by jmalt31 - Photobucket

Halloween 2007 :: Halloween 2007 video 8 video by jmalt31 - Photobucket

Here they are now doing an Abbott and Costello Parody of who is on first slab.

Halloween 2008 :: Video_0009.mp4 video by jmalt31 - Photobucket


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## Halloween Cats (Jan 30, 2011)

Meow, 

Well are you going full out scary or does it need to be child friendly?


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## Spooklights (Jul 4, 2006)

So, what type of themes are you considering? It would be cool (considering it's a zoo) to do some sort of scary animal theme; werewolves, vampire bats, escaped gorillas, snakes....you could even get a chupacabra or bigfoot in there somewhere.


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## Halloween Cats (Jan 30, 2011)

Spooklights said:


> So, what type of themes are you considering? It would be cool (considering it's a zoo) to do some sort of scary animal theme; werewolves, vampire bats, escaped gorillas, snakes....you could even get a chupacabra or bigfoot in there somewhere.


 Oh, now there's an idea! You could give the hole thing a real interesting feel by giving it a great back story;

"The zoo has a new exhibitions coming from around the world! (You could make fake new paper articles as the advertisements) Now depending on if it need to be child friendly you can have the cages set up and make it a simple walk through, but if it's scary let the exhibits break loose and start ripping their handles to shreds."

A neat trick you could do is place the large wooden packing crates in the dark spots of the zoo that you don't have props or anything for as a cheap filler. You can even put flashing red lights with audio of wild animals growling for another cheap affect, if you can make the boxs shake that would be another thing you can do.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Unfortunately, due to creative differences, I have decided to quit the haunt at the zoo. Too many restrictions, no flexibility, and all of my ideas have been altered and/or disallowed completely. they want a mickey mouse, watered down version of a haunt, and to me the purpose of a haunt is to scare people. But they're so worried about it being "too" scary, that I feel like I'm beating my head against the wall. So I've decided to withdraw. Now I know why last years haunt was so lame. I do have one question, I've made numerous props for them, and spent loads of time off the job in my garage building some of these props. The materials were provided by my job, but I built them into props. Should I ask them to pay me for my time, or keep the props I made. I don't want anyone thinking I stole these things, and feel it's their property, but I put alot of hard work into them and feel I should be compensated.:finger:


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Sorry to hear it didn't work out, Jack. I expect the zoo staff just felt they needed to keep things more child-friendly as opposed to more adult scary.

As to payment for your time, do you have a contract with then that covers the issue of being compensated for time spent working off the clock? If I understand you correctly, they provided the materials for the props, so it would be wise to discuss this issue before deciding to keep anything you worked on as compensation.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks Roxy, I don't intend to do anything without their approval, I do still work there as a keeper, and would'nt want to jeapordize my employment. I did some work that I would definitely like to keep, but I don't have any contract or anything to protect myself unfortunately. I'm going to be bummed if I can't keep some of the stuff.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

If you have a good relationship with them, it wouldn't hurt to ask, particularly if the props you built fall under the "too scary" heading

And who knows, with a little subtle campaigning, maybe next year they would be willing to go a bit more scary.


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## scareme (Aug 29, 2006)

Do they have room to do a scary and a kid friendly? Maybe if they saw the number of people you could attract, they might be a little more open to some change. I'm sorry it didn't work out, but maybe all is not lost. As for keeping the props, sounds like you are going about it the right way.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Unfortunately, there's limited space, so two wouldn't fly. The thing that bothers me is that, I don't do gore, or very violent scenes, I'm more about gothic horror, and the subtle scares. But it seems that anything that would make you jump, or would cause people to do a double take, is too intense. Really am disappointed that I won't have the opportunity to see my work come Halloween. But....more time to work on my own props!


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

I can't answer your questions about being paid or receiving props for time worked. However, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. That must be very disappointing to put all that thought into it, and have it crash and burn a few months later.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks, the work I put in to making the shell doesn't bother me so much, it's the props I made that bother me. Like Roxy said, hopefully the scarier stuff they'll let me keep (which is what I want anyways), and they can keep the other stuff. I had started a Frankenstein type monster that was much more gothic than the original, and was in the process of making the torso that really hurts, because I put alot of work into him, and was a premier piece. The thing is, if they want to go less scary, they won't be able to use him, because he's pretty grim. If I can get him, I'll post pix.


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Sorry about the haunt not working out. I have found that when I worked for someone else and it was their money and or building, my ideas were often shot down as well. It drove me crazy to the point that I quit working at both of those haunts. Having your imagination stiffled is about the worst thing you can do to a haunter so I feel your pain. I also understand the time thing. I put in countless hours one year at a haunt from February thru the end of November expecting a nice paycheck. I ended up with a little over a grand. I spent that much in gas and food. The owner walked away with over 20,000, so I also understand time put in hurts. 

Here is the deal though, You have a job with the zoo as a keeper. If you argue about your time or even a specific prop, you may lose that job and I am assuming you don't want the prop that bad. So if you can convince them that is is too dark for their tastes, maybe you can keep it if you offer to pay for the materials. Or they may let you have it for your time involved but be careful pushing the issue and taking a chance at hurt feelings. You can always remake your prop but getting your job back would be rather difficult. 

Good luck with all of it and keep us posted.


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

I hope things work out in your favor howlin mad jack.


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## Howlinmadjack (Jul 20, 2009)

Thanks SpiderClimber, Yeah the job I'm not worried about losing, I would never jeapordize it over a few props. I love what I do for a living, and am extremely attached to my animals, so that's my priority. I work with some really cool people, and hopefully they'll understand. That's a good idea about offering to replace the materials that they spent on, and possibly let me keep the props. Thank's Haunti, I'm keeping my fingers crossed.


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

That's too bad Jack. Sounded like you had a great opportunity. I can certainly understand their viewpoint though. I hope it works out for you.


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