# Ideas for my haunted woods



## Scarypumpkinpie

Last year, my dad & I decided to do a "Haunted Woods" on the 7 acres we own. It is sort of like a haunted house, except it is set outdoors in the woods. As an added bonus, the property is actually located on a street named "Cemetery Lane" and sits between two actual cemetery sites.Everything went as well as it could for a bunch of amateurs their first year LOL. The first year was really about deciding if we liked it and wanted to make it an annual attraction. We loved it. I joined this forum in hopes of gaining inspiration, ideas, and guidance from some of you guys that have been doing this for years. My imagination is pretty big, and my dad can build anything. Together we made some pretty cool stuff last year. But, I want to make all of our scenes/themes different every year. I am new to this business as an owner, but I have been going to these types of attractions since I was a kid. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!


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## stagehand1975

The obviouse is a cemetary, set in such a way to get the view of one of.the existing cemetarys. Build a couple of ground breakers. Got to have the fog. Lights parts of your.path with Tiki torches. Make a closed in tunnel like path out a lot of sticks and branches and then hide something in there. Use motion sensing lights to keep the trail ahead dark until it needs to be seen.

There is just a few ideas.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

We used the tiki torches last year, and I also had burn barrels at points in the trail so that my actors could warm up near their spots. I loved the fire light effect, but our trail is pretty long. We have a never ending supply of fire wood though, and 10.00 worth of fuel for the torches every weekend was totally worth it for the effect. We also used fog machines for our cemetery scene. The actual cemetery closest to the property is visible, but we didn't use it out of respect. We just built our own. But, I think this year I am going to make fog chillers for a couple of them. I think the low lying fog combined with the regular "in the air fog" will have a creepier effect. I loved the idea for the motion lights though, I didn't think about doing that! Last year I had actors in certain spots flick the lights on or off, the motion lights will save time & wear on my actors. I already had the tunnel idea in my head, just trying to figure out where to put it. Last year we did an awesome "Camp Crystal Lake" scene in one part. I made the old looking camp sign out of barn wood, mounted on 12 foot poles as you entered, just like the movie. We pulled in an old camper and an old trailer, set up the whole camp site scene, complete with log benches & a camp fire burning. It worked out great. My "Jason" popped out at random, sometimes out of the camper or trailer, sometimes behind some trees. Every part of the trail had various scenes set up from horror movies, as that was our theme. The Ring was first, followed by Halloween, a Cemetery Scene, Camp Crystal lake, Dr. Slaughter, then the clown from It at the end. We also had some werewolves scattered about at random and just creepy actors in masks. I want to keep Micheal Myers as a permanent character because so many people we afraid of him. However, I want to change all the rest, make it different every year. Any ideas for themes?


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## fontgeek

Shy of setting up tents for "rooms", and the amount of room you may have for storing props, I can see some issues coming with trying to change the whole theme from year to year. I'd be worried about the open flames too. Actors or guests getting burned, or starting a forrest fire just sounds like a lawsuit looking for a place to happen, not to mention the actual injuries or damage that may occur. Sorry, I don't mean to sound so depressing, but I know it's easy to get carried away when it comes to ideas.
What is the availability of power throughout your forrest/trail?
What kind of manpower/number of actors do you have?
What kind of budget do you have to work with?
What kind of storage space do you have for props and such?
What kind of skills do you and your builders have? (pneumatic, electronics, carpentry, airbrush, faux finishing, makeup, plumbing, welding, etc.)


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## stagehand1975

fontgeek said:


> Shy of setting up tents for "rooms", and the amount of room you may have for storing props, I can see some issues coming with trying to change the whole theme from year to year. I'd be worried about the open flames too. Actors or guests getting burned, or starting a forrest fire just sounds like a lawsuit looking for a place to happen, not to mention the actual injuries or damage that may occur. Sorry, I don't mean to sound so depressing, but I know it's easy*to get carried away when it comes to ideas.
> What is the availability of power throughout your forrest/trail?
> What kind of manpower/number of actors do you have?
> What kind of budget do you have to work with?
> What kind of storage space do you have for props and such?
> What kind of skills do you and your builders have? (pneumatic, electronics, carpentry, airbrush, faux finishing, makeup, plumbing, welding, etc.)


Just piping in on fire safety.

Many pro haunts use live fire with great success.

Not sure if anyone know of these next suggestions as common sense or not. Part of my background is working for a place that holds a couple of outdoor festivals each year that are based around fire. This place glows at night with the amount of tiki torches and campfires. On Saturday night the make a bonfire that can be seen over treetops. Obviously those that work here have extensive training in fire safety. I was also of volunteer firefighter for a while as well.

These steps should be taken. Tiki torches should be well fastened to wooden stakes or rebar hammered far enough into the ground to from accidentaly falling.

Open camp fire like fires should not be accessable to the customer. A 5 gallon bucket of water should be at each location where a fire like this is used.

Always keep loose material away from the fire.

Do not burn if it is windy.

Actors in these areas should know how to put out a fire.

before we start discouraging poeple from doing something that they have already done and is excepted by some of the insurence companies that a lot of the pro haunts use. Some haunts would not be able to operate without the use.of things like Tiki torches. On my year off from haunting last year, I visited a very large haunt with multiple attractions spread accross a very large festival geound. One attraction was completely lit by tiki torches. In the main area between attractions they had small fires in metal fire pots for people to warm up at.

Enough ranting. There is my $.02


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## JustJimAZ

You seem to have several scenes that could be easily incorporated into a larger narrative. You have a cemetery already in sight, and "extending" it into your haunt has been suggested and is brilliant.

You asked for scenes you could include in your haunted wood. I have some thoughts on that.

_Are the woods naturally scary? Why? I think because they are not tamed, they are not "smooth", and nature cares not one whit for us and our big brains. Stuff in the woods will eat us, and we cannot see it coming. It's not arranged for our convenience, and our hyperactive imaginations see all kinds of patterns in the trees and shadows._

_I have a story in my mind. I wonder if you will see it too. Will the guests be self led or have a guide? I like the guide, though it is not necessary. With or without a guide, they should be told that whatever happens, keep moving down the trail. A groundskeeper has lived here for years in a small cottage on the trail, and they can go to him if they need help._

Fog is everywhere. Firelight illuminates the way. Our two guides - why are they armed? - lead the way. Or maybe they just tell us the way. Cowards.

1. Eyes.
I have a few thoughts about eyes. First, eyes watching you are generally creepy. You can make eyes that seem to follow the guests pretty easily and cheaply. Here's a LINK.
We see a set here and there at random along the trail, in bushes and even up in the trees.

Then a kind of "dot room" - maybe an actual room, but even better if it's an enclosure of woven sticks and vines. Of course, the dots would be eyes. They don't even have to be hollow face eyes - just glowing stickers with pupils. Be sure to vary the pupil types. Anyway, like any other dot room, an actor is camouflaged in the scene, and scares them.
Blinking glowing eyes like THESE watch at various points along the trail.
I saw a huge board once that had a thousand nails in it. On each hung a small reflective circle. The overall effect suggested water as stray winds made them move and reflect the light differently. Could something like that, on a smaller scale, make convincing eyes here and there? Maybe nailed to trees, or boards on trees, in pairs?

2. Off the trail over there is a ghost. We know it's a ghost because although it looks like a woman, we can see straight through her. Chicken Wire Ghost
Basically, it's a human figure made of chicken wire so you can see through it. My thought it it could be painted in glow in the dark paint and illuminated with a blacklight. That would be cool. If you light the rest of the scene with a red flood light, it will be clear that they are seeing through the figure. A strategically placed limb or something in front of the red light could cast a shadow on the form, preventing the red and UV from interfering with one another.

3. Axworthy ghost.
a specral shape zips in front of some trees and behind others, in and out of hidden UV LED mini spots. In case you need it, here's a LINK. OK, maybe two.

4. Werewolf. What would a haunted woods be without a werewolf? Or werebear, though I doubt you'd find many who would see enough to know the difference. Check this out - I just was directed to a LINK showing how to make a girl turn into a gorilla before their eyes. How easy to make it a woman into a werewolf? Maybe in her human form, she tells how 20 years ago tonight she lost her little girl to the horror of the woods? Maybe they were picnicking not far from here. Her husband had gone back to the car for a surprise. A beast attacked them and the girl ran into the woods while she - the mother - tried in vain to fight the beast. Where is she? Then she changes into a beast. The werewolf "Attacks"! How cool would it be if the werewolf was a played by a man much larger than the woman? Wearing strips of fabric like the woman had on, of course. How cool if she was one of two guides? Assuming they were there to begin with. Cowards. With the wolf behind, the only thing to do is move forward.

5. Birds. Dollar store crows can be painted different shades to create many different birds. Do they move? Depends on your budget. Sound effects, my friend.

6. FCG - Another old standby that I think would be even better in the woods. Here's one LINK, in case you are unfamiliar. So, why not expand the basic plan to make it a giant spider? Spiders live in the woods. A nest of spiders would be a creepy think to walk into on a trail. Sure, you can have a bunch of web and fakes spiders of all kinds, but a giant spider bobbing up and down and moving its legs individually? Yeah. A "Spider victim" prop is a classic. Can we just make out that the victim is dressed like the guides?

7. Levitating girl. If you have an actor who is willing to stand on a platform secured to a tree, you can make her levitate there. Just dress her in a white dress - except her white stockings and shoes are stuffed with pool noodles and are in front of her real legs - which are all in flat black. She should be clearly off the ground, and the white legs should extend below the platform. Everything should be flat black but the parts you want to appear to be part of her. UV helps here. She can bob a bit to help the illusion, and ask for help. She is lost and scared, and wants to find her mommy and daddy. they are lost, too.

A peppers Ghost could be used instead of an actor, though to really sell it, it needs to be triggered only when the guests get to the scene.

In my mind, she's dressed in an overly frilly dress, inappropriate for the woods. One half of her face is torn, as if by claws. She would turn that part away from the guests at first. Then she would turn to face them. I imagine her eyes getting wide, looking behind the guests, and she says "Mommy?" Then the werewolf roars and charges again! Unfortunately, the other guide never had a chance to draw a weapon before being killed. Find the groundskeeper! Assuming the guides came this far. Cowards.

8. Trees. Nothing scary about trees, right? They are everywhere, and pretty much succumb to whatever we wish to do to them. Not walking trees! Standing there, minding their own business until a bunch of guests stumble upon them unaware. Then they move, making horrific noises and bringing the woods to life! Of course, you could do other haunted trees throughout the haunt. I personally would save it for later though. THIS is what I would do earlier.

9. The grounds keeper. The cottage is not exactly what we expect. More of a shack - or even a shanty. skins nailed to the walls. Is that one human? Stains on the ground. An axe - not in a stump, but in the wall. claw marks on the rotting boards. The door bursts open, and there he is, chainsaw roaring! "Where is she!?!?!" he screams "Tell me!!!" Whoa. Let's get out of here!

10. Almost done. There are the lights marking the exit. A roar from the left. It's the werewolf, attacking! A roar from the right - it's a chainsaw! Run! Only as we flee do we realize the wolf and groundskeeper are battling each other. They crash into the dark, and all goes silent.

Time to go home.

I know there are all kinds of ideas out there for lighting and sound effects and whatnot.  I refer you to Revenant and his Theater of the Mind segment on HauntCast, where he recommended a soundtrack that would allow even the blind to know what is happening in each scene.

None of these ideas are original to me, but I hope in presenting them here I have helped in some way.


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## post-mortem

we always use tiki torches but we replace the inside with fake flame candles. works great for the guest. We also make our costumes larger so the guest can be dressed warm and slide the costume over their coats etc. This year we will have triple the volunteers so my mind is racing with ideas. We are more into non-stop scares and setting the scare up rather than props etc. but this year we are adding lit up scenes as decoys to add more to the haunt.A lot of People couldn't make it through last year and I know the new location will be scarier than before. Just hope the weather is ok.


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## Bethene

wow, JustJimAZ, great ideas, makes me want to have a wooded haunt, hummm, going to have to ponder them and how I can use some of them in a campground haunt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


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## JustJimAZ

Bethene said:


> wow, JustJimAZ, great ideas, makes me want to have a wooded haunt, hummm, going to have to ponder them and how I can use some of them in a campground haunt,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


High praise, Bethene! I wonder why one could not build the transformation illusion in a tent or camper?

I would guess most of the other stuff would fit in in a campground too. Lost girl, groundskeeper, monster spiders and glowing eyes... Plus a little "Deliverance" scene near a fire.


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## Jacksonville Haunter

*I have not tried it but I saw it online. A small pit built into your path about 2 feet deep and covered with plexiglass make your TOT walk over it. Now all you do is add snakes, big spiders, raccoons, kittens, anything scary. Real or fake would work, leave air holes for live critters. Make it overly tuff with 4"x4" frame.*
*Good Luck*


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## stagehand1975

Jacksonville Haunter said:


> *I have not tried it but I saw it online. A small pit built into your path about 2 feet deep and covered with plexiglass make your TOT walk over it. Now all you do is add snakes, big spiders, raccoons, kittens, anything scary. Real or fake would work, leave air holes for live critters. Make it overly tuff with 4"x4" frame.*
> *Good Luck*


Or a bottomless pit. They are easy to build but can get pricy. The plexy for the top needs to be really thick, not available at your local home depot.


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## JustJimAZ

stagehand1975 said:


> Or a bottomless pit. They are easy to build but can get pricy. The plexy for the top needs to be really thick, not available at your local home depot.


A bottomless pit WOULD be pretty cool. Especially if it was on a pressure switch so it did not light up until they were in the middle.


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## stagehand1975

JustJimAZ said:


> A bottomless pit WOULD be pretty cool. Especially if it was on a pressure switch so it did not light up until they were in the middle.


Or I read about one on this forum a while back about building the bottomless pit with a pepper ghost affect under it. Using the see mirror at the bottom as well with some that is suddenly lit underneath that appear in the middle of the pit.


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## HalloweeNut

Personally, I think the woods at night at Halloween is scary enough. Use that as a starting point; I'd have strange and horrible creatures following guests around at points through out the trail, along with maybe having non-actors (ticket takers, etc) wear skull-makeup and white hooded robes with spooky runes painted on them in blood (gives it that "Satanic" feeling). The scenes on the trail don't have to be related themeaticaly, but I think a story line helps. Scenes I think would work well include Ed Gein-style cannibal house (avoid the cliche of chainsaws), graverobbery-in-progress, creepy devil-worshipping ceremony in the woods, witch's pumpkin patch, and long abandoned cemetery. Hope this helps. Just one more thing: you'll need a good, strong name for your haunt. Best of luck!


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## JustJimAZ

A coven in the woods would be a great scene!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> Shy of setting up tents for "rooms", and the amount of room you may have for storing props, I can see some issues coming with trying to change the whole theme from year to year. I'd be worried about the open flames too. Actors or guests getting burned, or starting a forrest fire just sounds like a lawsuit looking for a place to happen, not to mention the actual injuries or damage that may occur. Sorry, I don't mean to sound so depressing, but I know it's easy to get carried away when it comes to ideas.
> What is the availability of power throughout your forrest/trail?
> What kind of manpower/number of actors do you have?
> What kind of budget do you have to work with?
> What kind of storage space do you have for props and such?
> What kind of skills do you and your builders have? (pneumatic, electronics, carpentry, airbrush, faux finishing, makeup, plumbing, welding, etc.)


Ok, let me address these one by one LOL.

* STORAGE- we have an entire empty 1 bedroom mobile home that we gutted just for storage for the woods so it could be moved on site. We also have two large enclosed sheds available for storage, as well as my full size garage and finished basement. So, we pretty much have unlimited storage space LOL.

* FIRE SAFETY- We are very careful, and thankfully H was a fire fighter. As far as the fires go, we have a ton truck equipped with a 100 gallon tank ( I think that is the size, it really big) and a really long hose ( don't remember how many feet that thing is ) for extinguishing the fires. We also have fire extinguishers on hand near every burn barrel in case of an emergency.The larger fires are in contained metal burn barrels, with the exception of one that was needed to actually have the look of a real camp fire for our Camp Crystal Lake scene. That one was on the ground in a dug out pit with river rock around it. Our tiki torches are not just the wooden stakes in the ground. Ours are supported by thick metal poles as well. Those babies are pounded in with a go-devil, no way they are moving! As a matter of fact, we had a heck of a time getting the poles pulled up after the season ended. They are far enough away from the trails so there is no danger of actors or customers being burned. Our torches are extinguished and allowed to cool, then capped off every night. Also, there are no trees in the areas of the fires that could be burned. The tours are guided as well, so no one strays from the paths. We obtain all the necessary permits and are very careful with the fires we use. Our volunteer fire department is notified in advance of our event as well, and they are about 2 miles from our property. So as you can see, we are well equip to handle the fires we use and fire safety is not a concern for us. 
These "woods" are not the typical dense over grown woods you would think of in a movie. When we bought and cleared the property, we cut down all the dead trees. We cleared all the over growth and weeds as well. So, it is a rather thinned down version of the woods. We allowed certain sections of the woods to "grow up" to look more natural for our woods last year. This year we will probably plant corn as our "over growth" for the actors to play in.

* ACTORS- Last year, we had a crew of about 20 actors. However, with more experience, more time to prepare, and better props this year I am hoping to cut that back a bit. I think we can make do with around 18.

* CARPENTRY SKILLS- My dad is a carpenter by trade. He has built everything from houses to coffee tables, and he is good at what he does. He has every tool imaginable. I restore antique furniture, so I am pretty artistic. I can paint, stain, etc. & use any power tool well. My carpentry skills cannot match my fathers, but I am pretty handy. My brother in law is a certified electrician. He does our electric work. Between the three of us we can build anything.

* POWER AVAILABILITY- We have a standard light pole to pull all our power from, so we have a lot available. If that is not enough we have 2 very large gas generators that we can use. We did use them last year, only because we didn't have enough money left to buy more wiring we needed. But, I am hoping to cut them out this year. They are too loud.

* BUDGET- This is the one area that we are not well equip in LOL. After all the costs involved last year, we went in the hole big time. I figure that advertising will eat up a huge chunk of our budget. I want to do some radio advertising on at least one local station, two if possible. I am hoping to keep our advertising under $1,000. Since we already have many of the more costly supplies we will need on hand, like loads of lumber, ( we have hoarded it from houses and barns that were torn down to use in the woods LOL) I think we can defiantly get away with a budget of around $800.00. I bought a lot of things we will need in bulk during the clearance sales after Halloween. Things you use a lot of, like spider webs, fake blood ( I like the quarts of blood they sell at wal-mart because the blood is not sticky and does not attract insects), and a lot of masks and costumes. I bought about a dozen or so skulls and other props to use just as fillers for scenes. Even if we don't use some of the costumes, props, and masks this year, they will be used eventually, depending on the themes we use. I also made a lot of my props that looked great. Things like intestines, bloodied up manikin heads, and the headstones in our cemetery scene. We used some great pieces from my antique items like an old trunk and a huge rusty old vice. We have tons of yard sales here, a huge scrap metal yard where we can get metal supplies for cheap, and we can make a lot of our stuff. That will help us out tremendously with the budget.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

JustJimAZ said:


> You seem to have several scenes that could be easily incorporated into a larger narrative. You have a cemetery already in sight, and "extending" it into your haunt has been suggested and is brilliant.
> 
> You asked for scenes you could include in your haunted wood. I have some thoughts on that.
> 
> _Are the woods naturally scary? Why? I think because they are not tamed, they are not "smooth", and nature cares not one whit for us and our big brains. Stuff in the woods will eat us, and we cannot see it coming. It's not arranged for our convenience, and our hyperactive imaginations see all kinds of patterns in the trees and shadows._
> 
> _I have a story in my mind. I wonder if you will see it too. Will the guests be self led or have a guide? I like the guide, though it is not necessary. With or without a guide, they should be told that whatever happens, keep moving down the trail. A groundskeeper has lived here for years in a small cottage on the trail, and they can go to him if they need help._
> 
> Fog is everywhere. Firelight illuminates the way. Our two guides - why are they armed? - lead the way. Or maybe they just tell us the way. Cowards.
> 
> 1. Eyes.
> I have a few thoughts about eyes. First, eyes watching you are generally creepy. You can make eyes that seem to follow the guests pretty easily and cheaply. Here's a LINK.
> We see a set here and there at random along the trail, in bushes and even up in the trees.
> 
> Then a kind of "dot room" - maybe an actual room, but even better if it's an enclosure of woven sticks and vines. Of course, the dots would be eyes. They don't even have to be hollow face eyes - just glowing stickers with pupils. Be sure to vary the pupil types. Anyway, like any other dot room, an actor is camouflaged in the scene, and scares them.
> Blinking glowing eyes like THESE watch at various points along the trail.
> I saw a huge board once that had a thousand nails in it. On each hung a small reflective circle. The overall effect suggested water as stray winds made them move and reflect the light differently. Could something like that, on a smaller scale, make convincing eyes here and there? Maybe nailed to trees, or boards on trees, in pairs?
> 
> 2. Off the trail over there is a ghost. We know it's a ghost because although it looks like a woman, we can see straight through her. Chicken Wire Ghost
> Basically, it's a human figure made of chicken wire so you can see through it. My thought it it could be painted in glow in the dark paint and illuminated with a blacklight. That would be cool. If you light the rest of the scene with a red flood light, it will be clear that they are seeing through the figure. A strategically placed limb or something in front of the red light could cast a shadow on the form, preventing the red and UV from interfering with one another.
> 
> 3. Axworthy ghost.
> a specral shape zips in front of some trees and behind others, in and out of hidden UV LED mini spots. In case you need it, here's a LINK. OK, maybe two.
> 
> 4. Werewolf. What would a haunted woods be without a werewolf? Or werebear, though I doubt you'd find many who would see enough to know the difference. Check this out - I just was directed to a LINK showing how to make a girl turn into a gorilla before their eyes. How easy to make it a woman into a werewolf? Maybe in her human form, she tells how 20 years ago tonight she lost her little girl to the horror of the woods? Maybe they were picnicking not far from here. Her husband had gone back to the car for a surprise. A beast attacked them and the girl ran into the woods while she - the mother - tried in vain to fight the beast. Where is she? Then she changes into a beast. The werewolf "Attacks"! How cool would it be if the werewolf was a played by a man much larger than the woman? Wearing strips of fabric like the woman had on, of course. How cool if she was one of two guides? Assuming they were there to begin with. Cowards. With the wolf behind, the only thing to do is move forward.
> 
> 5. Birds. Dollar store crows can be painted different shades to create many different birds. Do they move? Depends on your budget. Sound effects, my friend.
> 
> 6. FCG - Another old standby that I think would be even better in the woods. Here's one LINK, in case you are unfamiliar. So, why not expand the basic plan to make it a giant spider? Spiders live in the woods. A nest of spiders would be a creepy think to walk into on a trail. Sure, you can have a bunch of web and fakes spiders of all kinds, but a giant spider bobbing up and down and moving its legs individually? Yeah. A "Spider victim" prop is a classic. Can we just make out that the victim is dressed like the guides?
> 
> 7. Levitating girl. If you have an actor who is willing to stand on a platform secured to a tree, you can make her levitate there. Just dress her in a white dress - except her white stockings and shoes are stuffed with pool noodles and are in front of her real legs - which are all in flat black. She should be clearly off the ground, and the white legs should extend below the platform. Everything should be flat black but the parts you want to appear to be part of her. UV helps here. She can bob a bit to help the illusion, and ask for help. She is lost and scared, and wants to find her mommy and daddy. they are lost, too.
> 
> A peppers Ghost could be used instead of an actor, though to really sell it, it needs to be triggered only when the guests get to the scene.
> 
> In my mind, she's dressed in an overly frilly dress, inappropriate for the woods. One half of her face is torn, as if by claws. She would turn that part away from the guests at first. Then she would turn to face them. I imagine her eyes getting wide, looking behind the guests, and she says "Mommy?" Then the werewolf roars and charges again! Unfortunately, the other guide never had a chance to draw a weapon before being killed. Find the groundskeeper! Assuming the guides came this far. Cowards.
> 
> 8. Trees. Nothing scary about trees, right? They are everywhere, and pretty much succumb to whatever we wish to do to them. Not walking trees! Standing there, minding their own business until a bunch of guests stumble upon them unaware. Then they move, making horrific noises and bringing the woods to life! Of course, you could do other haunted trees throughout the haunt. I personally would save it for later though. THIS is what I would do earlier.
> 
> 9. The grounds keeper. The cottage is not exactly what we expect. More of a shack - or even a shanty. skins nailed to the walls. Is that one human? Stains on the ground. An axe - not in a stump, but in the wall. claw marks on the rotting boards. The door bursts open, and there he is, chainsaw roaring! "Where is she!?!?!" he screams "Tell me!!!" Whoa. Let's get out of here!
> 
> 10. Almost done. There are the lights marking the exit. A roar from the left. It's the werewolf, attacking! A roar from the right - it's a chainsaw! Run! Only as we flee do we realize the wolf and groundskeeper are battling each other. They crash into the dark, and all goes silent.
> 
> Time to go home.
> 
> I know there are all kinds of ideas out there for lighting and sound effects and whatnot.  I refer you to Revenant and his Theater of the Mind segment on HauntCast, where he recommended a soundtrack that would allow even the blind to know what is happening in each scene.
> 
> None of these ideas are original to me, but I hope in presenting them here I have helped in some way.


WOW, YOU JUST SENT ME INTO SENSORY OVERLOAD!!!!!!!!!! I love the chicken wire ghost idea!! AWESOME!!! Also loving the idea of a ghostly shape darting in and out of the trees! I will be up late looking at these links now LOL. Great ideas, thanks for sharing!!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Jacksonville Haunter said:


> *I have not tried it but I saw it online. A small pit built into your path about 2 feet deep and covered with plexiglass make your TOT walk over it. Now all you do is add snakes, big spiders, raccoons, kittens, anything scary. Real or fake would work, leave air holes for live critters. Make it overly tuff with 4"x4" frame.*
> *Good Luck*


Hmmm, liking that....going to give that one some thought! Thanks for sharing!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

HalloweeNut said:


> Personally, I think the woods at night at Halloween is scary enough. Use that as a starting point; I'd have strange and horrible creatures following guests around at points through out the trail, along with maybe having non-actors (ticket takers, etc) wear skull-makeup and white hooded robes with spooky runes painted on them in blood (gives it that "Satanic" feeling). The scenes on the trail don't have to be related themeaticaly, but I think a story line helps. Scenes I think would work well include Ed Gein-style cannibal house (avoid the cliche of chainsaws), graverobbery-in-progress, creepy devil-worshipping ceremony in the woods, witch's pumpkin patch, and long abandoned cemetery. Hope this helps. Just one more thing: you'll need a good, strong name for your haunt. Best of luck!


**The name of the location is better than any name we could have picked. It is " THE HAUNTED WOODS ON CEMETERY LANE". Yes, it is actually located on Cemetery lane, that is the real street name. 134 Cemetery lane in the address LOL.**


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## Scarypumpkinpie

THANK-YOU FOR ALL THESE AMAZING SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS!!!!!!!!! I will be unable to sleep tonight with my mind racing over all this!


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## JustJimAZ

jessjaja said:


> WOW, YOU JUST SENT ME INTO SENSORY OVERLOAD!!!!!!!!!! I love the chicken wire ghost idea!! AWESOME!!! Also loving the idea of a ghostly shape darting in and out of the trees! I will be up late looking at these links now LOL. Great ideas, thanks for sharing!!


 Have fun, and be sure to post pictures and video so we can see the final result!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

I am really liking that bottomless pit idea. But, the glass stuff, plexi glass or whatever, has to be SUPER thick...and it is very expensive. I was thinking that a pit full of skulls and bones would be cool though, with a light that would illuminate the pit from the bottom and filter through the bones. You could have your light flick on as you pass by it, maybe some screaming sound effects too. I could put an old rotting fence up along the front of the pit, to keep anyone from accidentally stepping in it. Maybe I could even add it into my cemetery scene, perhaps some mass grave that is unmarked?


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## Hairazor

Wow, wow, wow! Great ideas. You mention a corn field. A few years ago I went to a haunt that had a corn field. They had several actors dressed and painted to look like stalks of corn with the head looking like an ear of corn. You did not even see them till they lunged out at you. That was my favorite part of that haunt. So wish I had a picture of it. Woods of course make me think Little Red Riding Hood and there has already been mentioned a wolf sooo double duty. Would it be possible to use maybe chicken wire (covered with burlap or something and dirt and grass) to make what would look like a cave to the side of a path. It could be full of bones, etc. and maybe even a critter or 2 eating on the bones. Oh I so love Halloween!!


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## Bethene

the haunt in the woods intrigues me so, seeing as I have no woods of my own , I am living vicariously thru you, am enjoying this thread, and every ones suggestions, can not wait to see how it all pulls together!


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## JustJimAZ

jessjaja said:


> I am really liking that bottomless pit idea. But, the glass stuff, plexi glass or whatever, has to be SUPER thick...and it is very expensive. I was thinking that a pit full of skulls and bones would be cool though, with a light that would illuminate the pit from the bottom and filter through the bones. You could have your light flick on as you pass by it, maybe some screaming sound effects too. I could put an old rotting fence up along the front of the pit, to keep anyone from accidentally stepping in it. Maybe I could even add it into my cemetery scene, perhaps some mass grave that is unmarked?


Well, if you're going to do that, something popping up would be cool too! An actor or a prop.

BTW - just a note on plexiglass. It sure is expensive! I happened to find a piece in the desert that is a bit over 24" square and about 1" thick. It would support a lot of weight. Apparently some people will throw anything away. It is possible that some reclaimed building materials store will have a suitable piece. I would love to build a skull pit like you describe, in the path, covered with plexiglass and it lights up as people step on it. Then 2 seconds later, something gruesome and wet slams into the glass from below. HAHAHhahaha!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

We actually have a store here that deals in items like that, left over supplies or slightly damaged good ( dented paint cans, scratched or chipped glass, etc) I may just check in with them every now & then to see if they have any come through. Maybe they can take my name & phone number and call me if they get some. Even if it was scratched up or the edges were chipped it would still be fine for a bottomless pit idea. Your idea also made me think about our local glass shop, that also deals in plexiglass. They often have pieces that they will sell cheaper that are sort of like their "scraps" left over from bigger pieces they have cut. I did call them, and they said orders for that thickness are not common, but they do occasionally have them. They took down my number and said they would call if they had any discounted pieces suitable for what I needed. But, even if I don't come across any for this year, I am still going to do the pit of bones. Eventually I will come across a piece of plexiglass that thick, even if it takes me a while to find it


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Anytime


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## fontgeek

Maybe a "rickety" wood bridge that crosses over the pit of skulls, that way you don't have to have super thick plexiglass on top of the pit.
I just saw an advertisement in one of my local throwaway papers for someone selling off very large mirrors (8'x10') for $165 a piece. Something like that would do great for the bottom half of the bottomless pit, or for the same trick for an endless hallway or crypt.


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## Johnmonster

I didn't read every single sentence posted thus far, so forgive me if I dig up previously exhumed corpses.

Have you considered an actor as a grave digger? Dig out a grave shaped hole, about 6-12 inches deep. Put your actor in an old fashioned costume, keep the makeup creepy but not too outlandish. Give him a shovel. Your customers wander along and hear: SHIKT... ploff... SHIKT... ploff....SHIKT... ploff...

That would creep me out in a wood between two cemeteries. Have the actor basically ignore the customers; he has a job to do, and they don't matter. If questioned he might say "This one is for you, sir (ma'am). It will be nice and roomy, my finest work yet." SHIKT...ploff...SHIKT...ploff.

Perhaps a ghoul who digs and scrabbles in front of a large tombstone, eager and hungry. When spotted, he darts behind the tombstone and peeks over it. He could chase them if their reaction calls for it.

Clown funeral. A marker stone with some clownish name on it, like "Here Lies Boffo" One or two clowns stand over it, from behind they look like fairly normal mourners, but when costumers get close, they turn and regard them in full, disturbing clown face.

If you have an appropriate tree and the right actor, you could put a dummy on a fake noose and have the actor stay (safely) up in the tree and drop the hanging victim down when the time is right.

Maybe add a small pet cemetery, with little tombstones done in childish writing with pet names. I envision a ghostly little boy endlessly tossing a stick or bone at a dog's grave marker, each time sadly recovering the object and trying again, surely his best friend still wants to play?

Just a few ideas that came to me while reading about your haunt.


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## JustJimAZ

fontgeek said:


> Maybe a "rickety" wood bridge that crosses over the pit of skulls, that way you don't have to have super thick plexiglass on top of the pit.
> I just saw an advertisement in one of my local throwaway papers for someone selling off very large mirrors (8'x10') for $165 a piece. Something like that would do great for the bottom half of the bottomless pit, or for the same trick for an endless hallway or crypt.


Yeah - a bridge gives you the best of both - they are on top of it yet no plexiglass required.

I am pretty sure for mirrors, the mirrored film sold at auto stores would still be way cheaper. if there is no need for anyone to see through one side of the mirror, couldn't that film be applied to plywood?



Johnmonster said:


> Have you considered an actor as a grave digger? Dig out a grave shaped hole, about 6-12 inches deep. Put your actor in an old fashioned costume, keep the makeup creepy but not too outlandish. Give him a shovel. Your customers wander along and hear: SHIKT... ploff... SHIKT... ploff....SHIKT... ploff...
> 
> That would creep me out in a wood between two cemeteries. Have the actor basically ignore the customers; he has a job to do, and they don't matter. If questioned he might say "This one is for you, sir (ma'am). It will be nice and roomy, my finest work yet." SHIKT...ploff...SHIKT...ploff.
> 
> Perhaps a ghoul who digs and scrabbles in front of a large tombstone, eager and hungry. When spotted, he darts behind the tombstone and peeks over it. He could chase them if their reaction calls for it.
> 
> If you have an appropriate tree and the right actor, you could put a dummy on a fake noose and have the actor stay (safely) up in the tree and drop the hanging victim down when the time is right.
> 
> Maybe add a small pet cemetery, with little tombstones done in childish writing with pet names. I envision a ghostly little boy endlessly tossing a stick or bone at a dog's grave marker, each time sadly recovering the object and trying again, surely his best friend still wants to play?
> 
> Just a few ideas that came to me while reading about your haunt.


All those would be very cool, and if I may say so, would fit right in with the vision I had of the woods - though yours makes much better use of the cemeteries nearby. The pet cemetery seems especially unique to me.


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## fontgeek

Mylar film is not cheap, so you need to look at the cost of the base material and the Mylar.
Mylar is reflective, but not as reflective as a true mirror, and it would show all of the wood texture, for better or for worse, and unless you have it firmly mounted to the glass, wood, etc., it would get snagged and torn in a hurry. With some care, glass is remarkably durable. If you are going for the bottomless pit of skulls, keep in mind that for that effect to work, that the viewer's side of the two way mirror needs to be darker than the space between the standard mirror and the reflective side of the two way mirror.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

OOOHHHH fontgeek, I love love love the bridge idea!!!!!! I already have an abundance of lumber and ( drum roll ) MIRRORS!!!! Because I restore antiques, I am forever needing to replace the mirrors on things like dressers and vanities. The best way to get the glass is to buy mirrors at garage sales and auctions, where I find them for dirt cheap. I buy all sizes, and when I need to replace a mirror, I just take the frame along with the glass out of one of the mirrors I bought to the local glass shop and have it cut to size. So, I have all kinds of mirrors here I can use! Hooray!!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Johnmonster, I love the idea of the little boy tossing the stick! But, it is so cold down in the woods after dark at that time of the year here, I don't think a child could stand it. We dress in layers and have fires and such, but it still gets very cold when you are out there in it the entire night. It was all I could do to stand it myself by the end of the season. By midnight we could all see our breath that last night, it was freezing! But, maybe the child's dog is buried there, and there is a child's voice calling his dog as we walk by the cemetery. Then maybe the sound of a dog whimpering....then maybe the sound of something attacking the dog...the dog fighting back...but loosing in the end.


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## Johnmonster

jessjaja said:


> Johnmonster, I love the idea of the little boy tossing the stick! But, it is so cold down in the woods after dark at that time of the year here, I don't think a child could stand it. We dress in layers and have fires and such, but it still gets very cold when you are out there in it the entire night. It was all I could do to stand it myself by the end of the season. By midnight we could all see our breath that last night, it was freezing! But, maybe the child's dog is buried there, and there is a child's voice calling his dog as we walk by the cemetery. Then maybe the sound of a dog whimpering....then maybe the sound of something attacking the dog...the dog fighting back...but loosing in the end.


That sounds great. I didn't think about temperature (probably because at my haunt we are sweating all season). The idea of a story told with sounds is really good. At my haunt, we don't have the luxury of using subtle sound because it's indoors and sort of jam packed; any sounds meant to convey atmosphere or tell a tale have to be louder than the ambient racket.


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## fontgeek

If you want to go the carnivore route (werewolves, etc.), how about having one actor who's basically buried or below ground except for their head, with a fake body above ground that's being devoured by the carnivore, to the point where the top half of the body is severed from the bottom half, the "body" should be dressed like one of the guests. The "victim" can also have the upper chest and arms and shoulders exposed so that they can wave their arms around while they are screaming or gurgling up blood. The crowd comes upon the scene with the carnivore with their back to the crowd, on all fours noshing away on the victim, it's not 'til it turns on the crowd that the people really see what it's doing to the victim, by then the carnivore is growling or something and coming towards the crowd as others of the same type of creature come out from the woods behind the crowd. There should be plenty of "blood" on the face, arms, and hands of the dining carnivore. Be it zombie, werewolf, or some other monster, the same kind of terror works on most people. Like a good roller
coaster it's the feeling of being vulnerable and in danger, while also knowing at the back of their mind that the aren't really going to be eaten. Well, probably not.
You can have other bodies in various states, all with the heads removed to help tie in your skull pit to the story line or tale.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Fontgeek, I don't know if I will do a carnivore, but that is a good idea for the scene if I do! The story line includes the family that dies here in various ways inflicted by the "evil" in the woods. This also includes their dog. I was thinking more in the line of walking by cemetery, the tour guide stopping to illuminating the dogs marker with their lantern. The tour guide would then say something to the effect of " It is said if you listen closely, you can hear the voice of the boy calling to his dog, trying to save it from the evil waiting in these woods." Then the tour guide would walk a few steps as if leading on to the next scene. Someone would then start the audio of the boy calling, the dog being ripped apart, etc. But then what? This dog has been dead for years and years, the boys as well. It is a replay of voices from beyond the grave. It seems you must have something jump out or scare about the time the recording would end. What would it be? Perhaps this would be the opportunity to work in the bridge over the skull pit? Have the group on it as the recording ends, only to have the bridge light up under their feet, revealing the massive burial pit & then the audio of massive screaming from the poor souls.


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## Johnmonster

Jess, I don't think an atmospheric moment, like the recording would be, has to pay off with an immediate startle. A startle should follow it, but not necessarily right on its heels. Sometimes a creepy, unnerving gimmick should stand on its own and then smoothly segue into a "scare their pants off and send them running" moment. I'm guessing you know about the Startle-Atmosphere-Startle-Atmosphere formula many use.

If the dog/boy audio gimmick comes right after a big scare, it'll give them a chance to catch their breath before you nail them again. Fifteen or twenty seconds worth of walking distance to the next startle can be enough. You can tie the next scare into the dog/boy audio or make it something like the bridge scenario you mentioned. You'll figure out the perfect timing once you get it set up- then you'll see the customers, in their glorious chaos, wreck your careful timing.


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## fontgeek

As Johnmonster poined out, you don't have to have someone jump out and yell boo at someone for a good scare, often times it's the suggestion of what's going on that does more for the scare. If you have stereo speakers setup, one on each side of the trail, you could do the boy's voice in one, then the dog screaming in the other a moment later. Pointing the speakers away from the hikers helps hide the location of the speaker. We've shown lots of complex spider webs with spiders in them and then hung black or dark threads down into the range of peoples faces a little later to great effect. The suggestion of the spiders made by the earlier scene made people start thinking of the webs. The hanging threads kind of pushed them over the edge. It was the suggestion of possibilities that made the scare, not actual spiders jumping out at them.

If you had a stereo doing the boy and dog that could be switched by remote control, it could be triggered by the guide. With the remote set at a standard spot where each guide would stop to tell the story, they could each press the play button when they got to the spot. With a short CD or MP3 player just having and playing the one bit, it would mean that each time someone hit play, it would do it's thing and then stop, which is just what you need for that effect. Glowing pairs of red eyes in the dark don't hurt the effect either. They can show up all through the haunt. That kind of effect can make the people feel like they are being stalked by something(s).


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## Scarypumpkinpie

johnmonster & fontgeek, you are right. Last year we had a long stretch of trail that was dimly lit with snarled branches tangled over head. It was made that way by mother nature. It gave an almost perfect tunnel effect. The anticipation of what was coming down the tunnel, or lurking in the dark of the tunnel, had people screaming if a leaf blew in front of them LOL. So, I think you are right, there does not need to be an immediate scare after. Fontgeek, I LOVE THE SPEAKER IDEA! What's even better is the remote idea! I actually already have one CD player with a remote. I can buy another cheap CD player with a remote, hook up my speakers, set them up on opposite sides and presto! Ohhhh, this just gets better and better, I am loving it!


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## fontgeek

I was thinking of two speakers running from the same stereo, so it would just be one stereo recording that has both the boy and the dog on one disk. You could use a "plant" that falls in behind each group, he or she could be the one with the remote control. Make sure they have extra batteries for the remote control unit. The guide can give a preset sign that signals the plant or hidden worker to trigger the sound. Maybe scratching his or her head, pointing off to a point in the distance, or something.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Yes, that makes more sense, what was I thinking?? For some reason I was thinking 2 discs, one for the boy one for the dog, one on each side of the trail. Paint fumes are finally eating at my brain cells tonight. WOW...just let me dip my finger in this paint & write IDIOT on my forehead now  I really need to get some sleep.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

I tried to plant some actors last year, and it was hard to pull off. Because the area where people wait in line is open ( several acres of flat field) and there was a steady stream of customers, it made it hard to put a convincing plant in. It seemed there was rarely an opportunity to slip someone in. I thought maybe a better idea would be to have an actor in regular clothes run up at the beginning of the tour as soon as we start through the entrance, to ask some unimportant question. Acting annoyed, the tour guide could give a short answer, mentioning the actors name. " The batteries are in the trailer Tony!" At some point in the tour have a dead scene where "Tony" should have been. Then have someone come over the walkie talkies saying they can't find "Tony". The tour guide can angrily reply he wasn't at his scene either. Further down the trail, when the group has sort of forgotten about irresponsible "Tony" have him with his back to the group in plain sight. Perhaps he is breathing heavily, slightly slumped over. As the group nears, have the tour guide began to angrily demand " Tony! What are you doing! " Tony would then turn to reveal he has became another victim to the woods. Perhaps he starts a chainsaw before he turns around, revealing his new ghoulish face ( some sort of mask ). Then everyone begins to scream and we all have to get away from him.


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## fontgeek

That might work once or twice, but I think the people in line would start seeing the pattern if someone runs up at the start of every group. Maybe just have an actor/security person hidden in the woods to push the button/trigger the sounds. It would give some extra security for that area of your haunt, and make an easy rest spot for actors who need a break from being monsters or screamers.


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## scareme

A strange world indeed. This afternoon I spent over an hour looking for masking tape ghosts to post here. Allen H had some really good examples with a class he had one week end. I couldn't find anything. Now I came back after supper and one of Yahoo's main stories is the packing tape people. This would be some cool cheap ghosts throughout the woods with a led light in them at night. And errie effect at night.

http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/unplugged/ll-stuck-incredible-tape-art-175347025.html

http://www.tapesculpture.org/gallery.html


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## scareme

In the same medium, here are some packing tape spider webs I love the look of. And at night, if they were made really large, with the right light, I think they would look nice.

http://www.google.com/search?q=tape...7IoaPsQKItY2wCQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1277&bih=545


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## Scarypumpkinpie

scareme said:


> A strange world indeed. This afternoon I spent over an hour looking for masking tape ghosts to post here. Allen H had some really good examples with a class he had one week end. I couldn't find anything. Now I came back after supper and one of Yahoo's main stories is the packing tape people. This would be some cool cheap ghosts throughout the woods with a led light in them at night. And errie effect at night.
> 
> http://games.yahoo.com/blogs/unplugged/ll-stuck-incredible-tape-art-175347025.html
> 
> http://www.tapesculpture.org/gallery.html


I LOVE THOSE! With the right lighting they would be a great ghost effect!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

scareme said:


> In the same medium, here are some packing tape spider webs I love the look of. And at night, if they were made really large, with the right light, I think they would look nice.
> 
> http://www.google.com/search?q=tape...7IoaPsQKItY2wCQ&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1277&bih=545


Those are awesome! You could make a corpse and wrap it in a cocoon in your giant web too, as if it was a meal for the giant spider!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> That might work once or twice, but I think the people in line would start seeing the pattern if someone runs up at the start of every group. Maybe just have an actor/security person hidden in the woods to push the button/trigger the sounds. It would give some extra security for that area of your haunt, and make an easy rest spot for actors who need a break from being monsters or screamers.


 I am going to have cornstalks that I will be planting soon as a thick natural blind. Last year we used tarps and plastic, but the wind ripped them up at times and we were forever patching them. I will still have some sort of a "curtain" or door that you will actually walk through, then take a sharp turn and disappear behind the stalks into the woods. It will keep those in line from peering into the woods and seeing the scenes. After we begin our decent into the woods where we would not be visible from the crowd would be where I would have had this actor come in. But, maybe it is a bit much. It may seem more annoying than scary to use this as part of the story line.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

This idea would be more for my own amusement than anything else, but I thought about using a stuffed skunk at one point last year. Can you imagine the reaction to a realistic looking one coming through the grass with tail raised? Talk about the crowd scattering LOL!!!


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## fontgeek

I think the skunk wold be great, maybe giving it glowing red eyes.

If a blind won't work, you might consider a gillie suit or hunters camouflage for that person, those would let them move to whatever the best spot is to do their work, and if they get spotted they could be something like the creature from the black lagoon.


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## remylass

fontgeek said:


> I think the skunk wold be great, maybe giving it glowing red eyes.
> 
> If a blind won't work, you might consider a gillie suit or hunters camouflage for that person, those would let them move to whatever the best spot is to do their work, and if they get spotted they could be something like the creature from the black lagoon.


I second the gillie suit idea. They have gotten me a few times over the years. You just don't pay any attention to them when they are in foliage.


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## scareme

Dang, jessjaja, with the way this thread is going I just might have to make a trip out to TN this Oct to check out your haunt. It sounds like the makings of a fun night.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> I think the skunk wold be great, maybe giving it glowing red eyes.
> 
> If a blind won't work, you might consider a gillie suit or hunters camouflage for that person, those would let them move to whatever the best spot is to do their work, and if they get spotted they could be something like the creature from the black lagoon.


LOL, we think a lot alike sometimes  Here is a link to a photo of an actor in a gillie suit we used last year. It was actually his own gillie suit that he made himself. He used it when he hunted. It was perfect in the woods!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.ph...20646424&set=t.100000720251969&type=1&theater


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## Scarypumpkinpie

AHHHHH!!! Everyone run....rabid skunk!!! Have it foaming at the mouth..LOLOLOL!!!! Now that would be hilarious! I couldn't keep a straight face if I tried!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

scareme said:


> Dang, jessjaja, with the way this thread is going I just might have to make a trip out to TN this Oct to check out your haunt. It sounds like the makings of a fun night.


If you drove from Oklahoma, I would have to let you in free


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## scareme

jessjaja said:


> If you drove from Oklahoma, I would have to let you in free


Heck, if we drive all the way from Oklahoma, I'd insist you should put us to work.


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## tattman98

I have haunted woods for 13 years,and it was some of the most fun I have ever had. The problem that we had in the woods was when we decorated in the daylight,it never looked like it was enough.Things seemed like they were to spaced out.And there just wasn't enough to go around. The daylight has a way of shrinking your props. so you just keep adding to it,( DO NOT FALL VICTIM TO THIS). The best way I have found to do this is to decorate in the daytime and walk away, then go back in the evening to check for gaps. There are 3 very important factors to doing this,and it all involves lighting,not electrical (NATURAL LIGHTING) the keys are daylight,twilight,and dark some things look good in the day but when you come back at night they do not impress you,fix it then.
Twilight I have found is the best time to do this,you may not think so but try it. if it creeps (YOU) out in the twilight, and you are the person who designed it,then you job is done. And it will look great in the dark. These 3 key elements have always worked well for me in the past. Give it a whirl you will like the outcome I promise. And may you hear many screams for your pleasure..........


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Yes, decorating the woods in the daytime is deceiving. I found it best to decorate, then walk through when it got dark. Some things that look great in the daytime are either not visible or do not look the way you planned at all. I don't know how many things I had to start all over on last year, or completely redo. Though I love my haunted woods, there is no way I am staying down there in it at night alone LOL. I can only get someone to go with me after dark once in a while, so a very quick walk through with my dog is as good as it gets most nights.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

scareme said:


> Heck, if we drive all the way from Oklahoma, I'd insist you should put us to work.


LOL, spoken like a true haunter


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## tattman98

Like I said try decorating in the twilight. We also tried bomb pots,they were a lot of fun to,and they are easy to do, no powder or explosive device needs to be used. But it does require the use of a small compressor though. All you need is a 55 gal drum that has been cut in half, an empty 1gal oil jug that has the lid glued on and taped for security purposes, drill a hole the size of your air outlet through the lid and secure the hose to make sure it does not come out of the hole. then pump it full of air till it explodes. The drum makes the sound reverberate. I even made a few of the so called haunt veterans come unglued with this one. We even set them in the small creek that ran through the property,just under the water. The geyser was great,and you could even feel that one through the ground,but we had to stop that one, a customer complained we got her shirt (WET AND ICKY) we had to buy her a new shirt. But then again she came back the next year and enjoyed herself thoroughly....... MANY HAPPY HAUNTING S, HOPE THIS HELPS


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## gypsyrose

How about a scene using just a glowing mask in the dark coming for them? I have seen that before & it is pretty cool. The actor dresses in all black and creeps in wearing a glowing mask. You could use a mask that suits your theme.


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## fontgeek

Ideally, scares need to fall within the story line or theme of the haunt, so just having a face or glowing mask would be a bit of a tough sell to guests, especially if you have worked at a story line for the rest of the haunt. And this haunt is more or less out in the open, the actor can't casually duck behind a corner or into a closet to end the chase. Maybe on someone in a gillie suit who could dive into the brush or something to hide the mask at the end of the chase, but it would still need to have some tie in to the story line of the haunt


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## Scarypumpkinpie

gypsyrose said:


> How about a scene using just a glowing mask in the dark coming for them? I have seen that before & it is pretty cool. The actor dresses in all black and creeps in wearing a glowing mask. You could use a mask that suits your theme.


Gypsyrose, I do appreciate the suggestion. But Fontgeek is right ( as usual LOL) it would be a tough sell using the mask idea. I think that idea would be better used in a haunted house environment with areas for the masked actor to dart in and out of, hide behind, etc.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> Ideally, scares need to fall within the story line or theme of the haunt, so just having a face or glowing mask would be a bit of a tough sell to guests, especially if you have worked at a story line for the rest of the haunt. And this haunt is more or less out in the open, the actor can't casually duck behind a corner or into a closet to end the chase. Maybe on someone in a gillie suit who could dive into the brush or something to hide the mask at the end of the chase, but it would still need to have some tie in to the story line of the haunt


I would love to make a gillie suit like one of my actors had last year. My dad has plenty of assorted sizes of camo pants and jackets. I have watched some you tube videos on how to make one. Looks simple but time consuming. I found some on Ebay for around 70.00. I am thinking they would probably not be as bushy or well blended to the woods as one I made myself though. I could also make my older kids do the tedious tying. Free labor hehehe


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## Johnmonster

If you did decide you wanted to have someone in a glowing mask, it would work best as a follower, requiring a dependable and energetic actor. You'd have to work the character into the narrative, as a lost soul or similar creature of the night. Perhaps he was a grave digger who gazed up at the moon as he worked, his solemn features illumined by the light of the moon. Even in death, his face radiates moonlight. It is said that the unwary, caught in the woods in the deepest of dark, see his radiant visage from afar, and, thinking they see the glow of a sexton's lantern, move toward him, and to their doom.

So... if you wanted to do something like this, you'd have to equip the actor with a large flap of opaque cloth sewn to the top of a knit cap, much like a veil that obscures the entire head. When he stalks, he flips the cloth cover behind his head. When he wants to disappear, he flips it over the face and ducks down.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Johnmonster - You have done it again. Another idea that sparked 5 more in my mind LOL. I do love the idea of the stalker in the woods following the group. I could make use of the trees on this one. By attaching ropes and pulleys between two trees, I could have my stalker follow from a distance in the woods, off to one side. Having an actor from the previous scene pull the rope would get the stalker moving. Glowing red eyes would catch the groups attention as the dark shape followed them. It would give the feeling of one stalker following the whole time, always from a distance through the trees. Just when you think it is gone, there it is again. It would be a great distraction where a distraction is needed. Sort of like positioning a dummy dressed as a werewolf to distract the groups eyes so they never see the live werewolf coming. Perhaps it is an unholy thing waiting to take it's next victim, sizing them up, choosing the one it wants. Because most of the trees are pretty large, I could make a life sized stalker. Maybe a sort of cloaked grim reaper shape, red glowing eyes peering from under the hood. By using black braided rope, and having my stalker at a distance, it should give the illusion of it moving on it's own. What do you think of that idea?


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## Scarypumpkinpie

tattman98 said:


> Like I said try decorating in the twilight. We also tried bomb pots,they were a lot of fun to,and they are easy to do, no powder or explosive device needs to be used. But it does require the use of a small compressor though. All you need is a 55 gal drum that has been cut in half, an empty 1gal oil jug that has the lid glued on and taped for security purposes, drill a hole the size of your air outlet through the lid and secure the hose to make sure it does not come out of the hole. then pump it full of air till it explodes. The drum makes the sound reverberate. I even made a few of the so called haunt veterans come unglued with this one. We even set them in the small creek that ran through the property,just under the water. The geyser was great,and you could even feel that one through the ground,but we had to stop that one, a customer complained we got her shirt (WET AND ICKY) we had to buy her a new shirt. But then again she came back the next year and enjoyed herself thoroughly....... MANY HAPPY HAUNTING S, HOPE THIS HELPS


Hmmmm....I do like the idea of an explosion  It could easily be hidden among the trees too.


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## Johnmonster

jessjaja said:


> Johnmonster - You have done it again. Another idea that sparked 5 more in my mind LOL. I do love the idea of the stalker in the woods following the group. I could make use of the trees on this one. By attaching ropes and pulleys between two trees, I could have my stalker follow from a distance in the woods, off to one side. Having an actor from the previous scene pull the rope would get the stalker moving. Glowing red eyes would catch the groups attention as the dark shape followed them. It would give the feeling of one stalker following the whole time, always from a distance through the trees. Just when you think it is gone, there it is again. It would be a great distraction where a distraction is needed. Sort of like positioning a dummy dressed as a werewolf to distract the groups eyes so they never see the live werewolf coming. Perhaps it is an unholy thing waiting to take it's next victim, sizing them up, choosing the one it wants. Because most of the trees are pretty large, I could make a life sized stalker. Maybe a sort of cloaked grim reaper shape, red glowing eyes peering from under the hood. By using black braided rope, and having my stalker at a distance, it should give the illusion of it moving on it's own. What do you think of that idea?


That would be great, Jess, if you can work out all the kinks. I don't have a lot of experience with that sort of set-up, but I suspect it would be prone to malfunctions. You'd have to make it Murphy-proof. Is there a reason you couldn't use an actor instead of a mechanical effect? With the ropes, you'll have to have someone reset it each time.

It may be that I am not grasping the exact effect you are after. Kinda feel like I am kicking dirt on your ideas, but that's not my intention. I'm just trying to point out things that might become problems for you. I like the idea of the red-eyed Grim Reaper. Just seems it would be more effective as a costume than as an animated prop. From my experience, if you want a stalker to shadow and menace the group, an actor is the best way.

Is it that you intend the Reaper to be mostly static, just visible from various parts of the trail?


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## fontgeek

If you want the stalker with the mask, there's no rule that says the mask actually has to be over their face. Mounting it on their chest or stomach would give more of a gremlin kind of effect and it would keep the stalker from going blind every time the flap has to come down. The flap could still be above it, maybe with a patch of velcro or a sewn in magnate to secure it in place. A piece of velcro or a magnet could be attached below the mask to let them secure the flap when it's in it's down position.
Having the mask lower on the stalker also tends to give the stalker a deformed shape as a silhouette. It would make them look like they have a huge, hunched back, and the gillie suit would make them resemble bigfoot if anyone could see them clearly. Making the flap so that it matches the gillie suit would also help the effect. Heck, you could put a mask on each knee to make it look like there are two little demons hunting the group. How and where you place the mask could make a huge difference on how the effect appears to the guests.


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## Johnmonster

fontgeek said:


> If you want the stalker with the mask, there's no rule that says the mask actually has to be over their face...


That's a good point, Fontgeek. At our haunt, we have a dot room. The actress in there now holds the mask in her hand rather than wear it. She can move it quickly and more erratically that way. Also, she doesn't get punched in the face by overly reactive customers.


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## tattman98

You can also make duplicate dummies and mount them to rollers on bailing wire,that way you don't have to clear trees. just take them up to the trees then they appear to disappear and then reappear on the other side of the tree. just like they have walked right through the tree. Just remember bailing wire is a woods haunters best friend keep plenty on stock.
We have used baling wire to guide rocket motors down toward the unsuspecting customers. You simply use rocket motors from the hobby store,loop a piece of wire around them and then twist the wire tight and create a loop so it can ride the baling wire. This also got many approvals. Just make sure you have plenty of batteries for your 
detonator. We have also tied white pieces of fabric to these and launched them from the ground,they became high speed ghost so to speak.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

I had one ghost on a motor between two trees last year and it worked well. I Actually bought it at a store, but the ghost that came with it was pretty lame looking. Basically a white piece of fabric with a black happy face drawn on it. It was cheap, only 10.00 I think. So I tweaked it a little, taking the crap happy face fabric off and adding my own ghost. I just used a hot glue gun and glued a light weight latex skull mask to the motor and draped some white shear fabric ( an old sheer curtain panel ) over it and presto...a much better ghost.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> If you want the stalker with the mask, there's no rule that says the mask actually has to be over their face. Mounting it on their chest or stomach would give more of a gremlin kind of effect and it would keep the stalker from going blind every time the flap has to come down. The flap could still be above it, maybe with a patch of velcro or a sewn in magnate to secure it in place. A piece of velcro or a magnet could be attached below the mask to let them secure the flap when it's in it's down position.
> Having the mask lower on the stalker also tends to give the stalker a deformed shape as a silhouette. It would make them look like they have a huge, hunched back, and the gillie suit would make them resemble bigfoot if anyone could see them clearly. Making the flap so that it matches the gillie suit would also help the effect. Heck, you could put a mask on each knee to make it look like there are two little demons hunting the group. How and where you place the mask could make a huge difference on how the effect appears to the guests.


I just don't know about this whole mask thing. I think it is like you said at first, it would be hard to pull off. With the woods being so open I think I would rather put my actors toward something more scary. The running a reaper guy on a wire might be something good to use as a distraction, sort of a filler if you will. I think I will just keep this in my plan B file....something to fall back on if I need to.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Johnmonster said:


> That would be great, Jess, if you can work out all the kinks. I don't have a lot of experience with that sort of set-up, but I suspect it would be prone to malfunctions. You'd have to make it Murphy-proof. Is there a reason you couldn't use an actor instead of a mechanical effect? With the ropes, you'll have to have someone reset it each time.
> 
> It may be that I am not grasping the exact effect you are after. Kinda feel like I am kicking dirt on your ideas, but that's not my intention. I'm just trying to point out things that might become problems for you. I like the idea of the red-eyed Grim Reaper. Just seems it would be more effective as a costume than as an animated prop. From my experience, if you want a stalker to shadow and menace the group, an actor is the best way.
> 
> Is it that you intend the Reaper to be mostly static, just visible from various parts of the trail?


The trail is a pretty good little hike, taking about 15 to 20 minutes or so to walk it one way with a tour group in tow. Without walking a tour through, it can be quickly walked over in about 5-8 minutes, depending on how fast you walk. Not bad if you are a paying customer taking one tour. But as a tour guide last year, it is near impossible to have just one person walk it all night. I needed 3 guides when we were busy to rotate out. Not unless you were in excellent physical condition and able to hike continuously for 4 or more hours, and none of us were that athletic LOL. I guess I could rotate actors out for the stalker guy, but I would rather use them for better scares. That is why I was thinking about stringing up some fake ones in the trees. I may just use this as a distraction or static like you said where I need something like that.


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## fontgeek

How about a cave with the glowing, blinking eyes, with the loud, low growls, pawing and scratching, etc. coming from within. Remnants of guests clothing that is shredded and bloody around the opening, heck, even some flyers from our haunt, would help sell the scares and scene. Those same kind of glowing eyes can be placed throughout your haunt, and also put on any chasers/creatures of the night that you will have roaming around in your haunt. Between those eyes and a gillie suit you could get a lot of milage for your haunt.


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## fontgeek

Corpsed hands and arms that have broken through the surface of the ground, holding a screaming or deceased "guest" to the ground just before or just after a tour's guide has told his group not to wander off the trail. Making wire armatures for the hands and arms and having them deeply anchored with bungee cords would allow the actor to fasten the hands or arms to them, the actors, and the bungee cords would help keep them anchored and give them some resistance when the actor "struggles" to get away.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> How about a cave with the glowing, blinking eyes, with the loud, low growls, pawing and scratching, etc. coming from within. Remnants of guests clothing that is shredded and bloody around the opening, heck, even some flyers from our haunt, would help sell the scares and scene. Those same kind of glowing eyes can be placed throughout your haunt, and also put on any chasers/creatures of the night that you will have roaming around in your haunt. Between those eyes and a gillie suit you could get a lot of milage for your haunt.


I like the idea of the glowing eyes, I had been thinking on that one. I LOVE the idea of a cave! I have tons and tons of river rock on site. I could make a sort of cave effect, more like a thicket out of brush, bending it and lashing it together to give the cave effect. The river rocks are light in color, almost a creamy white, most are anyway. I could lay them out at the "cave" entrance, soak an old towel in red paint, then drag it into the cave along the rocks. It should give the look that something bleeding heavily was dragged into the "cave". The light color of the rocks should show the red paint up well.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

jessjaja said:


> I like the idea of the glowing eyes, I had been thinking on that one. I LOVE the idea of a cave! I have tons and tons of river rock on site. I could make a sort of cave effect, more like a thicket out of brush, bending it and lashing it together to give the cave effect. The river rocks are light in color, almost a creamy white, most are anyway. I could lay them out at the "cave" entrance, soak an old towel in red paint, then drag it into the cave along the rocks. It should give the look that something bleeding heavily was dragged into the "cave". The light color of the rocks should show the red paint up well.


Oh....here we go again with these ideas going crazy in my head!  I could set the cave up to be closer to the trail. As the group passes by, I could have an 2 actors hidden inside. They could sort of fall out of the cave, crawling and screaming on the ground, all bloody and gory, crawling towards the group. I could have another actor "blacked out" inside the cave, showing only their demon claw hands with arms come out to drag the victim back inside, where the sound of flesh ripping would make the victim suddenly silent.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> Corpsed hands and arms that have broken through the surface of the ground, holding a screaming or deceased "guest" to the ground just before or just after a tour's guide has told his group not to wander off the trail. Making wire armatures for the hands and arms and having them deeply anchored with bungee cords would allow the actor to fasten the hands or arms to them, the actors, and the bungee cords would help keep them anchored and give them some resistance when the actor "struggles" to get away.


I LOVE IT, I could apply this idea to the cave as well and use one actor instead of 2


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## fontgeek

If you have a boombox with a remote control the same actor who has been caught by the ground breakers could trigger the sounds of the creatures "feasting" inside the cave. You could put a small oscillating fan with the LED eyes mounted on it inside the cave, the mild movement of the air and the eyes, and sounds would help complete the scene, and still require only one actor to take care of it all. You could have a CD of continuos "feasting going on all the time, just set the CD player to repeat on the track, or the whole CD if it's all that's on it. You could mix in howls, growls, jaws snapping, etc. to give it some variety. You can use the fan's motion to move other pairs of eyes via an attached string and pulley setup.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> If you have a boombox with a remote control the same actor who has been caught by the ground breakers could trigger the sounds of the creatures "feasting" inside the cave. You could put a small oscillating fan with the LED eyes mounted on it inside the cave, the mild movement of the air and the eyes, and sounds would help complete the scene, and still require only one actor to take care of it all. You could have a CD of continuos "feasting going on all the time, just set the CD player to repeat on the track, or the whole CD if it's all that's on it. You could mix in howls, growls, jaws snapping, etc. to give it some variety. You can use the fan's motion to move other pairs of eyes via an attached string and pulley setup.


That's an awesome idea! I love it!!!!!


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## fontgeek

If you have some old CDs you don't want anymore, paint both sides of the disks flat black everywhere except for two spots in the shape of eyes on each side. With this suspended inside the cave, it will spin and reflect the red light from the LEDs you mount on the fan. THe effect from the outside is more pairs of eyes that occasionally turn to look out of the cave at passers by. The flat black paint makes the CDs disappear inside the dark cave. You can mount several CDs at different heights, and even mount LEDs in a stationary position for the CDs to reflect. Because you would already have the fan going, it would provide the movement of the CDs. You could have different shaped eyes on each side of the CD for different looks.


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## Offwhiteknight

Don't forget you have the two cemeteries to naturally play off of. Having the cemetery 'invading' your plot of land, ground breakers, perhaps some ghouls of the Lovecraft variety gnawing away on some bones. Mysterious eyes in the darkness off the trail (chaser XMas lights inserted into old film canisters then draped over bushes or in trees can be very cool). Perhaps a old caretaker. Plenty of fog, especially low hanging fog. FCG or Axworthy ghosts. A good ambient soundtrack.

That's the direction I'd take personally. Going with werewolves and the like, fine and all, but certainly doesnt take advantage of your biggest natural advantage. That is having not one but two cemeteries neighboring you. Create your mythology around that and you'll have a winner.


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## fontgeek

Part of her story-line is that the grounds/woods are cursed, so while yes, the neighbors are cemeteries, the story is that nobody buries or buried in this area because of it's curse, so having the neighbors "invading wouldn't work with her current "plot". (pun intended)


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## Offwhiteknight

There's no reason why it couldn't actually. Maybe it wasn't discovered to be cursed until after it was too later and burials had already occurred. Maybe the cemetary encroaches, but not into the actual cursed area. 

I mean, there are a lot of cursed cemetaries, in film and legend, so it most certainly could work. It's all about execution, obviously, but it just seems a shame to not utilize the best pre-existing element that she's got, that makes what she is doing stand out from what any of the rest of us can do...


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## Scarypumpkinpie

The idea is good, and we used it last year. But like Fontgeek said, part of the story line this year is that the woods are possessed by evil, the ground is unconsecrated, and the families were too afraid to bury their dead there. But it could be tweaked to include that perhaps there were people buried there before the area was settled and their lost souls roam the grounds or something to that effect. I did the cemetery thing last year, and I was trying to give it a whole new theme this year. I already published the bit about no one being buried in the woods and that was the reason the cemeteries are on either side and not actually in the woods on the website. I am trying to convince the guests that the woods are actually badly haunted, with gruesome murders and unexplained disappearances there. I almost feel that including ground breakers and things normally seen in cemetery scenes in the currant storyline would take away from the ability to convince them that this is real. I am trying to stay away from mythical creatures like werewolves and focus on things that people find truly terrifying like malevolent spirits, or evil things/beings in the dark woods, and the possibility of encountering one.


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## fontgeek

You may be able to get away with ground breakers, provided that they are demons or something that is breaking out from below. Making them non-human helps to give you a source for the demons/creatures rather than them just accidentally showing up for your haunt, and as discussed earlier in this thread, having limbs holding down a "guest" kind of already hints that there are demons or some sort of creatures coming up from the soil.
You have a lot of time to fill out your story line before it gets critical to public reading. For you, that means that you can still tweak your story a bit, but don't stray far. People will remember the gist of a story, if not the fine details, and if you stray too far from what they may have read you can lose the following you've already built. Adding in more and more information as it's "Discovered" by you, the reporter or historian lets you fill out your story and build anticipation by the readers. The more you can tie your story to known events and known landmarks the more people will buy into your story, and the haunt as a whole.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Hmmmm...thinking about the idea of " demonic" ground breakers...what about some sort of demonic looking thing that could be animated with a wiper motor? How long would a 12 volt battery power the wiper motor? I could buy the rechargeable ones. But it would need to run for about 5-6 hours at a stretch. Any ideas on that?


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## stagehand1975

A marine grade battery would.last longer than a car battery. A marine battery is designed to take more of a discharge and spring back to life than a car battery.


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## Pumpkin5

:jol: Since it is in the woods an idea would be to create a short walk through a walkway constructed of wooden pallets. You can get them free from autoparts stores, dealerships, etc. Martha Stewart used them last year on a special she did for setting up a haunted house in her garage. http://www.marthastewart.com/865190/martha-stewarts-haunted-house 
It would be neat if you constructed one, but the catch is, each person must go through the _Corrider of Spirits_ alone. Since your father is so good at building he could construct it quickly for just the cost of some nails, since the pallets would be free. Then you could age it and cover it with branches, twigs, cornstalks, whatever to make it more 'woodsy'. I think when you seperate people from a group into individuals, suddenly the giggly fun of a spook trail becomes ominous and frightening in a way it never is when you are surrounded by friends. The whole safety in numbers thing really rings true when you face your fears......alone.....just a thought. A haunted wood sounds so cool.  I sure hope you share pictures. 
P.S. I love the chicken wire ghosts too. I am going to do a few for my graveyard this year as well.


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## Pumpkin5

:jol: I just had another thought...you could make the front of the walkway look like the entrance to a mausoleom. Then as they entered you could make it seem like they are going underground like into a crypt with bones hanging down, worms, dirt falling on them...you could make it super crypty-crawly. You could even dig it down so the ground actually is graded down so they would be walking down, into a grave.....hhmmmmm...


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## fontgeek

Unless you have the area pretty well lit, people won't be able to see much with the ground breakers. Remember we're talking about real woods at night with cemeteries on both sides so little or no ambient light.
If you need to keep the people in a group then the only practical way to do the "spirit hall" is to have their guide go through first and have everyone wait until the last of their group comes through so that the group can go on.
If this is supposed to be cursed land then you won't find a mausoleum or crypt on it.
Having dirt or anything else for that matter falling on guests is an invitation for major lawsuits and injury.
If you actually had the dirt walls collapse, you could kiss your haunt and a good chunk of your life savings goodbye, and that's provided you have insurance. I can't imagine any fire or safety inspector letting you have that kind of setup. And if it can't pass them then the insurance wouldn't cover it. So digging the trench for people to walk down into is pretty much out.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Yeah, though the idea of the mausoleum is cool, it doesn't really fit the theme this year. The fire inspector guy would crap his pants too, LOL, if dirt fell on his head.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

stagehand1975 said:


> A marine grade battery would.last longer than a car battery. A marine battery is designed to take more of a discharge and spring back to life than a car battery.


I saw some rechargeable ones on Ebay. If I have to go the battery route, I think that would be my best bet as far as keeping expenses down. But I am thinking I might be better off in the long run to convert it and run it off electricity?


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## fontgeek

Adding a boombox or two that have someone or something with an evil sounding voice calling or chanting something indecipherable to those on the trail can help your trail stay "alive" even in areas where there are no props or actors. You can plant them, the boom boxes, in several places all with the same stuff being played to make it sound as if the creature or demon is surrounding them. If you have a Mac, know someone who does, or you have musical equipment that has a reverb and or echo on it, applying it to the recorded voice for your finished recordings can help make the voice seem more other worldly/etherial. You can add those effects in itunes on a Mac. Having loud "whispers" or having a whispery version of the chant or call going at the same time as the chant can make it creepier too. If you've ever heard "The Doors" song "Riders on the Storm" you will know what I'm talking about.


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## Cheapcreation

*Boom. Mind Blown.*

Personaly, I think something that could be scary is if you did a fallen boons area. Something along the line of hideous inbreads/hill-billy's and have all scratched together shacks that you could walk through on the path or just have the front for an appearence where actors could come out of. You could even borrow ideas from old westerns in the way that the buildings could look or such.


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## fontgeek

For this haunter's theme this year that probably wouldn't work. The area is supposed to be cursed and people stay away from there, besides the fact that her haunt is in Tennessee, and that people may find that kind of labeling more offensive than scary.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

LOL, yeah....people get kind of touchy about the whole hillbilly thing here.


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## Offwhiteknight

jessjaja said:


> The idea is good, and we used it last year. But like Fontgeek said, part of the story line this year is that the woods are possessed by evil, the ground is unconsecrated, and the families were too afraid to bury their dead there. But it could be tweaked to include that perhaps there were people buried there before the area was settled and their lost souls roam the grounds or something to that effect. I did the cemetery thing last year, and I was trying to give it a whole new theme this year. I already published the bit about no one being buried in the woods and that was the reason the cemeteries are on either side and not actually in the woods on the website. I am trying to convince the guests that the woods are actually badly haunted, with gruesome murders and unexplained disappearances there. I almost feel that including ground breakers and things normally seen in cemetery scenes in the currant storyline would take away from the ability to convince them that this is real. I am trying to stay away from mythical creatures like werewolves and focus on things that people find truly terrifying like malevolent spirits, or evil things/beings in the dark woods, and the possibility of encountering one.


Okay. Fair enough.

First idea that popped into my head reading this?

Blair Witch.

A few people have done "Blair Crows" and those could look really cool and I think might into what you wrote above very well. Maybe start with that and go from there?


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## Offwhiteknight

fontgeek said:


> Adding a boombox or two that have someone or something with an evil sounding voice calling or chanting something indecipherable to those on the trail can help your trail stay "alive" even in areas where there are no props or actors. You can plant them, the boom boxes, in several places all with the same stuff being played to make it sound as if the creature or demon is surrounding them. If you have a Mac, know someone who does, or you have musical equipment that has a reverb and or echo on it, applying it to the recorded voice for your finished recordings can help make the voice seem more other worldly/etherial. You can add those effects in itunes on a Mac. Having loud "whispers" or having a whispery version of the chant or call going at the same time as the chant can make it creepier too. If you've ever heard "The Doors" song "Riders on the Storm" you will know what I'm talking about.


I'm on the same page. Chanting, whispers, maybe some kind of ritual?

Maybe even ghosts attempting to re-enact the ritual that caused the trouble in the first place...but yeah, chanting and whispers and strange langauges (Ia! Ia! Cthulhu ftagn! or however it's spelled...)


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## fontgeek

Make the chants very 'Breathy" rather than just a plain whisper, a fair amount of reverb and lots of depth can go a long way in hiding the location of the speaker(s) that are broadcasting this. Using a made up language, but something that is consistent and keeps a good rhythm or tempo helps sell it as something believable and helps you avoid people pointing the finger at you, the haunter, for branding a real culture as being worshipers of satan, or whatever. It also gives you a lot more flexibility in the timing and cadence of the language/text.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Offwhiteknight said:


> Okay. Fair enough.
> 
> First idea that popped into my head reading this?
> 
> Blair Witch.
> 
> A few people have done "Blair Crows" and those could look really cool and I think might into what you wrote above very well. Maybe start with that and go from there?


I like that idea!  Thank-you!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Ok, I found a chant CD at a yard sale for a buck! HOORAY!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

So, I am thinking about my storyline, and I am thinking about more props. Could I weave some zombie type of characters in there, the souls of the ones who were murdered or disappeared into the woods? Perhaps having several in one scene, with an actor or two hidden in them, that would come after the group?


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## fontgeek

How many actors do you have at your disposal? I think that having lots of actors helps most haunts, it keeps them from just looking like a collection of props. But getting and keeping actors is tough, especially if your haunt is going to go for more than just a night or a single weekend.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> How many actors do you have at your disposal? I think that having lots of actors helps most haunts, it keeps them from just looking like a collection of props. But getting and keeping actors is tough, especially if your haunt is going to go for more than just a night or a single weekend.


I am shooting for 15-18 actors. 15 would be the minimum I could use. That is not counting myself or my family, since we do the business end of it. Just the actual actors I would need to hire outside of us. Yes, I struggled with keeping regular help last year. I am hoping that recruiting the drama clubs will help with that this year.


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## fontgeek

I'm not sure what kind of "props" you would use to have several zombies in a scene shy of having some zombie puppets being operated by other zombies. Static zombies would look awkward if they are supposed to be "alive". If you have zombies then you kind of need to explain their presence in your storyline. If you tweak the zombie thing so that they are guests who have been captured by the woods/forrest then you could do the makeup and costumes to have more of a plant-life based look. Maybe having one or two live actors and a couple of static, or mostly static zombie puppets chowing down on a "captured guest" (maybe a static prop, or an actor who could be working a puppet or two himself). But the thing with zombies is that they tend to look like decomposing corpses if they aren't in motion, so you need either mechanics or actors to put them in motion for scenes. Though you could "plant" some "guests" as we described in an earlier post who are basically tied down to the ground by roots and such, throughout the trail of your haunt. But given as dark as your woods will be, you would have to supply some lighting that's either stationary or by the guide's flashlight to make sure that the "captured guests" are seen/visible to those taking the tour. You may only need to "light" one or two of them early on, that will have those on tour looking for them throughout the rest of the tour. 

I'd look at adding spiderwebs, and I'm talking about big, nasty ones to your haunt, and do some big but realistic looking spiders too. You can string a strong line of fishing line across the trail that has a bunch of fine fishing line hanging from it at the level of peoples faces. Showing the spider webs and spiders early on puts the suggestion or thought in people's minds that the spiders are there, so that when they feel the "spider's webs" on their faces they will panic and start to scream and run.
I got a large tarantula mold off of ebay to be able to cast silicone spiders with. Using that kind of thing on your spider webs helps bring the idea home that the guests are being hunted by the spiders too. You could have some "captured guests wrapped up in spiders webs too. If you have a human figure like shape with one of the Shiatsu massagers making the stomach area "squirm" it can help sell your story. Having several captured guests cocooned and held up high (out of reach of guests), they too can help sell your story-line.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

fontgeek said:


> I'm not sure what kind of "props" you would use to have several zombies in a scene shy of having some zombie puppets being operated by other zombies. Static zombies would look awkward if they are supposed to be "alive". If you have zombies then you kind of need to explain their presence in your storyline. If you tweak the zombie thing so that they are guests who have been captured by the woods/forrest then you could do the makeup and costumes to have more of a plant-life based look. Maybe having one or two live actors and a couple of static, or mostly static zombie puppets chowing down on a "captured guest" (maybe a static prop, or an actor who could be working a puppet or two himself). But the thing with zombies is that they tend to look like decomposing corpses if they aren't in motion, so you need either mechanics or actors to put them in motion for scenes. Though you could "plant" some "guests" as we described in an earlier post who are basically tied down to the ground by roots and such, throughout the trail of your haunt. But given as dark as your woods will be, you would have to supply some lighting that's either stationary or by the guide's flashlight to make sure that the "captured guests" are seen/visible to those taking the tour. You may only need to "light" one or two of them early on, that will have those on tour looking for them throughout the rest of the tour.
> 
> I'd look at adding spiderwebs, and I'm talking about big, nasty ones to your haunt, and do some big but realistic looking spiders too. You can string a strong line of fishing line across the trail that has a bunch of fine fishing line hanging from it at the level of peoples faces. Showing the spider webs and spiders early on puts the suggestion or thought in people's minds that the spiders are there, so that when they feel the "spider's webs" on their faces they will panic and start to scream and run.
> I got a large tarantula mold off of ebay to be able to cast silicone spiders with. Using that kind of thing on your spider webs helps bring the idea home that the guests are being hunted by the spiders too. You could have some "captured guests wrapped up in spiders webs too. If you have a human figure like shape with one of the Shiatsu massagers making the stomach area "squirm" it can help sell your story. Having several captured guests cocooned and held up high (out of reach of guests), they too can help sell your story-line.


Hmmmm....I love that idea!!


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## fontgeek

If you have a shed or something the guests are going to walk through, have it after they see the spider webs and captured "Guests", that will let you hang the threads down into their faces within the shed, and at it's openings/doors in or out. Having the spiders seen first plants the ideas that there are spiders that are hunting guests, so that by the time they feel the "webs" on their faces they will already b a bit panicked by what they saw earlier. The webs in their faces should get them to scream and start to run. If you get a chance, watch the movie "Arachnophobia", there's lots of good stuff there for ideas.


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## Paul Delacroix

I would avoid Tiki torches and burn barrels, or anything involving actual fire. Use the vegetation to your benefit; it's easy to hide actors in bushes in the dark. 

We did a haunted trail at our renaissance faire last year for the first time, and the most effective thing, I think, was our cemetery set. The downside to a cemetery set is that it telegraphs upon sight that "scares are ahead." But on the other hand, I think that's what people want to see the most--something with imagineering in it, instead of startling from the darkness.


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## pparent79

sounds like you have the perfect set up for this haunt. Im sure your gonna be very successful with this.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Thanks pparent79! It is going to be a lot of work...actually it already is LOL! But, I am really excited about it. I have gotten some great ideas here. I am also lucky enough to have a wonderful mentor who has helped me tremendously. Without his help, I don't know what kind of a woods I would have had! Nothing close to what it is growing into. So, I cannot take all the credit, I have had a lot of help. Even though they may not actually be by my side building it, they planted a lot of the the dark, twisted, evil seeds. bahahahahaha!!!


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Hey Guys,
I have an unexpected snag I cannot seem to get past with my woods. There is an old mobile home on the property. It was suppose to be moved but we have ran out of time. I have painted it black and piled brush around it to make it look like it is an old abandoned building. There is no back door to it, and the front faces away from my trail. I am stumped as to what to do with it & still fit into my story line. I cannot use a cemetery scene, or movie characters. I cannot lead groups through it either. Any ideas would be great.


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## Troll Wizard

How about an old scientific lab, that they used for unspeakable experiments. No one can go in now because of some accident that happened years ago, and it is radio active. They must stay away or otherwise become infected with an overdose of what had turned these poor creatures into zombies, or some type of flesh eating waste.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

It is set in the woods in northeast TN. The story line goes with a family living there that was murdered. We have a burned down house scene that was the "murdered family's home built in 1865. Other scenes include a bridge over a pit of human bones and snakes, a cave with some gruesome thing inside eating an unlucky actor, hell hounds, and living tree roots. A lab doesnt really fit into the theme we have going of a possessed wooded area. That is why I am struggling with this....


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## Troll Wizard

Well I guess your right about that. A lab wouldn't work unless it was a secret lab that everyone thought was just an old mobile home that nobody cared about. And that gruesome thing inside the cave came from their experiments. I don't know all this is coming from the top of my head and I'm just having fun with it, guessing on what you could do!


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## fontgeek

How about using some of your barnwood and building a false front/facade for the mobile home that looks like a dilapidated old shack with a broken door hanging slightly ajar?
You can build beyond the actual mobile home to change it's apparent shape, that would allow you to have an open space behind the door, though it would still be in the shadows.
Maybe part of your story is that some wild eyed preacher came to "cleanse" the woods early in the last century, but legend has it that "he was consumed by the woods", never to be heard from again.
You can also let the trail come from behind the building, there's no rule that says everything has to be convenient to the hikers. In fact, your guides can start telling the story of the building in hushed tones before you approach the backside, leaving the guests spooked about what may approach or attack them as they go past.

You can make a false door on the side facing the trail with more lumber "boarding up" the door as though you are trying to either keep people out, or maybe to keep something in the building.


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## fontgeek

Do you have lumber left, and is your dad still helping you on this?
Any other slave labor/helpers doing anything?


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## hauntedyardofdoom

Maybe the government sent over a crew to investigate the happenings and they set up a temporary base. A year later the entire crew completely disappeared without a trace. Any attempts to investigate the mobile research facility ended up with another missing crew. After three attempts, the government gave up and left the building abandoned.


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## Cat_Bones

what if you cover it in "man eating plants" or something of the sort? I saw these jack-o-lantern creatures at universal studios and immediately thought of your wooded haunt


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## Scarypumpkinpie

Yes Fontgeek, we still have quite a bit of lumber left. That is a good idea, I am going to see what I can do with it. Dad is helping me, and I have several of the "slave labor" coming out regularly. It is coming along, I am only stressing about that stupid mobile home now because I can't figure out what to do with the thing, LOL. I like the idea of the preacher, could find some sort of download to burn of a preacher calling for demons to be cast out to play on a CD and that would be awesome to put in there too. could dig a couple holes with the back hoe and hide two actors in the ground, have them burst out at the actors as the preacher gives the order for the demons to be cast out.


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## Scarypumpkinpie

I like the living plants Cat Bones! I had already decided to do some tree roots wrapping around an actor & waving/brushing the tours as they come through another area of the woods. These are neat though, might try to work them into the "woods coming to life"
scene


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## Scarypumpkinpie

* Burst out at the tour, not at the actors, LOL...can you tell I am exhausted?


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## fontgeek

My thought was more along the line that the woods/forrest had Eaten/Consumed the preacher, so that there would be no need for someone to portray him. At this point he'd be a hundred plus years old anyway.
He'd be another unbeliever who has paid the ultimate price for his ignorance or disbelief in the evil that haunts those woods.


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## TheMikeBarrera

Hey there, So heres an idea that we personal do here at our haunt.We hid a bunch of different LED glowing pair of eyes that seem to have a really awesome effect. It looks like something is out there looking back at you. Seems to be a really cool accent effect. Hope this helps! 
personal ebay link removed by moderator


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## Hobz

Seeing as how this thread is a few years old, I'm sure it's already been resolved but I love the preacher idea. Except I'd do it a little different. In my mind, he moved into the woods 40 or 50 years ago to exorcize the demons but was unable to. The evil was unable to harm him due to God's protection but he ultimately went stark raving mad after years of living in the forest and witnessing it's horrors first hand. Now he wanders compulsively around muttering scripture and praying for the souls of the bodies he finds. As the tour passes his shack, I'd have him burst out waving a Bible and screaming something straight out of Revelations, begging them to turn back, and warning them to repent of their sins before it's too late. He's not evil, but he could certainly still provide a good scare. 

By the way, I love the fact that you don't utilize the actual cemetery out of respect.


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