# Darkness Rising 2011



## Spartan005

Hey everyone!

This year we teamed up with the fire department and found a new location for our haunt; a 12,000 square foot warehouse located one block away from Sunrise highway in Massapequa. Our haunt will be over twice the size of last year's at approximately 4,500 square feet. We will be open for 13 nights and all of the proceeds will be donated to YES Community Counseling Center and The Heather Pentergast Fund.

This year is going to be insane.




www.darknessrising.us


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## pensivepumpkin

Oh wow, that looks awesome!


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## CoolDJTV

I wish i had that space!


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## Spartan005

This is the second year I'll be working with my partner Jim, a really cool guy who's been running home haunts for over 10 years. He focuses on scaring the **** out of people, while I focus on making the haunt look detailed. We make a good team.

We've been working for about 3 weeks now. It took a dozen volunteers and an entire day to move 10 tons of props, electronics, and lumber from my house to the building. Most of the frames are already up and hopefully by next Saturday we'll have all of the plywood attached.


That space on the right will belong to a 20 foot long Claustrophobia Tunnel in a few weeks...




We've also been spending quite a bit of time hunting for garbage. A lot of the detail from last years haunt came from hours of driving through my neighborhood and taking people's old furniture. My parents are really into it too. It's not surprising when I come home from work for my mom to say "Can we go garbage hunting now?!"



That's all for today. Stay tuned for more!


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## Eric Striffler

Looks EXCELLENT! Can't wait to come check it out this year!


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## Spartan005

Jim's family came down today along with me and my dad. We cut about 80 sheets of plywood down to 7 feet and attached them to the frames. The narrow hallways combined with the low ceilings, gives our haunt a nice claustrophobic feel.


This was last years attempt at making detailed walls. I have to paint it again to make the panels blend, but overall it looks really cool in the dark. 

The entrance to Darkness Rising. Behind that window to the left will be an FCG, and the next room has a similar window containing our ghost bust illusion. 

The butcher counter. This room will have a lot more red in it come next month. 


80 Panels attached. 200 to go. Hooray.


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## Pumpkin5

:jol: Why are all the "Good Haunts" out of town??? sniff, sniff I guess I will have to stick to making my haunt/house and street the best in the whole city. (Not hard, considering my pathetic competition.)


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## beelce

What a huge load of FUN....Looks like a great time...please show us more progress pics....


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## Regions Beyond

Looks you got a fantastic location there, and great updates so far...keep them coming!


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## ctarpey

i went to your haunt last year for inspiration as a fellow haunter myself. It looked awesome last year and i will be returing as soon as mine is finuished!!!


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## Dark Angel 27

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol: Why are all the "Good Haunts" out of town??? sniff, sniff I guess I will have to stick to making my haunt/house and street the best in the whole city. (Not hard, considering my pathetic competition.)


i have to agree with you. why are they all out of town! *sigh*


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## MrGrimm

Dark Angel 27 said:


> i have to agree with you. why are they all out of town! *sigh*


Well for me, they are almost all out of the country! Double *sigh*


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## Haunted Spider

As you are working with the fire department this may be preaching to the choir but have you had the fire marshal over yet to check things out? He may tell you where you need exits and exit signs. As well he can let you know if he likes the design or sees a potential problem. Running a haunt a few years with a friend of mine gave me some of that insight. Hopefully since you are partnering with a local fire department, they will help you out as much as possible while still staying in code. 

Please keep posting pictures. The haunt is shaping up well. I love seeing the progress.


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## Spartan005

Thanks for the kind words everyone!



Spiderclimber said:


> As you are working with the fire department this may be preaching to the choir but have you had the fire marshal over yet to check things out? He may tell you where you need exits and exit signs. As well he can let you know if he likes the design or sees a potential problem. Running a haunt a few years with a friend of mine gave me some of that insight. Hopefully since you are partnering with a local fire department, they will help you out as much as possible while still staying in code.
> 
> Please keep posting pictures. The haunt is shaping up well. I love seeing the progress.


The fire department has been awesome so far. They're incredibly supportive of the project and haven't given us the slightest bit of trouble yet. The only thing that they are concerned about at this point is disrupting the neighbors. Hopefully since this is a charity event, they won't mind.


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## BadMonkey

Awesome pictures! You're lucky to have such an incredible space. Best of luck and keep those photos coming!!


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## Spartan005

Wow, it has been an insane 2 weeks. The haunt opens in just 10 days and we still have a lot of **** to do in a very short amount of time. It's coming along though.





More pics to come very soon!


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## Headless

Pictures look awesome. Well done.


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## Joiseygal

This looks amazing! Keep up the great work and good luck!


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## Eric Striffler

Gorgeous! You better believe the Nyctophobia crew will be making a trip out to you guys asap!


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## Spartan005

Thanks everyone! By the way Eric, those last 3 pics were taken with the canon 7D which you recommended like a year ago. thanks a lot, the camera's awesome


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## RoxyBlue

Great pictures!


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## Eric Striffler

Spartan005 said:


> By the way Eric, those last 3 pics were taken with the canon 7D which you recommended like a year ago. thanks a lot, the camera's awesome


Well they came out beautiful, glad I could help in some way! Can't wait to see more photos (and I'm sure amazing footage) soon!


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## Spartan005

A lot of haunts I've been to seem to throw as many props and animatronics into a room as possible. I've always thought it was completely unnecessary. This room cost me about 10 bucks to make (the sheetrock was donated)

And yes, I found the toilet on the curb. 


This years attic scene


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## Spartan005

Our 20' long Claustrophobia Tunnel. Oh baby. 

Our unfinished Mausoleum


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## Dark Angel 27

ok, i'm officially gross out by the bathroom...now i need to scrub my brain with bleach!
everything else looks awesome!


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## Spartan005

Dark Angel 27 said:


> ok, i'm officially gross out by the bathroom...now i need to scrub my brain with bleach!


Haha.. thats the idea. Did I overdo it?


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## Headless

LOL I don't think so. Looks perfectly gross to me. Although I AM glad my own bathroom doesn't look like that.


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## RoxyBlue

My first thought was "now I don't feel so bad about how my bathroom looks". And what a great way to keep those pesky house guests from sticking around too long

Nicely icky!


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## fick209

I can't wait to see pics/vids of all this. I personally really like the bathroom. I have the joy of being able to roto-root at work once in awhile, I just hope I never, EVER see a bathroom like that! I really like the attic scene too, great props & atmosphere!!!


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## ctarpey

cant wait to come back again this year! last year it was freaking scary!! this year im excited. by the way my mom hated it and im not telling her you added a claustrophobia wall shell have to go through it mhuahaha


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## cerinad

Outstanding!!!!!!


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## Spartan005

After 3 months of building, we finally opened last night to a crowd of about 300 people. Jim ran the control station while I walked through several times to make sure everything was working properly and the actors were doing a good job. It turned out awesome!
Newsday stopped by and made a short video which you can see here: http://www.newsday.com/long-island/towns/haunted-warehouse-for-charity-1.3230774 Newsday subscribers only... sorry.


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## CreeepyCathy

WOW!!!! That is outstanding! Love all your scenes. 
But, also, scrubbing brain with bleach over the bathroom scene. lol.


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## Eric Striffler

Hey man! Nyctophobia opened this weekend as well and any time somebody tells me they're from your area I tell them to check you out so hopefully we're sending some people your way! Can't wait to come check it out for myself asap!


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## Eric Striffler

I was finally able to stop by tonight to check out Darkness Rising and I loved it! The set design was great, especially in the selective lighting. I loved the portion that looked like you were in a cave, as well as the introduction given by the talking bust. I know you said you were understaffed tonight but having had the same thing happen at Nyctophobia, I can easily imagine what it would be like with more actors inside. As it was, I thought you guys did a great job and I'll definitely be back next year!

Very nice to meet you at the end, by the way! Hopefully we'll be able to work out a date next year for fellow haunters to come check out Nyctophobia!


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## Spartan005

Eric Striffler said:


> I was finally able to stop by tonight to check out Darkness Rising and I loved it! The set design was great, especially in the selective lighting. I loved the portion that looked like you were in a cave, as well as the introduction given by the talking bust. I know you said you were understaffed tonight but having had the same thing happen at Nyctophobia, I can easily imagine what it would be like with more actors inside. As it was, I thought you guys did a great job and I'll definitely be back next year!
> 
> Very nice to meet you at the end, by the way! Hopefully we'll be able to work out a date next year for fellow haunters to come check out Nyctophobia!


Thanks a lot Eric, glad you liked it! I really do wish we had more actors tonight though. It's a shame because that last scare is hilarious when there's people in there to operate it. Thats the problem with volunteers I guess.

Anyway, It was nice meeting you too, especially after watching your videos for so long. Hopefully if I see you next year it will be at Nyctophobia... and hopefully I'll have a voice then. Thanks again for coming down!


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## hunter62

*Darkness Rising*

Lighting makes any haunt or lack there of. Haunts are about 4 things. Lighting, sound, smell and content. If you have all 4 then you have a very good haunt. A lot of haunts miss one or two and don't realize how it takes away from their haunt. If we had our way, we would be the most technical haunt on the Island. Yet budget always get in the way. Maybe next year.

Eric, maybe next time we can meet.

Jim


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## Spartan005

Only 4 days left until the end of Darkness Rising 2011. We were voted #1 Haunted House in the Tri-State area from a poll on 92.3. Hopefully that means we'll be very busy this weekend and raise a **** load of money for charity!

http://923now.radio.com/2011/10/27/...long-island-and-got-the-ish-scared-outta-him/


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## Spartan005

Hey everyone, I finally got around to making a video for part of a sponsorship package for 2012. I'm hoping to have a longer version out sometime soon... although knowing me that will probably be a few months away. Anyway, enjoy!


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## The Halloween Lady

Great video! I enjoyed looking your pics last fall, so it was really nice to see the video follow up. You must be so proud!!! Haunters really are awesome and you guys certainly are the cream of the crop! Good luck meeting your 2012 goal. Make sure to keep us posted.


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## Eric Striffler

Glad I made it out in 2011, I'll be back this year for sure!


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## Abundant Meat

Awesome job, very inspiring.


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## MorbidMariah

So cool! Why are so many of the really good haunts on the other side of the country!?


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## scareme

Awesome work you do. You give all haunters a good name and I want to thank you for that.


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## Afkeyboard

Spartan005 said:


> Our 20' long Claustrophobia Tunnel. Oh baby.


Woow. I can't wait to work here! (If it happens.) Did you have any issues with the claustraphobias ripping or tearing??

This is Aidan Finnegan, by the way.


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## Spartan005

Hey Aidan, no problems yet with the claustro tunnels tearing. They're definitely worth the money


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