# Beyond Faegoria – Halloween 2012 and Onward



## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Halloween 2012 has come and gone. Wow what a strange year it was. The haunt was a little more low key for us this year. Last year we had a new family addition so we all knew Halloween time and money would be tight. The only new stuff I had created were a couple of tombstones and a scarecrow which were all done with scraps I already had. And the only real purchases were the annual costumes, a couple odds and ends at Spirit Halloween, corn stalks, and some new lighting. I had designed the 2012 haunt using stuff I already had including a few pieces I did last year but was unable to show due to a freak snow storm named Alfred. The most complicated part of the setup were the corn stalks.

We were pretty much set to go until news of Hurricane Sandy started pouring in. Crap two Halloween’s in a row cancelled due to freak acts of nature?! What were the chances right? It wasn’t looking good at all and we knew the safest thing to do was to tear down the haunt so nothing would fly off in the wind and injure people or damage homes. I love Halloween but safety is way more important to us. But I wasn’t going down without a fight. We decided to put out the remaining stuff for one night of pictures and a small family gathering. As you’ve probably seen from the Faegoria albums we got some great shots and a good time was had by all of the family. The next morning I was up early and tore down everything and packed it away in the garage. That was one of the most surreal moments I could imagine. In four hours it was all down.

Monday the storm came and we survived. Power flickered a few times but never went out. There were no damages the next morning and no flooding. But watching the news was humbling. We were lucky. VERY lucky. I grew up on the gulf coast so I know hurricanes. Sandy alone might not have been tough in comparison to some of the storms I had been through. But she hooked up with another storm out of the north, mutated, and then things got ugly for a lot of people. The north east coast just isn’t prepared for hurricanes of any magnitude much less one that’s mutated into what they dubbed Frankenstorm.

So we survived. We had juice. The whole neighborhood did. Local news said Halloween would still be on. But I had already put everything away. Had spent FOUR hours doing it – ALONE. No one really decorates in our neighborhood circle. I was NOT gonna let the kids down. We HAD to do SOMETHING. So I put the lighted pumpkins and scarecrow back out in the front on the 30th to let the kids in the hood know we would be accepting trick-or-treaters. On Halloween morning I started early and totally transformed the garage into a scaled version of our display. We didn’t have a large turn out but the ones who came were incredibly appreciative and totally enjoyed what we had accomplished in such short notice. In fact several neighbors said the smaller display was way more impressive than the one we had outside before the storm.

Looking back at other haunts that either run in limited spaces such as Marrow House and Pumpkinrot’s. Or those of us who were forced to scale back either due to the hurricane or for financial reasons such as Darkrose Manor, Johnny’s Ghosts, my own, and many others. In reflection I think the lesson this year, at least for me, is humility. In an artistic sense (and even in life) less really is more. The confines of the garage were challenging. But the advantages far outweighed anything negative I could think of. The smaller space allowed me to focus more on details I would have otherwise overlooked. Allowed me to be more precise in my presentation. Due to less stuff there was far less stress setting up and breaking down. And most importantly it was dry and safe. Being that we only do a display the transition will be fairly easy. Going forward this is how I really want to go… 

The front yard will be a static lit display. The design should be able to withstand 20-30mph winds and be water resistant. No real animatronics. Will most likely consist of a graveyard, a scarecrow or two, a few corn stalks, and some pumpkins depending on the final grand scheme theme.

The garage will be closed (except for familial through traffic) until October 31st. This will keep it a surprise until Halloween night. Within will be a separate small but detailed display consisting of a single scene that fits within a subset of the grand theme. The scene will be completely gutted and changed out entirely every year (think Pumpkinrot and Marrow). The scene may or may not feature animatronics. As has been the tradition since 2010, the ToTs will have to come into the garage to get their treats where they will be greeted with the year's thematic scene.

Keeping the special themed scene isolated in the garage allows me to prepare something surprising in somewhat secret from the neighborhood. It also keeps everything nice and dry away from heavy rains and winds should another storm blow through. And lastly it allows me to build more focused and detailed. It's a win/win for everyone.

But TM if you keep changing the theme every year at that level where will you put everything? Simple answer is... It simply won't be an issue as I've committed to doing the unthinkable. In true necromancer fashion I plan to just take a knife or saw to existing props, tear them down, and turn them into something new. I have plenty of great pictures to capture the memories. Everything grows. Everything changes. I've learned to accept and embrace that. Life is organic, so is art, so is Halloween, and so are my props.

2013 is going to be sort of a fresh start for Faegoria. I’m also working out some thematic fiction that will tie this all together and support the rotating themes in the garage area. There will be more details to come over time without giving away too much suffice to say to expect something COMPLETELY different in 2013 going forward.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

No matter what you do, I know it will be outstanding, as your haunts and props always have been.

The comment about "less is more" is spot on. When you're faced with space limitations, it forces you to concentrate on making the very best use of what space you have. There is no room for the "oh, I have all these props, so I might as well put them all out" line of thinking. Some of my favorite haunts here are among the smallest (jdubbya's is a good example) - they're like precious little gems and a delight to the eye.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Thanks Roxy. What's most self humbling is that I have that kinda space. I have enough space for three yard's worth of haunting. And when I first moved in here back in 2010 the temptation was indeed to fill it with everything I could imagine. I can't even begin to tell folks how many times I sketched, erased, crumpled, and re-sketched various designs and concepts trying to fill it with the material I already had and things I could build in a reasonable amount of time. 

But even with all that space the yard and display just looked so much better with a simple and less cluttered display. It was both humbling and liberating. At the end of the night I simply moved a few cornstalks from blocking the garage door and shut it. That was it. No stress of bringing in stuff I was worried would be stolen, vandalized, or damaged from weather. It was wonderful being able to just relax and spend the rest of the evening with my family.


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## Terrormaster (Sep 27, 2007)

Greetings my haunt peeps - I'M BAAAAAAAAAACK! 

2013 has been a fun year so far but incredibly busy with life among other things. I'm mentally ramping up for 2013 and much of what I stated during my OP above holds true. I'm putting my other projects aside and am starting to fire on all haunter pistons. Yes I know the clock is ticking and the 11th hour is quickly approaching. So I gotta get crackin.

I've been toying with two themes but haven't been able to decide the direction I want to go. One idea involves sorcerous pirates; the other ancient aliens. Neither approach done in a way you might be familiar with (there are NO Pirates of the Carribean or Disney style pirates in the pirate theme; and no high-tech sci-fi or movie style aliens like the greys, xenomorphs, or predators nor any invasion elements in the ancient alien theme). As always look to Lovecraft and you'd have an idea.

Based on what you all have seen of my past haunts which direction would like to see explored this year? Why? And what thoughts or suggestions do you have?

-TM


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Would either theme involve Cthulhu? He'd be my first choice, which would be ancient alien, but I'm torn because I've not seen sorcerous pirates as a theme done here. Some concept sketches would be helpful.

Glad to see you back!


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