# Setting the preHaunt mood



## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

I had a very productive night re-re-replanning my 2013 haunt. I have thrown around ideas for a while, but things really came together...maybe partly due to having the TV parked on a marathon of British Ghosts (on Hulu). Nothing shrieking like a horror movie, but still setting the mood.

Oh, and alternating between beer and Coke Zero while running on little sleep. Genius requires a slighty off kilter mindset.

What do you use to get you haunt / prop planning mood going?


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## BioHazardCustoms (Aug 5, 2009)

Monster Rehab Orangeade + Tea energy drinks, Hot Tamales candies, and heavy metal on Pandora. I tune out the world and get tweaked up on sugar and caffeine, then make with the scary.


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## Death's Door (Mar 22, 2006)

Usually when I have a horror movie on or my Halloween music which consist of Werewolf of London, Monster Mash, and Ozzy just to name a few. Usually I have a glass of vino or coke.

Also what gets me in the mood is when I come home from a Make & Take meeting with my group. After all that talking/planning and working on my prop while there gets me in the mood to keep going once I get home. I will be at Monster Mania convention with them this week which will inspire me also to start or finish a prop.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Pretty much I don't do anything I find prop ideas tend to pop into my head out of nowhere and then it's just a matter of finding the time to move forward on the project if I decide it's something I want to do. I also never voluntarily listen to music while working on a prop, either. I much prefer a quiet atmosphere.


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## MapThePlanet (Nov 12, 2010)

I'm with Death's Door, music is my thing...


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## Chuck (Oct 10, 2009)

I find that ideas just pop into my head at random times so I make a note of them on my phone. When it comes to prop building time I pick an idea and head out to the garage, kick on some tunes and come out a few hours later covered in sawdust, foam shavings, paint and hot glue burns. Then I crack open a beer and laugh maniacally to myself as I admire what has been built. Sometimes my wife will join in.


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## Dr. Maniaco (Sep 7, 2012)

I just start sketching while watching one of my Halloween DVDs ... Animated, classic, horror, it doesn't matter. The ideas just start flowing. Who cares if it's Christmas Eve ..?


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## spideranne (Jul 17, 2006)

Why read HauntForum of course!


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## Haunted Spider (Sep 6, 2010)

Haunt Forum, Youtube of Haunters I like, and listening to Midnight syndicate/ Nox Arcana/ Verse 13 all times of the year. Yep, that does it for me.


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

Waiting till the last minute so I have no choice but to get started or cancel Halloween.


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## Wispurs (Oct 9, 2012)

If I'm working outside I prefer music. If I'm inside I find some horror related movie for background. There is one problem with that ... it can give me more ideas


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## Lambchop (Jan 28, 2011)

Haunted Spider said:


> Haunt Forum, Youtube of Haunters I like, and listening to Midnight syndicate/ Nox Arcana/ Verse 13 all times of the year. Yep, that does it for me.


 Verse 13?...have not heard them. I agree with you. I'm going to have to check out Verse 13.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

In the past, I've occasionally listened to some music, but it was always soft/low volume, and meant to be non-distracting. I tend to make an inventory of what I have to work with (actors, props, space, and money), and then do a mental "Walk-Through" of the haunt/event from both the guest's and the haunter's side(s) of things. I may sketch something out for a general layout, then go through and check-off what will and won't work, and make a list of things I need to build, and or buy. I try to avoid watching movies and such, it's way to easy to start trying to copy a part of a movie or scene thinking that I will get the same kind of reaction from my crowds, only to realize afterwords that the movie had a lot of time to build up the tension and story line that I can't recreate that effectively. I have to think of my setup from the view of someone who doesn't know anything other than the fact that they want to get scared and entertained.
I hope all of that made sense.


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## MurrayTX (Nov 4, 2011)

Am about to start a big production run of gravestones (4 sheets worth) this week. I may incorporate some of these techniques to stay motivated, as beads of polystyrene drift across my back patio.


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