# Hillbilly atmosphere help



## CenCalHaunt

I want to do a hillbilly themed walk through this year. I have an idea for the front (facade with a porch, dueling banjos playing, pigs squealing, moonshine still on the porch) but I'm having a mental block about how to theme it beond the front room. I'm thinking about toning down the lighting, no super flashy effects. I want it to be back-woodsy...I'm having a heck of a time coming up with a way to create a real "atmosphere" for it that is different than your standard haunt. Any thoughts?


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## CenCalHaunt

More how to utilize lighting, what kind of light to use, even down to the wall covering. How about music? I got the banjo music at the entrance, but should I run with that the whole way through or go with something darker? I'm still shooting for off the chain scary, so I don't want to screw it up with the wrong music and lights.


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## NoahFentz

Our haunt has that kind of Hillbilly atmosphere. I use alot of mass quanities of items. Liscense plates, shoes piled up, bottles, creepy doll heads stuff like that. As far as lighting I have converted some old lanterns to use flicker bulbs and low wattage amber bulbs. I dont use too many moving props...I rely on actors....check out my website....www.thecreepyhousenextdoor.com ....start with chapter 11. I have some video on youtube too under the keyword "katzper" Hope this helps....


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## Bascombe

Deliverance meets leatherface


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## Headless

Great props NoahFentz. 

Cencalhaunt - I think it would be important to keep the same sort of music throughout but perhaps you could add some sound effects as well. Lighting is my downfall. I don't have what I need to get the look I want. I'm just wondering whether you would be best going for a sort of yellow/orange colour - fire/candles feel - inkeeping with maybe a poorer more remote lifestye - no power connected impression. Good luck - it sounds great.


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## CenCalHaunt

NoahFentz-You nailed it! Saw your YouTube vids...what did you use for lighting and sound? That old video camera you used did the trick on those vids, wow.....


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## NoahFentz

Thanks!! The lighting outside was just amber and blue par bulbs(old school). The inside like I said was very low wattage bulbs. I did use amber LED spots in some reas to accent some of the details. Another idea for atmosphere but not functional are PumpkinRot's witch Jars. Mason jars painted with browns and reds with flicker candles Very creepy. Not so much music but tones and natural sounds. Crickets, pigs squeals, crows, frogs....I guess banjo music and juice harp would be cool.....

Some other Haunts that might inspire would be Haunt Overload and Bakwoods Haunt. I recently discovered this guy in Canada who makes some amazing props. Grim Stitch Factory. I like alot of the tools and masks he makes. Very inspiring....

Thanks for the comment on the vid. I love the 8mm app. It really adds to the feel of our haunt I want to convey....


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## Lord Homicide

CenCalHaunt said:


> More how to utilize lighting, what kind of light to use, even down to the wall covering. How about music? I got the banjo music at the entrance, but should I run with that the whole way through or go with something darker? I'm still shooting for off the chain scary, so I don't want to screw it up with the wrong music and lights.


depends on the level of seriousness you want to dive into. is the haunt outside or inside?

LIGHTING EFFECTS
have you thought about utilizing the flicker bulb/photosensor setup for old faulty wiring on various lighted objects? i used this (made my own) on old christmas lights for my party last year and it worked great. there are better ways to make the rig than what i did.

LIGHT FIXTURES
see if you can get some old warehouse shade pendant fixtures (round, flying saucer like) with a single bulb and age them. these look really scary because the only time anyone ever pays attention to them is in horror flicks.

SOUND
if i was doing the hillbilly thing, i would have instrumental bluegrass songs playing softly throughout as if they were in the distance. animal and insect sounds played at the right quality and volume would be the kingpin for the sound i would imagine. check out the band Midnight Syndicate for eerie music you may want to incorporate.

PROPS
just about anything from a non-vendor at a swap meet.


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## CenCalHaunt

Lord Homicide said:


> depends on the level of seriousness you want to dive into. is the haunt outside or inside?
> 
> LIGHTING EFFECTS
> have you thought about utilizing the flicker bulb/photosensor setup for old faulty wiring on various lighted objects? i used this (made my own) on old christmas lights for my party last year and it worked great. there are better ways to make the rig than what i did.
> 
> LIGHT FIXTURES
> see if you can get some old warehouse shade pendant fixtures (round, flying saucer like) with a single bulb and age them. these look really scary because the only time anyone ever pays attention to them is in horror flicks.
> 
> SOUND
> if i was doing the hillbilly thing, i would have instrumental bluegrass songs playing softly throughout as if they were in the distance. animal and insect sounds played at the right quality and volume would be the kingpin for the sound i would imagine. check out the band Midnight Syndicate for eerie music you may want to incorporate.
> 
> PROPS
> just about anything from a non-vendor at a swap meet.


great tips, thank you


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## Lord Homicide

CenCalHaunt said:


> great tips, thank you


hope it helps out. if i think of anything else i'll post it


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## Dark Lord

Sound - I believe I have a couple of good Hillbilly / swamp-bayou type sound track effects with all those animal type sounds & even a mysterious swamp-bayou bog creature lurking in the background to give you that Halloween backwoods Bayou feeling.......
I also have a couple of fly & bug SFX tracks

Rust knife productions also has a Hillbilly CD sound track.

Lighting - Firefly lites would give you that extra Hillbilly Bayou feeling........


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## Lord Homicide

Dark Lord said:


> Lighting - Firefly lites would give you that extra Hillbilly Bayou feeling........


good one Dark Lord. like the bayou portion of pirates of the Caribbean ride


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## CenCalHaunt

@ DARKLORD- I LOVE POTC! That would be a cool nod to it. Is there any way you could send me some of those sound fx, I need some solid pig squeals to mix in with my banjo music, along with anything else you would be willing to share


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## Sytnathotep

Seems to me about anything seen in the intro from HBO's TrueBlood could be insperational for your haunt. Dead bloody possums and other roadkill, crocodile skulls, revivals and gospel music. I guess what I'm trying to say is take elements that are normal to southern culture, and take them out of context for creepy results.


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## Lord Homicide

the movie Deliverance would show you some ideas mainly the banjo scene.


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## NoahFentz

Yes...as far as movies for inspiration I would say Texas Chainsaw Massacre(new), Wrong turn, Madison County, Motel Hell, Hills Have Eyes, House of 1000 Corpses....There are others I know I'm forgetting but check the backgrounds on those films...also the Woolite commercial directed by Rob Zombie....


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## Lord Homicide

NoahFentz said:


> Yes...as far as movies for inspiration I would say Texas Chainsaw Massacre(new), Wrong turn, Madison County, Motel Hell, Hills Have Eyes, House of 1000 Corpses....There are others I know I'm forgetting but check the backgrounds on those films...also the Woolite commercial directed by Rob Zombie....


Motel hell - GREAT movie, I love it


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## Dark Lord

CenCalHaunt said:


> @ DARKLORD- I LOVE POTC! That would be a cool nod to it. Is there any way you could send me some of those sound fx, I need some solid pig squeals to mix in with my banjo music, along with anything else you would be willing to share


More than happy to shoot you anything I have to help. I have a large sound effects collection with stuff I've mixed & reg haunt music that covers any sound effects & music for pretty much any haunt theme ! I'll dig up all the swampy-Bayou stuff,pigs & all.....LoL


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## CenCalHaunt

Sytnathotep said:


> Seems to me about anything seen in the intro from HBO's TrueBlood could be insperational for your haunt. Dead bloody possums and other roadkill, crocodile skulls, revivals and gospel music. I guess what I'm trying to say is take elements that are normal to southern culture, and take them out of context for creepy results.


My family is from Appalachia, so I have the basics, I just need to capitalize of the stereotypes and make them creepy. Just the thought of hillbillies scares most people out here. I ought to use some of the OLD pictures of my family members, yikes...


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## CenCalHaunt

Dark Lord said:


> More than happy to shoot you anything I have to help. I have a large sound effects collection with stuff I've mixed & reg haunt music that covers any sound effects & music for pretty much any haunt theme ! I'll dig up all the swampy-Bayou stuff,pigs & all.....LoL


That would be great, thanks. I've tried to download free sound fx from those sites and ended up with viruses out my a____ and a ruined laptop.


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## CenCalHaunt

Lord Homicide said:


> the movie Deliverance would show you some ideas mainly the banjo scene.


HA HA!! I am gonna use a prop playing a banjo at the entrance, but it will likely be my hacked talking skull as the head. The whole "squeal like a pig" scene can't be used for obvious reasons BUT the sound effects can! "You better start a prayin' boy"...That's kinda why I'm after the pig sound fx so much


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## CenCalHaunt

Sytnathotep said:


> Seems to me about anything seen in the intro from HBO's TrueBlood could be insperational for your haunt. Dead bloody possums and other roadkill, crocodile skulls, revivals and gospel music. I guess what I'm trying to say is take elements that are normal to southern culture, and take them out of context for creepy results.


I like the roadkill idea but I'd have to keep my relatives away because they would try to eat them. I get a kick out of the old stories of possums and squirrels for dinner. My kids think I'm kidding when I talk about that stuff


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## Dark Lord

Hillbilly with maybe a hint of "Hills have eyes"......... 
For a prop you should make a fake pie, bloody it up a little & see if you can find at the dollar store or Salvation army store has a toy animal with a squirrel-ish or raccoon tail ( unless you can find a real one lying around.......LoL ) & put it in the "pie" hanging out..... !?! LoL

I have different pig squeals & a grunt & a good multiple track for you to mix & some swamp-Bayou stuff, PM me an email addy & I'll send you a virus free zip file 
So far non of my cd players have a virus from these when I burned them to a disc......LoL


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## Lord Homicide

big dried catfish heads hanging up!

Also, more movie/TV show ideas (select scenes):
- Waterboy
- Dukes of Hazzard the movie
- Dukes of Hazzard the TV show
- My Name is Earl TV show
- any newer ******* reality show


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## Pumpkin5

:jol: Just an idea for you, there are a couple of other good 'hill people are scary' kind of movies, _Wrong Turn_ and _The Devil's Rejects_...both are about inbred folks that love to kill and eat/play with the people they kill. One of the posts said something about doll heads and in _Rejects_, the girl that lured in the new victims had a bunch of doll heads hanging up. Creepy! (teeth in a jar or eyeballs in a jar are always good props for that type of scene)


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## Sytnathotep

Lord Homicide said:


> big dried catfish heads hanging up!


Ah that's a good one, and true! Was recently in a craft barn ( yes it was a barn) locally here in Arkansas, and in a case the guy had a dried out, 3 foot gar. That think looked creepy. I could cared less for the handmade pottery, I wanted to take the dead fish home.

Basically anything dead that could be found in the woods or on the riverside while out hunting or fishing would make a great prop, that is unless your relatives try to eat it of course as you said.


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## Lord Homicide

Sytnathotep said:


> Ah that's a good one, and true! Was recently in a craft barn ( yes it was a barn) locally here in Arkansas, and in a case the guy had a dried out, 3 foot gar. That think looked creepy. I could cared less for the handmade pottery, I wanted to take the dead fish home.
> 
> Basically anything dead that could be found in the woods or on the riverside while out hunting or fishing would make a great prop, that is unless your relatives try to eat it of course as you said.


gar heads look cool too, didn't even think of them. i used to have a bucket full of them i collected for some reason once.


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## CenCalHaunt

Great ideas. Dolls scare the crap out of me, so a bunch of doll heads hanging around would work. Next time I go fishing maybe I'll catch some catfish


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## Sytnathotep

Lord Homicide said:


> ... used to have a bucket full of them i collected for some reason once.


My point exactly!

Another good hillbilly/******* trait to take advantage of in the haunt would be dead..... machines!

Almost any junk that doesn't work anymore. ( or at least looks like it don't) . I know I'm guilty of it. I own six cars, only two have actually moved in the past like, five years. Lawn mowers, weedeaters, car parts, cars, anything like that. Heck, just pile it out and shoot cheap webs over it. ONly disadvatange may be that real ******** may want to steal it. lol


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## Lord Homicide

Sytnathotep said:


> My point exactly!
> 
> Another good hillbilly/******* trait to take advantage of in the haunt would be dead..... machines!


exactly! you can find all this crap, well most of it, at the swap meets - cheap.


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## CenCalHaunt

I have plenty of junk! I collect all kinds of crap throughout the year just for later use, normally Halloween. I have an old BBQ, a seized weedeater, rusty bikes, old trash cans, etc. Unfortunately I don't have any old vehicles because we live just within the city limits and our neighborhood CC&R's won't let us have old cars sitting around. I just got an OLD wheelbarrow and some super old farm tools (even a sythe!) from my grandpa. I hope I can find a real banjo, they aren't easy to come by on the west coast. I obviously don't want to buy a brand new one. Anyone ever see any tutorials on how to build a prop banjo that actually looks good?


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## Lord Homicide

CenCalHaunt said:


> I have plenty of junk! I collect all kinds of crap throughout the year just for later use, normally Halloween. I have an old BBQ, a seized weedeater, rusty bikes, old trash cans, etc. Unfortunately I don't have any old vehicles because we live just within the city limits and our neighborhood CC&R's won't let us have old cars sitting around. I just got an OLD wheelbarrow and some super old farm tools (even a sythe!) from my grandpa. I hope I can find a real banjo, they aren't easy to come by on the west coast. I obviously don't want to buy a brand new one. Anyone ever see any tutorials on how to build a prop banjo that actually looks good?


The scythe is awesome! Can you put a pic up please??


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## CenCalHaunt

Lord Homicide said:


> The scythe is awesome! Can you put a pic up please??


I have to wait untill we get all that stuff out of storage. They just moved so it might be a few days


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## NoahFentz

Thanks for submitting this post...its getting my creative juices flowing again....There's nothing I like more than talking about rusty junk, pig squeals and roadkill!!

YEEHAW!!


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## Lord Homicide

NoahFentz said:


> Thanks for submitting this post...its getting my creative juices flowing again....There's nothing I like more than talking about rusty junk, pig squeals and roadkill!!
> 
> YEEHAW!!


amen to that!


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## RoxyBlue

CenCalHaunt said:


> I hope I can find a real banjo, they aren't easy to come by on the west coast. I obviously don't want to buy a brand new one. Anyone ever see any tutorials on how to build a prop banjo that actually looks good?


Try doing a search for "canjo" on line. You'll find links for making a banjo from things like cans and cookie tins which will certainly serve well as a haunt prop, and they also produce good sound

Dennis Havlena has a site for making all types of folk intruments from various materials. He tends to be more word heavy in his instructions than picture heavy, but he's a good resource if you like making folk instruments from scratch.

His site - scroll down for links to instrument instructions:

http://www.dennishavlena.com/

Here's a simple schematic of his cookie tin banjo:

http://www.dennishavlena.com/basspr.gif

Full instructions:

http://www.dennishavlena.com/banjo.htm


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## Sytnathotep

As far as Banjo's go, the first that comes to my mind that is actually done in the south would be to build your own gourd banjo prop. If it is just the prop and the look you are after, all you really need is a large gourd, wood for the neck/pegboard, and something for the strings, maybe heavy fishing line.

Here is a link with some basic info: http://students.cis.uab.edu/ryan0101/

Google image search gourd banjo your find lots of ideas. Like RoxyBlue said, banjos are literately made out of about anything.lol


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## Lord Homicide

CenCalHaunt said:


> I hope I can find a real banjo, they aren't easy to come by on the west coast. I obviously don't want to buy a brand new one. Anyone ever see any tutorials on how to build a prop banjo that actually looks good?


i googled "how to make a prop banjo" and got this http://hallowtheme.blogspot.com/2009/09/my-homemade-banjo.html


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## RoxyBlue

And here's a site that has instrument kits if you're handy in the workshop and don't mind spending a little more:

http://www.harpkit.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=SFNT&Store_Code=MK

Banjo kit:

http://www.harpkit.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=banjos

They also sell hardware and blueprints if you want to build from scratch.


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## Lord Homicide

Have you ever heard the Tiny Tim version of Tip Toe Through the Tulips? it was recently used for the movie Insidious. in the right atmosphere, the song is extremely creepy - the voice, the tune.... everything.

check it out ASAP


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## fontgeek

What kind of view will the public have of the banjo?
Unless they are walking past it, you only need to have the basic visual components, and those in two dimensional plane for the most part. The body and head of the banjo are the easy part, getting the neck, headpiece with tuning pegs will be the most difficult part. Unless you have someone or something that is actually going to play it, I'd skip the strings. In fact, you could take the idea Disney used with the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and just have the "musician" inside the front room with the shade pulled down and the music and a light coming from the room. Having a rocking chair that's rocking on it's own on the porch can give your scene some movement without having to fight the issue of a banjo. If you were local, I might loan you a banjo for a day or two.
Poorer folk often used cigar boxes as the body/sound box for banjos and guitars.
You could also have a fiddler, a washtub bass, a guitar, a dulcimer, a wooden flute and or recorder, and as mentioned earlier a Jews harp, though trying to show that where people could see it would be a bit tougher. You can also include a washboard, an accordion, spoons, a simple drum.

Dueling Banjos wasn't actually dueling banjos, it was a banjo and a guitar.


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## Sytnathotep

fontgeek said:


> You can also include a washboard, an accordion, spoons, a simple drum.....


...and jugs. Also used as an instrument. Link
 
Which speaking of jugs brings me to ...moonshine!

Set up a fake moonshine still in your yard. Some old barrels or tubs, glass cider jugs/bottles, some copper tubing coils, your all set!


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## Pumpkin5

Lord Homicide said:


> Have you ever heard the Tiny Tim version of Tip Toe Through the Tulips? it was recently used for the movie Insidious. in the right atmosphere, the song is extremely creepy - the voice, the tune.... everything.
> 
> check it out ASAP


:jol:Tiny Tim was EXTREMELY creepy in his time. I vaguely remember my older sisters laughing and making fun of what a creepster he was.....I googled him years ago and the limp greasy hair, the falsetto voice, all while strumming a little uk, he is a freak-azoid!


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## Lord Homicide

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol:Tiny Tim was EXTREMELY creepy in his time. I vaguely remember my older sisters laughing and making fun of what a creepster he was.....I googled him years ago and the limp greasy hair, the falsetto voice, all while strumming a little uk, he is a freak-azoid!


Yeah he was


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## CenCalHaunt

Lord Homicide said:


> Have you ever heard the Tiny Tim version of Tip Toe Through the Tulips? it was recently used for the movie Insidious. in the right atmosphere, the song is extremely creepy - the voice, the tune.... everything.
> 
> check it out ASAP


I will, thanks


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## CenCalHaunt

Sytnathotep said:


> ...and jugs. Also used as an instrument. Link
> 
> Which speaking of jugs brings me to ...moonshine!
> 
> Set up a fake moonshine still in your yard. Some old barrels or tubs, glass cider jugs/bottles, some copper tubing coils, your all set!


Working on coming up with realistic pot and furnace right now


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## CenCalHaunt

Man I'm glad I started this thread. Lots of great info!! Hopefully it helps comeone else too. I also came across a haunt called the Backwoods on YouTube. Pretty cool hillbilly themed haunt. It's worth a look


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## CenCalHaunt

Pumpkin5 said:


> :jol:Tiny Tim was EXTREMELY creepy in his time. I vaguely remember my older sisters laughing and making fun of what a creepster he was.....I googled him years ago and the limp greasy hair, the falsetto voice, all while strumming a little uk, he is a freak-azoid!


I looked Tiny Tim up on YouTube....ummm....yikes. He looked like a cross between Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson. And his voice, super creepy. I will definitely use that song if I can find a decent recording, all the versions I found were live so you could hear the audience in the background.


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## Up_Up_And_Away

CenCalHaunt said:


> ...I will definitely use that song if I can find a decent recording, all the versions I found were live so you could hear the audience in the background.


For what it's worth, I wouldn't find it creepy - I associate him with Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In... And ukuleles generally don't creep me out, either...


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## CenCalHaunt

Up_Up_And_Away said:


> For what it's worth, I wouldn't find it creepy - I associate him with Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In... And ukuleles generally don't creep me out, either...


Really? That guy has a FREAK! What if I added some crackle and hiss, to make it sound like an old record or AM radio broadcast? Do you think that would do it? Imagine that song playing with some pigs squealing in the background, loud bangs, screams, and maybe even a chainsaw going...


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## Lord Homicide

CenCalHaunt said:


> Really? That guy has a FREAK! What if I added some crackle and hiss, to make it sound like an old record or AM radio broadcast? Do you think that would do it? Imagine that song playing with some pigs squealing in the background, loud bangs, screams, and maybe even a chainsaw going...


like i said originally, in the right atmosphere (environment) the song would be creepy


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## Dark Lord

CenCalHaunt said:


> Really? That guy has a FREAK! What if I added some crackle and hiss, to make it sound like an old record or AM radio broadcast? Do you think that would do it? Imagine that song playing with some pigs squealing in the background, loud bangs, screams, and maybe even a chainsaw going...


When I need creepy old record sounds, I speed up & slow down sections of old songs & then use sound clips I have and add in pops & crackles & even delete a space out every once in awhile to replicate needle skipping..... they come out _really_ creepy. The slowing down & speeding up really gives the old phonograph record warp sound + all the other effects done.....

I'll have to pull Timmy's song somewhere & try it, I think it can be "raise-the neck hairs" creepy.....LoL


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## Dark Lord

CenCalHaunt said:


> I looked Tiny Tim up on YouTube....ummm....yikes. He looked like a cross between Alice Cooper and Marilyn Manson. And his voice, super creepy. I will definitely use that song if I can find a decent recording, all the versions I found were live so you could hear the audience in the background.


I just found & pulled a clean studio copy ( no background audience or sounds ) of Tiny Tim's tulip song if you want it. After I finish with helping at the Makers Fair CalHaunt booth Sun-Mon, I'll play with this song next week


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## Lord Homicide

Lord Homicide said:


> LIGHTING EFFECTS
> have you thought about utilizing the flicker bulb/photosensor setup for old faulty wiring on various lighted objects? i used this (made my own) on old christmas lights for my party last year and it worked great. there are better ways to make the rig than what i did.


here is the DIY i was talking about...
http://booityourself.blogspot.com/2010/09/flickering-fluttering-sputtering.html


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