# FearNet Contest



## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

They just showed the winner on GMA.. Congrat's to the Renee's haunted barn (whoever you are, if your even on here).. And All I got left to say is how did they pick the winners.. Not to offend anyone but IMO, I seen way better haunts submitted in the contest and not just "thrown together at the last minute" ha


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## Monk (Aug 26, 2008)

I'm not sure how they judged but I am sure it wasn't easy.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

It was judged by people "rating" from 1-5. It's all about getting your friends to click on it. Bah!


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## BudMan (Mar 6, 2007)

Do you need to register to watch? It was only letting me watch one per day?


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## GraveStalker (Apr 19, 2006)

*Fearnet*

IMO

Fearnet has done some good things for home haunters like "Route 666: America's Scariest Home Haunts", but they have also done damage. This is a very good example. In order to get people to come see our home haunts we need promote the best of the best and this is obviously not the case. Don't get me wrong, I think the winners have a great thing there. I'm sure people really enjoy their display and that's what it's really all about, BUT I would not consider that "high-end" by any stretch and I believe to promote it as such hurts all home haunts.

Fearnet has mostly done damage with this stupid contest. Last year, it exposed (in a public way) the ugly behaviors of some home haunters when money is dangled in front of them and it is really a shame because most (if not all) do it for the love of Haunting. However, you would never know that based on some of the comments that were made -in particular, haunts slamming other haunts

Fearnet also changes rules mid-stream and do not appear to enforce those rules.

Our haunt was not a contest entrant this year because we are not happy with Fearnet. We are proud to have been selected for Route 666 and finish in 3rd place in the video contest last year. DC Cemetery was a very deserving winner and represents what I would consider a high-end home haunt. Unfortunately, this year I do not feel that's the case and am really happy with our decision to not enter the contest.

Jim Wieloch
Graveside Manor


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## DarkShadows (Feb 6, 2006)

damn you couldnt of said that any better gravestalker. I agree with you 100%. Crap like this really pisses me off


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## blacklightmike (Nov 2, 2008)

The first misconception of this years' Fearnet contest is that it's a _popularity contest_... not entirely true... _*Hell's Gate*_ would have won far and away if that were the sole criteria. I followed this contest closely, because I placed third in the ranking toward the end.

According to the rules, which did bend a bit over time, it seemed, the top three videos are culled, along with two 'other' videos pulled from the flock, and these are judged by a panel. Basically, the most photogenic, morning TV-friendly video is selected from the process. No offense to the winner, but it was apparent that they selected a lighter, more middle of the road style, soccer mom haunt for the GMA audience to digest easily.

C'est la vie. Congrats to Renee!

On the other hand, what is the point of voting at all if the winner is hand-picked from a pile like that? Welcome to America 2008... everyone's a winner, and being talented and outstanding in your field means little at all.

A suggestion to the powers that be: A multi-tier prize system, and going back to the popular vote that got DC picked last year. The voting was a little less tedious than last time around (remember the Yahoo/Bix,side-by-side voting from last year? Yikes!), but it could use an improvement here and there... how do you leave a comment? Still haven't figured that one out.


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## blacklightmike (Nov 2, 2008)

Oops... one more complaint about Fearnet... midstream, they switched out my 2008 video for my 2007. Contacting them did nada... I really looked stupid promoting my haunt from last year.


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## Aelwyn (Jul 7, 2008)

I can't watch the winning video on Fearnet. It's now saying that it's not available in my location, even though I did watch the videos of entries. Weird.


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## BudMan (Mar 6, 2007)

I tend to agree with the openning statement, I thought there were better entries, but that's MY opinion.
To elaborate a little on Gravestalker's comment, while I think that DC's stuff is freakin' awesome and wish that I had all of it, DC is a business. I thought that the contest was for amateur home haunters, am I wrong? No offense to DC, like I said they do awesome work and congrats to them, but it's kinda like playing the old Russian hockey team in the Olympics, no?
Anyway, finally got to view all of the entrants and enjoyed it very much, but I can think of a few people from this forum that should be throwin' their hats in next year....


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## GraveStalker (Apr 19, 2006)

*Not Sure*

Budman,

Last Year's contest rules (although they changed mid-stream) stated that you could not receive more than a certain % of your income from decorating or halloween related profession. Not sure about this year. I believe that DC met those requirements and as a result, they were selected as the winner. Personally, I had no problem with it and looked at the bigger picture - They are great example of a high-end home haunt. They have opened their home to the public for many years without charging an admission and sunk thousands of dollars into the event. I feel as though they deserve to get some of that back. That's just my opinion.

However, this year I cannot say the same. I have seen WAY better and there were definitely other entrants that were far more deserving. It is an embarassment to some home haunters -including some contest entrants to have that be named "america's scariest home haunt". If that is a "flagship" home haunt, is it surprising that some pro haunts look down at home haunters or that you don't get the attendance at your home haunt that you should?

It's really a shame, but that's just my opinion.

Jim


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## BudMan (Mar 6, 2007)

I was not aware of the exact rules for last year, just happened to recently run into another contestant and from that conversation, I guess I got the wrong idea. I was in NO way trying to say that DC wasn't deserving. Their stuff is just over the top!
I am a little disappointed with this years decision, but that's show business. Still think that there is way more talent on this forum alone, not to mention guys like Terror Syndicate.


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## GraveStalker (Apr 19, 2006)

BudMan said:


> I was not aware of the exact rules for last year, just happened to recently run into another contestant and from that conversation, I guess I got the wrong idea. I was in NO way trying to say that DC wasn't deserving. Their stuff is just over the top!
> I am a little disappointed with this years decision, but that's show business. Still think that there is way more talent on this forum alone, not to mention guys like Terror Syndicate.


No worries budman. I was expressing my viewpoint on DC's win. I agree Terror Syndicate is another great example of a high-end home haunt and there were some in the contest, but unfortunately they were not chosen.

I agree there is more talent on this forum, but I don't think talent was the criteria for selecting the winner. Oh well!


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## turtle2778 (Jul 9, 2006)

OMG that was horrible. If you have to actually tell a kid to scream in your haunt video OBVIOUSLY its not scary. What a shame, that was a very cheap and generic looking haunt. If not for actors they wouldnt have had anything remotely scary. The other entrants were nice to watch and I hope some people from this forum get on the ball and enter. I'd love to see one of us win this and make it about a good home haunt.


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