# 2010 haunt theme help



## thealmightyzenk (Jul 7, 2010)

Hey, I do a haunt in my shed every year. It's not huge but every year it gets more elaborate. One of the most important things to me in my haunt is a great theme and great storytelling. I almost always have a preshow room with a spooky story recording and a couple actors. Anyways, I need some help deciding what theme to go with this year and I'm really having trouble deciding. I'm thinking either...

Quarantine: Facility of the Dead--A former top secret military lab that has been empty for years. It's doors never unlocked from the quarantine placed in effect over 20 years ago after an experimental virus leak caused odd, disturbing mutations to lab staff personnel. 

Shaft 13--A vacant old mine shut down years ago. Miners reported seeing frightening hooded figures in and around the mine late at night. Strange tapping noises could be heard from inside mine walls where no tunnels existed. One day strange noises and shadows filled the mines, followed by a deadly collapse in Shaft 13. It was determined that there were likely no survivors, and the tunnel was never excavated nor the bodies ever recovered. Now, over 100 years later, the abandoned shaft is being opened once again, and you will be the first to enter since that dreadful day.

So what do you think?


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

I'm of no help but I think either would be great. The back story you have for both is really good. The mine shaft is something different and might make for some cool scares.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I'd go with the Shaft 13 theme. Huge potential for subtle scares and eerie atmosphere.


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## Rasputin (Jan 4, 2010)

The mine shaft would be the better route to go from a story telling perspective. I don't know what you have planned as to what/who did the damage, but maybe you could add something like the man who owned the mine shaft was at ends with one of the workers becuase the owner was in love with the worker's fiancée. He figured, to get the worker out of the way, he could implode the mine shaft, but he didn't know how to do it, so he hired "The Hooded Figures" (change the name to something demonic) and they blew up the mine, but trapped themselves inside. The boss then tried to make the move on the fiancée, who claimed to still love the worker. She stayed by the mine "talking" to her love until she died, everyone thought her to be insane (But she really was talking to him). Now, only the front of the mine collapsed, leaving the inside of the mine safe (and this is a way to include, what I assume, was a zombie theme, but if you don't want it don't include it) so to live the men ate each other and have lived so long because of it and are looking for fresh meat, and you can adapt this however you want to, assuming you use it, which you don't have to, just do what you want.


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## The-Haunter (Sep 24, 2009)

I did a mine room last year in the haunt I helped design. Made walls from pallets worked awesome just screwed them together with 2x4 braces inside . Slid the whole section over a t post.... 2x4 braces for roof black plastic and viola instant mine.... Hope that helps


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## thealmightyzenk (Jul 7, 2010)

Thanks guys! I think I'm kinda leaning toward the mine theme. It seems like I can do some really detailed scenes on a small budget. The pallet wall panel idea would look great for a mine and there are lots of places to get them free on Craigslist. Also we usually try to cram as much as possible into the haunt which usually results in pretty tight hallways which will be perfect for mine shafts. We also already have some stuff that should look great in the haunt; spools, crates, lanterns, etc. 

Any good ideas for scares? One good one i thought of is a 
train. 

I'd also love to hear any ones own ideas for the story...


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## DarkLore (Jan 25, 2009)

thealmightyzenk said:


> Any good ideas for scares? One good one i thought of is a train.


I like the mine theme. It conjures up all sorts of imagery for me. Dynamite blasting with half full boxes laying around...sticks of dynamite, sound, and smoke (fog). Cave eyes or led bats along the walls. Rusty old lanterns, echoing voices, etc.


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## badger (Jul 28, 2010)

Mines prey upon people's fear of being buried alive. This is a great concept that is sadly under-utilized in haunts...


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## Hauntiholik (May 17, 2006)

I like the mine theme. It can be cold, damp and dark. You can use sounds like echos and dripping water to enhance the effect. Maybe even the sound of part of the mine shaft collapsing and people getting trapped?


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## thealmightyzenk (Jul 7, 2010)

Wow you guys have some pretty great ideas. Please keep em comin. This is great!


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