# Haunted Tiki Island 2009 - The Final Year



## Devils Chariot

Here are a few pictures From this years haunt.














































I'll post a few more into another post below, but you can see them all on my blog here.

Thanks for looking, and thanks to hauntforum members for their help! I couldn't have done it without you.


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## Devils Chariot

*part two!*

Now here are some props by my fellow haunters of whom I am very proud:









Patty's Hatchling and Jay's Sign









Kendra's Flower









Zac's Drinking Corpse









Patty's Tiki Peeper









Tricia's TOT Snatcher

Again there are more pics on the Haunted Tiki Island Blog.


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## Rahnefan

Those are great! Why the final year? And what's that tower thing with the skeleton on top of it?


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## Devils Chariot

Rahnefan said:


> Those are great! Why the final year? And what's that tower thing with the skeleton on top of it?


Time for a new theme!!! The tower of death holds FireBringer who prays over the bones of his ancestors to conjure fire from the volcano to burn away the plague of foreign invaders who have destroyed the island!


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## Rahnefan

Teach me to make stuff glow like that! Where's your tutes? Oops just found the how-to blog, sorry...


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## Devils Chariot

I'll get a chance to get back to the how-to blog now that halloween is over. I thought "Hey I can just take pictures as I work and they will turn themselves into how-tos!". That didn't work out, but I'll have a new how-to up at least one a month from now till at least july. Stay Tuned.


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## Terrormaster

DC, excellent work as always. Volcano turned out really nice. Out of all the haunt themes I've always felt red/green/blue lighting palette worked best with the tiki theme.


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## Spartan005

yeah everything looks great. those first 3 pics in particular look amazing... like a disney haunt


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## Joiseygal

Wow....it will be a shame to see this theme go. I could just imagine what you come up with next?!?!?!


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## debbie5

(sending shipping address & postage paid labels so all this stuff can come live on MY lawn...)

I. Covet.


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## nixie

Flippin' Brilliant!!!!! Cant wait to see what you do next year!!


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## Wyatt Furr

DC,
Great job as always.
Sad to see such a unique theme go away.
But I'm sure next year will be just as amazing.


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## heresjohnny

Devils Chariot said:


> Here are a few pictures From this years haunt.


I love this guy, and the others with him on your blog. Sad to see this go, but I understand needing a new theme.


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## Devils Chariot

heresjohnny said:


> I love this guy, and the others with him on your blog. Sad to see this go, but I understand needing a new theme.


If the rest of the group had wanted to do one more year I would have been ok with it, but I would just be making fancier sets I think, and starting to build for 2011.

It worked out though, once we got over the nostalgia on the morning after, we were psyched and talking about next years haunt theme.


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## IMU

WOW, just WOW! Awesome job!


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## RoxyBlue

Absolutely beautiful, DC! I hope the Cauldron Creep doesn't go away, even if the rest of the theme does. He's one of my all-time favorite props.


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## DeathTouch

Where are the hot babes from last year?


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## Devils Chariot

DeathTouch said:


> Where are the hot babes from last year?


I have finished the prop porn pictures, now I need to sort thru the "other" pictures.

oh yeah we added another hot babe this year. colleana, the eldest of the sisters finally joined in on the halloween fun.


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## DeathTouch

Yeah me! That is what I call Haunt Sexy!


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## fick209

Wow, I love all the lighting and the glowing effects (be checking out your how-to's shortly). I like the tot snatcher
Very good job, everything very well done. Can't wait to see what theme you come up with next.


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## Bone Dancer

Craig, your work has been an inspiration and even if your cauldron creep goes away it will have many incarnations living on in other haunts. Waiting to see the how-tos and would love to get a hint of what the new the theme for next year is. Thanks for sharing.


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## Spider Rider

Effin awesome!!!! I'm filling the van up with gas to head south to pick up your stuff. You're props are so cool and you are also prolific enough to change themes when you already have a winner? Wow, just wow!


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## Devils Chariot

Cauldron Creep will live on. He needs an upgrade to Cauldron Creep 2.0 (better mechanism for his head, sturdier bones, neater wiring) and he'll have a new job next year.

Most of the props will get recycled. Montiki will live on the wall in my office, as will the HTI entry sign. 

Spider Rider I have 4 other prop building mofos working with me now, and they are all dedicated creative people. They get better each year so I have no worries about next year, just excitement and anticipation. We never know how its going to look when it is all setup, but we are always amazed once it is. That's kind of the fuel that keeps us going for the three months before Halloween.


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## halloween71

AWESOME!!!Look forward to next years new theme.


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## Otaku

Joiseygal said:


> Wow....it will be a shame to see this theme go. I could just imagine what you come up with next?!?!?!


Another great haunt, DC! I too am saddened to see this unique theme pass, but I'm looking forward to the next Big Thing. Let us know what you have in mind!


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## morbidmike

awsome job tiki theme is so cool whats the new theme???


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## Devils Chariot

It's still coming together but materials I am collecting to show the crew consist of Ray Bradbury books, Tom Waits cds, Joel Peter Whitkin photos, The Brothers Quay "Street of Crocodiles" , and images from the Mütter Museum.


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## The Archivist

I truly am very sorry I mentioned going to my father, these photos are amazing. I especially like the flower shot! Next year, regardless of what he says I'm coming down!!


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## Bone To Pick

Very cool, DC!! Great props and great photos! What kind of exposures did you use for the pics?


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## Devils Chariot

Bone To Pick said:


> Very cool, DC!! Great props and great photos! What kind of exposures did you use for the pics?


I am going to do a how to soon, but basically I bracket the shots, shoot one normal, one plus one stop, and one minus one stop, and then pick the best, and maybe blend in the other two in photoshop. Bracketing usually gets the you 90% of the way there. I use a tripod and a digital camera set to iso 1600, shoot at f16 or f22 and have exposures from 10 seconds to 5 minutes.

In the how-to I am going to use a simple point and shoot so you can see how to get the best out of those, and then have one for people who have Digital SLR cameras.


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## RoxyBlue

You know, you could be a good photographer for Playboy magazine


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## Devils Chariot

The Archivist said:


> I truly am very sorry I mentioned going to my father, these photos are amazing. I especially like the flower shot! Next year, regardless of what he says I'm coming down!!


Come on Archie! I have been lying to my dad about where I am going at night, especially Halloween for 22 years! Heck I still lie to him out of habit.

Dad: So what are you doing for your birthday vacation this year?
Me: Having brain surgery.
Dad: Really!?
Me: Nope, I'm lying, I am going to a Satanic Mass. (still lying)
Dad goes back to reading the paper.


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## The Archivist

Well, hopefully next year I'll have a decent enough job so I can pay for internet connection myself. Once that happens there'll be no stopping me!  I even showed my dad the google map of your location, but to no avail.  

I do have an idea for next year's theme. How about a play on people's fears? My biggest fear is rejection from girls...


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## pyro

very nice lighting - sorry to see it go


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## MansionHaunter

That was a heck of a lot of work - but it looks amazing. Love the volcano. Big fan of the tiki theme myself.


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## HouseBloodthorn

Bravo, DC! A spectacular visual feast for the eyeballs. So much detail and awesomeness scorching my retinas. The Firebringer and the Headshrinker totally rocked. The Island is/was a big paper-umbrella topped coconut mug filled with kickass hauntery goodness.

I'll miss it.

I, like others, am bummed to see such a wonderful and unique theme go by the wayside. However, your style has really evolved over the past few years and I am definitely looking forward to seeing what comes next!


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## Devils Chariot

Hey thanks guys for the kind words and lamenting the passing of HTI.

It's just making way for something new. I still have the giant tiki mask, and the sign in my office, and patty still has her tikis. Cauldron Creep will never go away. Maybe someday it will have a reunion tour. Maybe when I buy a house. Maybe someday it will a be a charity haunt or part of one.

I have to admit though, I really love Tiki Island in that is has so many things I like incorporated into it. I like tikis, and dayak carvings and asmat ancestor skulls and all that stuff. I collect it, I go to museums to see it, I decorate my home with it. I'm a little sad to see it go too.


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## Spooky1

DC, Tiki Island looks amazing. I'm sorry to hear it's the last year for the Island,  but I'm sure you'll come up with another fantastic setup next year.


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## lewlew

Excellent work sir. Love the glowing pics. 

I think you should take HTI on the road to...say...NW Pennsylvania? Just so
happens I have a coupla props that would fit that theme very nicely.

Glad to hear the Cauldron Creep will never go away.


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## Devils Chariot

Ok here are the Hot Girls DT was asking to see (plus two dudes):










the ones on the end are fake, btw. and no that tall guy isn't BatLord.

It goes Patty, Zac, Kendra, Tricia, Calleana (new this year), Courtney, Jay.

and here's me and Kendra, so you can check out my costume:


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## Revenant

Damn, DC... you done swansonged Tiki Island. What a send-off. Your use of blacklight-neon craziness and pure grossness and just overall coordinated coolness is totally one of a kind.


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## Devils Chariot

yeah it did get a little rated NC17 there with the skinned faces heh heh Rev.

I gotta have something to scare the parents too. next year's museum of oddities will make you curl up and cry like a bay. Like a three headed baby.


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## doggieshop

What an awesome set up! This is just what I have in mind for next year. I'm planning a a cave that will be in a 10x20 tent, with the black light neon going on. This will be the "Eye Candy- and not so scary part of the haunt, then for those who dare.... the tunnel of doom leading to the altar, cannibals, and other assorted goodies like yours. I've read your blogs are there any how to for the cool weird plants that were made? Can't wait to see what you dream up for next year!


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## Devils Chariot

doggieshop said:


> What an awesome set up! This is just what I have in mind for next year. I'm planning a a cave that will be in a 10x20 tent, with the black light neon going on. This will be the "Eye Candy- and not so scary part of the haunt, then for those who dare.... the tunnel of doom leading to the altar, cannibals, and other assorted goodies like yours. I've read your blogs are there any how to for the cool weird plants that were made? Can't wait to see what you dream up for next year!


Actually the first how-to back from the haunt season on my how-to blog will be quick and easy carnivorous plants!










Stay tuned. I hoping to do this next week.


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## Haunted Bayou

DC, those props are fantastic.


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## ScreamingScarecrow

They're all amazing shots but that first one is perfect!


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## Kaoru

Holy Shiznit! That looks wonderful! Great job DC! I loved all of it! It's a shame its the last year for the tiki look but what a nice way to go! What will you do with some of it since you wont be doing this theme next year?


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## Devils Chariot

Kaoru said:


> Holy Shiznit! That looks wonderful! Great job DC! I loved all of it! It's a shame its the last year for the tiki look but what a nice way to go! What will you do with some of it since you wont be doing this theme next year?


I am going to put some of it on etsy. When you see my signature says etsy, that means its online. Thought I might be able to sell some of HTI to fund 2010, maybe so I can afford a 3 axis kit or a new bucky. (crosses fingers) We have alot to unload.

Glad you liked the final year of HTI. It was a blast and I am very happy with how it came off. Not perfect, but still pretty rad!


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## The Watcher

DC, I really wish you didn't live so far away. I would of love to have been able to of been their. Really nice job!


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## STOLLOWEEN

Brilliant props, photography and lighting...I get lost in your photos as they are stunning...long live Tiki Island


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## Devils Chariot

hey everybody! I just finished chopping together the walk through video of our haunt:


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## Aquayne

That is worl class fantastic. Thanks for all the hard work.


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## Zombie-F

As always Devils Chariot, your props and photos are awe inspiring! Keep up the excellent work.


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## RoxyBlue

Man, I see the lack of sleep really paid off with this Did you have that music playing throughout the haunt? It really adds to the atmosphere.


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## The Creepster

Hey Wheres the poi? Great job.


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## Devils Chariot

RoxyBlue said:


> Man, I see the lack of sleep really paid off with this Did you have that music playing throughout the haunt? It really adds to the atmosphere.


Hey Roxy, I edited out the randoms sounds in the walk through and layered the sounds we had in the haunt over it, so there are jungle drums non-stop, bubbling by the cauldron, chanting by firebringer (guy on the tower), rumbling and fire crackling in the volcano, bugs and dripping cave sounds by the black light jungle/cave, and then of course there was that chatty skeleton and tiki mask.


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## Devils Chariot

Here is one last prop that whose pics I put up late since it was hard to get a good photo of him. Had to re-shot some bits and brighten it up a bit. It's like he was cursed not to be photographed. I only got one sharp pic, the rest were blurry for no good reason.

Here is Lava Creep ( in case you haven't seen him):


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## RoxyBlue

Man, I guess he never heard of using an SPF50 product

Even blurry, he looks great.


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## Warrant2000

You got a how-to on the lava creep floating around somewhere?


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## Devils Chariot

Warrant2000 said:


> You got a how-to on the lava creep floating around somewhere?


I could make one. He's pretty simple actually. I'll scrounge around my photos from when he was built and see what I got.


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## Bone Dancer

An amazing job on that haunt, wish I could have been there in person to see it.


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## MorbidMariah

WOW. Your haunt is/was just beautiful! As are the pics. I am psyched to see what your 2011 haunt will look like!


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## ELH Erin Loves Halloween

your haunt is gorgeous love the lighting


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## buckaneerbabe

Wow, just awesome!!! I don't think it's possible to do any better that last year. I can't wait to see what you come up with this year!


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## operatingnurse

I think you're disqualified from entering the $20 prop challenge this year so the rest of us will have a shot at a prize. Your creations are wicked...


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## Devils Chariot

operatingnurse said:


> I think you're disqualified from entering the $20 prop challenge this year so the rest of us will have a shot at a prize. Your creations are wicked...


yep, yep, yep..kind bummed too. next year!


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