# Dave The Dead's 2008 Yardhaunt



## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

I've got some pix posted up in my photobucket album...more will be added in the next few days so keep checking. 
yardhaunt2008 pictures by davethedead - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://static.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/yardhaunt2008/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@m240/davethedead/yardhaunt2008/Yardhaunt2008TheMovie_0001

a few of my favorites so far

























thanks for looking...Happy Halloween!


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## hawkchucker (Oct 5, 2007)

Thats it Im moving in.


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## JohnnyL (Aug 17, 2006)

Wow.... Fantastic!


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## Frighteners Entertainment (Jan 24, 2006)

I agree with hawkchucker!!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

hawkchucker said:


> Thats it Im moving in.


I've got a bit of room for you between the hearse and the coffins....can you sleep standing up?


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## hedg12 (Jul 6, 2008)

Awesome! I love your hearse driver. Spy Vs Spy in the afterlife?


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## remylass (Sep 18, 2008)

Good gravy, this is cool.


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## Spooky1 (Aug 25, 2008)

Damn that's an amazing setup. You have the haunt to see! Where is this work of art located?


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## dynoflyer (Oct 8, 2006)

DavetheDead! You rock, that's a great haunt you have going! Lot's of work and it shows! Excellent!


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## Moon Dog (Oct 3, 2006)

Love the first pic! Nice shot!


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## Spartan005 (Mar 13, 2007)

That looks incredible! great job


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## heresjohnny (Feb 15, 2006)

Love the lighting, very, very effective!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Spooky1 said:


> Damn that's an amazing setup. You have the haunt to see! Where is this work of art located?


Indianapolis, Indiana.


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## scream1973 (Dec 23, 2007)

Dave you just never cease to amaze me.


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## lowdwnrob (Jul 2, 2008)

Hey Dave, my neighbors daughter is here and she lives next to Adam Venitteri (spelling) the kicker for the Colts and she said he has a huge display in his yard. She wont give up the address though.Im still working, maybe we can talk him into doing a make and take at his place.


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## Lilly (Jun 13, 2006)

cool pics Dave..
your yard always looks great


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## lowdwnrob (Jul 2, 2008)

Oh by the way, once again the house looks incredible.


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## Lagrousome (Apr 12, 2007)

Now Dave, YOU know THOSE are pictures of MY yard and those are all MY props! C'mon Dave, fess up to everyone here!! 
OK....back to reality................as always, I am bowing down at your greatness!!


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## cerinad (Jun 23, 2008)

Wow that's amazing!! Truly top notch...


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## Indyandy (Sep 7, 2005)

Looks great Dave. I am so humbled. Hmm, a make and take with Adam? Keep working on that.


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## hawkchucker (Oct 5, 2007)

lowdwnrob said:


> Hey Dave, my neighbors daughter is here and she lives next to Adam Venitteri (spelling) the kicker for the Colts and she said he has a huge display in his yard. She wont give up the address though.Im still working, maybe we can talk him into doing a make and take at his place.


Nice Guy. I am sure he would be interested.


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## Monstermaker (Aug 4, 2008)

Awesome display Dave! I too am a fellow Hoosier, (Originally from Lafayette) but was transplanted to Wisconsin after I retired from the military.


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## Ghoul Friday (Oct 6, 2007)

Looks great. Sandman looks really cool lit up


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## CreepyCanmore (Mar 27, 2007)

Holy hell, that looks amazing Dave.


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## Death Trail (Oct 30, 2008)

SO my haunted trail looks like complete crap after seeing yours. THANKS buddy, man your display look AMAZING, i need to step it up, you take it to a whole different level. Great job man!


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## Lady Nyxie (Aug 30, 2006)

Superb job. Love the lighting and the blue guy is really cool too.


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## Parabola (Jul 4, 2008)

Thanks for the pics and the inspiration Dave! Very ghoulish!


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## debbie5 (Mar 2, 2007)

How come when other people use different colored lights, it looks great...and when I use different colored lights, I feel that it looks like a circus?
Anyhow- great pics..great photography job....and I want you to adopt me.

d5


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## pyro (Oct 7, 2006)

wow dave that looks great


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

Was looking forward to your '08 pics Dave. Awesome stuff, again. The lighting rocks. Very inspiring.


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

Wow Dave, all the props individually look great, but all together....FANFREAKIN'TASTIC!!!!!


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## lowdwnrob (Jul 2, 2008)

hawkchucker said:


> Nice Guy. I am sure he would be interested.


Do you know him. I gave her the forums address hoping maybe he will sign on. I also gave her my email hoping he might contact me but I dont think she is going to give it to him. You should get him on here if you know him.


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## Ms. Wicked (Nov 14, 2006)

Amazing as always Dave. I'm so glad that you pulled it together in time! Your work deserves to be displayed and admired!!!!!!


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## Spider Rider (Nov 8, 2006)

I love the first pic in your photo album of all the little guys gathered together and your coffin with the jumper skeleton creeps me out even in still photos. Fantastic job! Your hearse and driver belong in a hall of fame or at least their own storybook.


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## mikeq91 (Jul 19, 2005)

looks great, very nice pics... love the horse drawn hearse


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## HalloweenZombie (Jul 22, 2007)

All hail Dave, Master of the Halloween Universe! Excellent work!


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## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

amazing as usual dave!


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## Revenant (Mar 17, 2007)

Breathtaking, Dave... your composition and lighting just totally click. In all honesty I was wondering if all those different props would look thrown together in the yard... if was going to work or if it would just look like Halloween clutter... but it all dovetails beautifully, especially with the lighting.

And, while everyone oohs and aahs over your big spectacular props, I'll break from the pack and point out one of the smaller elements that, to me, is the cornerstone of a haunt -- your headstones. They all look great, and most importantly, they blend with each other. It doesn't look like 10 unrelated different kinds of stones; they all look like they've been weathering together in the same cemetery for years.

I played "Where's Bucketman" (instead of Waldo) and finally found him heheheh I love that one... and hey, that perspective shot of the 3 stones with the skulls peeking over them... are those all headpoppers? If so I'd love to see video of them all operating at once! Overall... Beautiful display! Truly an inspiration.


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Okay, so not only can Stolloween not move in next door and make our display look like crap by comparison, YOU can't either!

Really outstanding work! I am in awe.


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## STOLLOWEEN (Apr 13, 2008)

Wow Dave...seeing you work on all the new pieces this year I was in awe...seeing them all put together leaves me speechless....beautiful work


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

Thanks everyone.
a few things I worked on this year that seems like got noticed:

The lighting. Last year I used twice as many lights as I did this year. It was hideous...It looked like a box of crayons threw up. This year, not only did I use half the number of lights, but I limited my colors. The vast majority of the lighting was done with blue floods, 25watt amber bulbs, and 40w yellow. I had orange porch lights as a background color, and used a few sparse red lights on certain props. I felt the mood that was created blended well with the props, and was still plenty bright enough to show everything. 

Tombstones: I hated my tombstones...they were some of the first props I ever made, and showed it in the poor skill level. I added a few stones this year, and in painting them I absolutely HAD to repaint the old stones. I used many, many different acrylic washes on them to get the look, and came up with some unique painting and texturing methods I have not seen anywhere else for the weathering. The basic shapes were all taken from local old cemeteries, so they are consistent with the area and all gel together as far as time-frame. 

De-cluttering: This was my biggest challenge...and one that helped out more than anything else...I purged a BUNCH of props around the 2nd week of October...things that didn't fit with the rest of my props, things that I have accumulated over the years that just no longer worked with everything else. I ditched a trailer load of skellies, coffins, lab jars, and all sorts of store bought things that just didn't make sense any more. I also refused to put out a MM figure that just isn't right for my display. I can now say with pride that my yard haunt is 99% hand-made( there are still a few small things I haven't ditched yet in hopes of turning into a prop sometime) 

Yes, revenant...the 3 stones are headpoppers. I haven't had a chance to get thru all my pix, and my video is hideous this year. I'll try to clean it up as much as I can and will be posting a slide-show when I can get it all put together.


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## DeadSpider (Feb 3, 2006)

You have a lot of really great home made props Dave. 
Love it!! Thanks for sharing!


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## NecroBones (Feb 10, 2006)

Very nice pics! That's a great display!


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## Lauriebeast (Feb 27, 2007)

Simply stunning dave! You sure do great work for a dead guy


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## BudMan (Mar 6, 2007)

OK, that was freakin' awesome as usual! Dave, you never cease to amaze me.


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## Bone To Pick (Oct 23, 2007)

I'm not worthy to post in your thread, Dave. So I'll leave now......

(excellent display!!)


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## Devils Chariot (May 23, 2007)

awwwww. I want video! (pouting) 

Inspiring pictures Dave, those are the kind that get me all riled up and back at the work bench.

Only 361 days left till halloween!


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## dave the dead (Jan 31, 2007)

One of the most common questions I was asked this year is "how long does it take to put all this away?"

answer...not as long as you would think.

yardhaunt2008 :: teardown08.flv video by davethedead - [email protected]@[email protected]@http://vid105.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid105.photobucket.com/albums/m240/davethedead/yardhaunt2008/[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@[email protected]@m240/davethedead/yardhaunt2008/teardown08


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## Tyler (Jul 17, 2008)

That was sweet!


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## jdubbya (Nov 6, 2005)

dave the dead said:


> Thanks everyone.
> a few things I worked on this year that seems like got noticed:
> 
> The lighting. Last year I used twice as many lights as I did this year. It was hideous...It looked like a box of crayons threw up. This year, not only did I use half the number of lights, but I limited my colors.
> ...


Two points that really struck me in this post. Lighting is key, IMO to set a mood, and less is better in most cases. Some haunts look almost "Christmas-like".

The de-cluttering thing is spot on. This year, for the first time, there were things I didn't put out, simply as they weren't integral to the theme or looked out of place/scale to the rest. In many cases, as with lighting, less is better and it's not always necessary to add new things each year, maybe just improve on what you have and focus more on mood/atmosphere.


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## HouseBloodthorn (Aug 16, 2007)

Simply amazing. Another true original. Heads off to ya, Dave! :smilekin:


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