# Ideas Needed



## Beforedawn (May 29, 2009)

I thought I would tap into the devious and creative minds on this site for some suggestions. 

A group I am associated with is being offered a room in a haunted attraction this year. All the profits are split between the non-profit groups at the end of it. I'm very excited. 

The over-all theme is "Mind of A Madman" so we need to do something along these lines. Any ideas from the creative ones out there?

I was thinking of maybe a twisted toy type scene (I have a "Demon Daycare" that I built) or maybe like a lab with weird creations or something along those lines. 

Anybody have any suggestions?


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## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

Mad scientist lab is always a good choice and gives many options for bizarre equipment, bubbling flasks, mutant research animals, and strange persons in white lab coats.

You could also go more literal in interpretation and do an insane asylum theme. Just think of the reaction of your visitors if they met this guy in a darkened room:

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=28310

An asylum setting can be fleshed out with strange sayings scrawled on the walls, inmates behind barred doors, sound tracks of moans and screams, electroshock therapy equipment, straitjackets, etc.


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## Beforedawn (May 29, 2009)

We have decided on the Insane Asylum theme. Not sure yet how big the room is we get. We have access to a gurney (sweet!) and I'll find a good soundtrack of crazy people to play. Any thoughts on good props for the asylum?


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

What I always found disturbing and disorienting about insane asylums and experiments in movies were the quick cut and loud noise/music test scenes. I believe it has to do with brainwashing...

I don't know if I am coming across clear, but there is a scene in LOST when they save a young man named Karl (Alex Rousseau's boyfriend) strapped to a chair with his eyelids held open to forcibly watch this movie of horrible images quickly cut and edited together.

Here is the actual video from LOST that could be used:

YouTube

This technique is also a central plot point in A Clockwork Orange as a means to rehabilitate Malcom MacDowell's character...

The loud and disturbing music along with the rapidly changing imagery causes confusion and will unsettle anybody...

Just a thought!


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## austenandrews (Aug 22, 2010)

Heh, great minds think alike, MrGrimm. I just came to post this video: 




The brain scan reconstructions are way creepy, if you had a way to isolate and display them.


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## MrGrimm (May 19, 2009)

Right on austen! 

I'd never seen a brain scan reconstruction before... that's pretty disturbing...

I like it!


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Do you know what the other rooms are going to be?
An asylum might be okay as long as you are the only ones doing that idea.


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## Victor (Sep 4, 2011)

A mad hatter's tea party comes to mind; Tim Burton style.


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## fontgeek (Jul 24, 2006)

Maybe a "little shop of horrors" plant room.


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## Beforedawn (May 29, 2009)

Argghhhh they told us one theme and now are changing it to some sort of haunted mansion. We get 3 rooms and we don't know what they are yet, but likely 2 bedrooms that have to be identical and one other room (bathroom perhaps? I hope). Any ideas now?????


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## Johnmonster (Sep 4, 2009)

For a bedroom or bathroom, you could have an actress in front of a makeup table with a small mirror. One side of her face is made up normally. The other side is made up like a burn victim, or scarred and bloody. Something horrific.

Place her so that when customers enter the room, they see the normal side of her face as she meticulously applies powder and blush, like a woman preparing for a night out. as they get closer, she turns to face them...

It's a subtle scare that I think would suit a "haunted mansion" setting. The weight of the scare rests on the actress and how well she sells it.

Another one is the "sick girl" My haunt tried it our first year but the actress wasn't game. She sits up in bed, a tray table over her legs. Pale makeup on her face, bags under the eyes. She keeps a bottle of green powerade or gatorade hidden and at hand, plus a bowl of dry lentils or split peas with a spoon on the tray. On her cue, she takes a spoonful of lentils and a sip of gatorade. Once the customers are in the room, she lets the gatorade and lentils go, coughs and tells them how bad she feels.

Again, it's all in how well the actress can sell it.

Good luck.


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