Idea for a Spider Attack !!

[waldiddy]

I had an idea that I need some input/suggestions from you kind folks. I'm curious about 2 things:

1) how this could be physically accomplished

and

2) in your opinion, would it be spooky?

I've got a section of my haunt that will have 2 "rooms" (actually just 2 divisions of my back patio arbor accomplished with netting & black plastic). In the first room, I'd establish the atmosphere:

dangling spider webs that slide across ToTs arms & faces (thin fishing line suspended from ceiling)
lots of small black plastic spiders dotting the ceiling
a skull or two and some bones hanging from thick, sticky webs
an unfortunate adult caught in the same thick webs (I'm planning on using the prop from scarefx.com)
perhaps some creepy music

That's all easy enough, but then there's the 2nd room, which would be the actual scare.

Room #2 looks innocous enough and kinda bare, but just as the ToTs exit it,
2 large articulated limbs pop into the room from the darkened wall followed by a clicking mandible, maybe even shooting a thin stream of water or poison (shaving cream). At the same time this is triggered, there's also sounds of hissing & loud clicking. I'm drawing from Return of the King's giant spider for inspiration here.

To keep things simple, I imagine I could use a volunteer to man such a mechanism, but I have no idea exactly what the mechanism would be made of or how to build it. I'm not looking to build an entire giant spider, just part of the head and a couple of limbs.

And, again, I need to thank all of you in advance. You folks rock.

[tot13]

I think it sounds good and it's do-able. I would reconsider the use of spraying/shooting shaving cream in case you happen to hit someone in the face/eyes. Keep it safe, keep it idiot-proof.

[fritz42_male]

Cut the mandibles out of 6mm MDF and make a basic hinge system that could be activated by a bike brake cable system (plenty of bikes get thrown out on trash days).

Papier mache head with glowing eyes, compressed air for the 'spitting' possibly connected to a water reservoir.

PVC tubing for the legs but not sure what to do about this movement tho.

[waldiddy]

I'm really tempted to do this minus the head. For one, it'd be much easier, but also, there's the fact that often what's not seen is scarier. Maybe this particular scare would work better with just 4 giant spidery appendages coming through the wall.

[kprimm]

The head should be somewhat easy to do, I would do some chiken wire base and maybe some cheap hairy fabric from Michaels or some place similar. Put some LED eyes in there. As far as the movement you could go very simple and have a hidden operator behind the wall. Just hook the head and mandibles onto a length of pvc like a trident (with three prongs) and have the operator move it back and forth. Of course you could always do this pneumatically also.I would do the same trident type set up and maybe build a small wheeled table or cart at the desired height. With a double acting air cylinder and a controller you would have a basic spider attack. I also just recently just got 3 very cool spider sound effects form dark lord. If you would like them drop him or me a PM and we can send to you. Also for the spitting effect, wonder if you could rig up something to shoot silly string?

[waldiddy]

Using chicken wire is a great idea!! I never even thought of that. What do you think I should use as the skeleton behind the wire? PVC? Or does the wire even need a support? i've never worked with it before.

[waldiddy]

Geez, I'm running into more questions already !! I'd like to joint the lower half of the front legs so they can swing inward, like a finger does when it curls up, but to not have nearly as much movement in the opposite direction, just as you can't make your finger curl back towards your knuckle.

I found some foam pool noodles I'll use for the front legs and I can just slide 1/2" PVC down the center. I figure I'll cover the foam with black fabric glued onto the foam, and I'll also use strips of some black shag fur remnant fabrics on top of the plain black to create more contrast.

this is a cool project, if I can pull something decent off. My fear is that it'll end up looking cheesy and inspire more laughter than scares.

[kprimm]

I dont think the chicken wire would need much support but it couldnt hurt to use some pvc under neath. I think your spider will turn out fine, and if it brings you happiness then thats all that really matters. As mr. miyagi would say.. "if it comes from inside you...always right choice".

[waldiddy]

So far, I have 3 legs built, one of which is partially covered with fabric. Up until today, I was going to ditch the head entirely and just have 8 legs wiggling at visitors as they walked through the room, with 4 legs on each side.

But, rigging 8 legs up so they're manned by one person is more complex than I want. And, if using my original idea, getting the legs animated correctly as the front half of the spider enters the room would be difficult to pull off.

So, what about an upside-down spider? A simple wood frame behind the "wall" (jute & black plastic) can hold the legs out in position, while the tips of the legs are each wired with fishing line to a ceiling pulley, which are manipulated by a person standing by the frame. Gravity keeps the joints behaving properly in that the legs won't bend backwards; I get to keep my spider head and hopefully still give him fangs that move and a head that twists, and perhaps even a mouth that spits water. But his head will be upside down. Best of all, I'm only looking at building 4 legs ... it could probably even be just 2 legs and still look OK.

Maybe being upside down will even add slightly to the creep factor. Especially if I have a freshly webbed 'victim' dangling from the ceiling just above the spider's claws.

[GOT]

I wanted to do this a few years ago but ended up putting the spider in a well and having it pass out candy.

http://www.garageofterror.com/haunt2005.html

The issue I see with hanging the spider upside down is that you may have trouble hiding the body (which I know you don't want to build). I like the idea of the spider coming over a wall (my first idea which I abandoned over the same issues you are discussing). I am thinking you can have two legs come over the wall, have the head and two more legs emerge (as if the spider just pulled itself up) and threaten the kids with the head and two legs (the first two are still on the wall). I think you can do this with one person.
One year, I made some creepy insect-like legs from foam board that had an internal tendon system. It was a little flimsy so needs some structural improvements but check this out and see if it gives you any ideas.
http://www.garageofterror.com/2007ftspines.html

[Warrant2000]

I saw a great youtube video of something similiar. A Skeleton is sitting in front of a black plastic wall giving a speech. All of the sudden, from over the top of the skeleton, a giant (at least 6' across leg to leg) spider breaks through the black plastic which is actually plastic strips allowing for easy access and reforming of the wall. The two front legs moved in and out, and the head moved side to side. Accompanied with a sudden change in lighting, strobe, and spider attack sound fx, it was an awesome effect.

The manual handling was from behind, and the operator seemed to have three controls - 2 legs and 1 head. I was not sure how it was suspended - although hanging from an overhead rope would make it easy to swing in and out.

Can't wait to see pictures!

[Spooky1]

Here's the link to Death Master's 2008 spider prop.

http://www.hauntforum.com/showthread.php?t=14947

[waldiddy]

Wow, GOT ... you're light years ahead of what I'm doing. You're right about doing a spider body ... don't wanna do that. The effect I'm after is that a spider is breaking through the wall w/ its head and front 4 legs, but upside down. Your site is amazing, BTW. Just incredible!

[GOT]

Thanks for the complement Waldiddy. I think you could do something similar with PVC pipe and paper mache. I was thinking if you attached the internal tendons to the floor, then you could get the legs to extend by lifting them up, then they would bend as you lowered them (thus legs coming over the wall and grabbing it). That said, I didn't go that way either.