Room/Scene & Scares

[joker]

Not sure if this is posted in the right place or not, but thought I'd share my attack process for putting my haunt together.

When trying to develop the layout for my haunt I start with an overall theme. The theme pretty much dictates what type of rooms/scenes that I need to include.

Once I've come up with several room possibilities I try to figure out what I currently have on hand that would work in each room and what would be a good scare in those rooms.

After putting together a list of possibilities I try and decide how the rooms would logically go together. Of course I have to take the size and layout of my available space into consideration as well as the entrance and exit.

One of the problems I have is coming up with scare ideas for rooms. Don't get me wrong I think we had a great season last year in that we lost count of wetters early on, had 7% back out at some point through, one pooper and one puker....muwahahaha:D,

Due to name recognition I plan on doing the asylum theme again, but I don't want to put on the exact same show year after year.

So how do you come up with scare ideas? How do you setup your haunt/rooms?

Can we get a forum to discuss scares/props that are specific to themes or rooms?

[PeeWeePinson]

I am with you Joker, I do the exact same thing that you do as far as planning, etc. and have the exact same problem with scenes. I would be in for discussion on this. For scenes what I have usually done in the past is go over to horrorfind.com sites like that and go through all the haunted houses, trails, etc. and look at their pics and see what looks like something I might could incorporate into my haunt. When I have breaks at work I am constantly combing the internet LOOKING.

[joker]

Yeah I do a lot of window shopping and video watching. I've yet to find an online source for room/zone scare ideas much less one that would be for a type of room or theme.

I'd love to see a forum where we could showcase rooms that have been successful to share with others as well as discuss potential new ideas.

[Jack Reaper]

There are thousands of ideas I have yet seen actually done.
But unless you have a sizable budget to spend, a complete overhaul or theme change would be difficult or lost in translation.

[joker]

There are thousands of ideas I have yet seen actually done.
But unless you have a sizable budget to spend, a complete overhaul or theme change would be difficult or lost in translation.

I would have to disagree with. My first 2 years I did kind of a haunted mansion/old house theme. Last year I used 75% of my props and did an asylum theme. Now I pretty much think or work on Halloween 365 too.

To keep your haunt fresh and getting people coming back every year I think its necessary to either make your haunt bigger, change a noticeable amount or re-theme.

[Jack Reaper]

I would have to disagree with. My first 2 years I did kind of a haunted mansion/old house theme. Last year I used 75% of my props and did an asylum theme. Now I pretty much think or work on Halloween 365 too.

To keep your haunt fresh and getting people coming back every year I think its necessary to either make your haunt bigger, change a noticeable amount or re-theme.

I was just going on what I have....I would be set for anything Gothic Horror or even a zombie/Army of Darkness theme....but if I wanted to go Dungeons & Dragons....75% of my props would be useless.

I agree with you on keeping it fresh, or getting bigger...my issue is having the $$$ to do a total rehaul

[Devils Chariot]

I would have to disagree with. My first 2 years I did kind of a haunted mansion/old house theme. Last year I used 75% of my props and did an asylum theme. Now I pretty much think or work on Halloween 365 too.

To keep your haunt fresh and getting people coming back every year I think its necessary to either make your haunt bigger, change a noticeable amount or re-theme.

I agree. I think each year you have to make it better and then when you run out of ideas or room, change the theme.

I have been thinking about my new theme for this year for two years already. I try to think of props or make props that I can either re-dress or just like cut off one arm and change the position so that making the new prop just takes a day instead of a month.

[Spartan005]

I can't find the video but I remember the Nightmare on Elm Street haunt in Universal had a pretty cool idea for an opening room. They used fluorescent paint to write the theme song on the walls and added a few blacklights on dimmer switches. I always liked the simplicity and creepiness of it... I'm sure you could use it in your rooms.

Not exactly a room idea, but its a start

[Rasputin]

I can't find the video but I remember the Nightmare on Elm Street haunt in Universal had a pretty cool idea for an opening room. They used fluorescent paint to write the theme song on the walls and added a few blacklights on dimmer switches. I always liked the simplicity and creepiness of it... I'm sure you could use it in your rooms.

Not exactly a room idea, but its a start

Oh and also in that house if I recall when you turned the corner of that room (if I recall) there was a bright light that shot in your eyes and and that took into the "dream". It would be a cool concept to try for switching themes mid-house.