3 Things You've Learned

[lewlew]

It seems like every year this time everyone wants advice on how to best run their home haunt,
decorate their yard, best props, mistakes you've made, etc...

It also happens that after the big day is already over, there is always a thread
about "what did you learn, what went wrong?".

So I thought why not tell us the top three things that you've all learned through the
years before Halloween. It can be about anything. Props, home decor, parties, costumes, whatever.

Let everyone benefit from your experience (and there's a lot of experience around here!!!)

For myself I would say my top 3 are:

1) Don't spend so much time on every little detail. Most of the time it is washed out by
lighting or people are moving by so fast they don't see it. That's not to say that some detail isn't
needed, it just means you (I) shouldn't be a perfectionist.

2) Start earlier! Like Nov 1st. I'm sure that just about everyone here wishes they had more
time to get ready. Hit those after Halloween sales and start planning for next year while it's
still fresh in your mind.

3) Setting the scene is sometimes more important than the actual scare itself. I know this sometimes
conflicts with my #1, but it helps get people in the mood to get the crap scared out of them. (i.e. lighting,
fog, tombstones, cornstalks, skeletons, whatever creeps you out.)

So what advice do YOU have?

[DeathTouch]

These are mine.

1) Stop sniffing all the glue when doing paper mache. Sometimes it makes me see things that just are not there.

2) I have learned that just because it is on sale or looks good in the paper doesn't mean it is a good buy. Somethings just don't looks as good up front as they do in the catalog.

3) Never use your next door neighbor’s house to display your props. Specially without asking. LOL. You can’t imagine a groundbreaker flying unless you place it in someone else’s yard.

[jdubbya]

1. Don't tackle too many projects. Focus on a couple "must have" props and execute these to your satisfaction. So many times you read "laundry lists" of things people are trying to get finished and most of them fall short or don't even get started. It just adds to the stress and can spoil the fun we're all supposed to have.

2. Have a contingency plan! Whether it be back up actors/helpers, preparing for weather, or even making major adjustments to your display or haunt. Things sometimes will not go off like we plan.

3. I have to echo the "start early" idea. Don't wait until October 10th and figure you have three more props to build. Give yourself plenty of time and enjoy the process. (A lesson I learned too late in life!)

[EvilQueen1298]

1. Make sure your fogger is working. Don't wait till Oct. 31st to find out.
2. Come up with your game plan well in advance....a year is good but for many 4th of July is a good time to begin.
3. Make sure you have PLENTY of time to set up your yard on the day. I live were it gets dark by 5pm. If one gets home by 3.....you can be in a lot of trouble. Take the day off afterall...it IS Halloween!

[Ms. Wicked]

I never learn.

[Shakes]

1. Plan for the Weather
2. To many distractions take away from your good prop.
3. Don't post pictures of your props you plan on re-using on a website your partygoers will see.

.

[jackielantern]

1. Sometimes less is more. One good prop with "supporting" items that envoke all the senses can have more of an impact than a bunch of small things.

2. Don't serve spicy food at an alcohol saturated party. :eek: Trust me...I speak from experience. But I did get to get some new carpet outta the deal! Do serve at least one carb heavy item. ie: bread, crackers

3. However long you think something will take, double it. :)

[jackielantern]

3. Don't post pictures of your props you plan on re-using on a website your partygoers will see.

.


No kidding!

I bought a shirt from another message board I belong too, then I thought - When am I gonna wear it? I can't let people know the sites I frequent, cuz then I can't freely talk or ask advise without them possibly knowing what I'm up to before the "big night". It's not like they are halloween nuts like us, that would be ongoing members, but I know a few that would lurk just to try to find out what I'm up too. :rolleyes:

[ScareShack]

I never learn.
LOL....me niether.

I would say for me 3 things i have learned.
1. set up in advance and test everything, dont need problems when ur ready.
2. lighting is key, take some time placing it and trying different colors.
3.keep safety in mind for ur guests and also plan on ur Security attack, as how u plan to keep ur stuff from growing legs and walking.

[meltdown211]

Dont use entension cords plugged into your neighbors outlets without asking...things can go dark "in the midst" when they see their electric meter spinning wildly...

110v's can REAAAALLLY make your hair "curly"...no matter how straight it is. It can also give you a black index finger...and your butt hole may pop out. true story...at least thats what it felt like..

On Halloween, dont inappropriately grope the "hot" Trick or Treater Moms as they want a photo with you in costume...they will punch you in the mouth, even with a zombie mask on.

Be aware of the placement of your extension cords in your front yard, especially if you can't see well out of your mask...you could trip and fall on a foam gravestone, skulls, and a wodden cross, crush them, and then pull out all of your graveyard lights and have several of your trick or treater neighbors laughing their butts off..

Dont "Hold out" on the "good" candy for the TOT's, when they find out you gave them the stale "almond joys" they have a habit of being "rocketed" at you when you turn your back...

Falling from the roof is ALOT farther than it looks...and those "pile of leaves" make VERY poor cushions...

Jeeze...Im like Confusious.... yes grasshopper...

[ScareShack]

1 more thing to my list.

If u have under ground ulities such as cable, phone, elect. and such, dont drive any stakes in the ground before they are marked.
It's a free service just call ur ulity company. If u break a wire like cable or something and u dont call u are responible for the cost repair!
If they are marked first, then u are not, if missed marked.
Some ulitites are lower buried than u may think.

[slimy]

1. No need to waste time with sleep. Too much decorating to do to let that get in the way.

2. No matter how much you plan for wind, rain or the elements, something will go HORRIBLY wrong. Deal with it.

3. Consume vast amounts of a hard liquor the entire month. This really helps with advice number 2.

[The GooGoo Man]

OK this is what I have learned.....

1. This is the day you have been working all year for , take the day off !!!!
2. Dont let large numbers of people in your haunt at once.Allow them in three or four at a time.It makes for a better scare and the suspence of waiting in line adds to the excitement.It will also give you time to prep your prey for whats inside ....set the mood !
3. Creepy music and speacial f/x sounds are an absolute must!!! I have a small garage haunt however I use 3 sound systems throughout my haunt , it sets the atmosphere and anyone within ears reach will surely venture to your house to investigate.

Dont just spook them .......Make them pee their pants !!!!!!!

[Death Wraith]

1) People WILL walk through your graveyard if there is no fence

2) Fog chillers cause slippery floors when used inside

3) There will always be at least one teen who calls your haunt 'retarded'

4) It takes a whole lot longer to set-up than to tear-down

[Lilly]

For my party
1. I make a list of what I need from store at least 2 months ahead of time,
this means a list of food that I'm making ,then all the ingredients for those.
Very Important here >>LIQUOR LIST
Who am I kidding I do this the week after The party is over for the next yr!!
2. Start setting up bar in sept then take the 1 week before party off to start setting up everything else ..time for touch ups then ..no running like a chicken with it's head cut off then.
Prepare for Bloody Mary Sunday (the day after the party party)
Need More LIQUOR!!!
3. Take a deep breath and start planning all over again.

[Ghoulbug]

i can attest to lilly's remarks only she actually starts planning during the making of the first bloody mary! Also..2 days before the big bash don't forget to try all those creepy shots you've been thinking of making. This is always fun!! haha

[Ghoulbug]

meltdown maybe you should hire someone to do your "dirty work" haha. That way you'll make it thru the night.. haha

[slightlymad]

Three things I have learned. HMMMmm only three.

1. Set someone up at the entrance (end of side walk) for the littles one who wont, cant come close. This also stops the parents who insist on dragging the through.

2.Something will fail during the big day no matter how well you tested and planed. Have another drink and forget about it untill nov 1st.

3. Always take good photos during the day so you remember what you have and dont duplicate effort by accident.

4. Store everything very carefully and tape all openings moth balls and rodent poison are VERY inportant

[trishaanne]

NOW he mentions that!!! Thanks ALOT.
Lily, I understand the planning thing. Knowing that this is the last party, I started planning this one in 2005. I want every last detail to be perfect, with maybe a few surprises thrown in there too! :p

[Spartan005]

1) To ensure that you are not broke by October 31, make sure to go to Party City, Spencers and all of the Halloween stores on November 1 to get the best prices. However just because something is cheap doesn't mean you have to buy it.
2) Weather is a bitch. Especially when 60 mph gusts of wind knocked down everything you worked so hard for. Basically... Reinforce the living shit out of your haunt.
3) Don't feel bad for the little kid that is forced to go in your haunt. You've been there before and got over it, and now its our turn to make the little children cry. And its frikin hilarious.

[widowsbluff]

1. Take some time to enjoy your haunt and decorations, it all goes by too fast.

2.Treat bags are better than bowls of candy, the kids move through quicker and it is a great way to keep track of your numbers.

3. Buy gift cards from Lowes, Hobby Lobby, Michaels... for yourself starting in November and stash them away. When money gets tight for props you have funds the hubby doesn't know about!

[darklord]

3 things that I have learned

1. Don’t try to build too many props, and at the end you only finish a few of them And the others are only half way finished.

2. Start early when building your props, give yourself a lot of time for testing,
Modifying Etc.

3. Test your props and make sure there working, and don’t wait till the last minute to find out there not working

[Beth]

3) Don't feel bad for the little kid that is forced to go in your haunt. You've been there before and got over it, and now its our turn to make the little children cry. And its frikin hilarious.[/QUOTE]

OK, the part about it being frikin hilarious made me cry from laughing!! Nice one, Spartan.

#1. Forget about last year for this year. RELAX.

#2. Some kids are just plain old punks. Let their parents Deal with it. (Not MY responsibility to raise them properly.)

#3. Halloween ROCKS!!! Don't let anyone rain on it!!!:D :D

[meltdown211]

Fast dry epoxy...is just that...fast dry...dont leave an epoxy covered shoe on your pants for too long...

4lb fishing line will not hold a 100lb+ hangman....dont stand underneath it and look up..

Dont leave your drying tombstones behind the car where you damn brother cant see them...

Dont think its "funny" to leave your tied up hangman with a sack over his head in the backseat of your locked car at the mall...some people cant take a joke...

Whatever you "think" should work...won't.

Permanent marker isnt permenent, but damn it takes forever to come off your face...

If you need more wisdom..see my first post..

[Beth]

Dont think its "funny" to leave your tied up hangman with a sack over his head in the backseat of your locked car at the mall...some people cant take a joke....


That's SUPER funny.........
May have to do that one just for kicks!! Videotape reactions. Wonder if you could get it to moan and cry where it could be heard outside..........


Nothing like pushing the envelope!!:D :D

[hidehoman]

#1. Hot glue is hot.
#2. Super glue is forumlated to stick to nothing but human flesh.
#3. Never pick your nose on a bumpy road.

[dionicia]

1. Never let your family hand out the candy before the kids go through the haunt. Then some of them wont go through it.
2. Have a person (big and mean preferred) to handle security and the occasional hooligan.
3. Don't put latex foam pieces facing each other when you store them away when you know the summer is going to be darn hot!

[BuriedAlive]

1) No plan stands in the face of the enemy, so why should Halloween night be any different?
2) With each new prop comes new challenges. Necessity is the mother of invention, use creativity when you encounter a problem while prop building.
3) This was stated before, but I have to agree...don't sweat the details. I've spent too much time on minor details and fixes that nobody but me will be aware of, especially in low light situations.

[Bone Dancer]

1) keep a note pad around all year to put ideas into as you get them

2) Plan to have the week before Halloween open so you have time for the unexpected things that happen.

3) Try to save some money for the day after sales. Next year starts Nov. 1st.

[dionicia]

1) keep a note pad around all year to put ideas into as you get them

2) Plan to have the week before Halloween open so you have time for the unexpected things that happen.

3) Try to save some money for the day after sales. Next year starts Nov. 1st.

Here here..

[shaunathan]

1. don't take your prop guys for granted, they work really hard!

2. as cool as everyone is leaving their christmas decorations out all month long in december, if you leave your halloween decorations out through october they will get stolen by little punk kids in junior high school. Have school age kids find out who they are and scare the crap out of them when they come to your haunt next year, and ask their parents to keep their little clypto in control.

3. Foam, the OTHER stone...

[punch]

unplug props/air before working on them...OUCH@ 75PSI

[Shakes]

1. don't take your prop guys for granted, they work really hard!



I'll second this one! :)
.

[dave the dead]

1) Cutting the top of your thumb off while removing duct tape hurts....watching someone else do it can make you puke.

2) show no mercy when activating a pneumatic scare prop....even when its an old lady in a wheelchair. (they brought her to my TCT to be scared...what was I supposed to do????)

3)don't assume that huge coffin will stand there all by itself....make sure your props are secured, then double secured!

[~Morganna~]

1. Be prepared to tune out tennagers comments...for they shall only serve to torque you in the end. Solution: hand them over to the nearest teenage zombie to play with!
2. Plenty of food for the drinkers at the party: this makes for a longer more satisfying event and keeps the puke/pass out/spontaneous shedding of clothing factor to a minimum. I know...boring right? refer back to number 1 and you'll know why I can't have nekkid adults running around!
3. Darkness is our friend, but lighting is key: I don't care who you are, if you have killer lighting then even stuff from OTC and Walmart will look awesome!! I refer back to Skull and Bones lighting tutorial; we followed a goodly bit of that plan last year to great effect.

That's my .02!!

[darryl]

1. Meltdown211 likes to learn things the hard way. :D
2. NOTHING ever gets all done, don't sweat it, no one else knows.
3. Lighting is king. I learned this last year. Something not to good can look better in the right light. My pink foam (read #2) "crypt" looked grey under blue light last year.
4. When welding for the first time remember that even the end of a four foot piece of angle iron can put blisters on your fingers :eek: OUCH :eek:

5. Most important: Hauntforum and all of the members here are your most valued resource!!!!!! :) Or at least mine :)

[dionicia]

1. Hot glue hurts like the dickens when it comes in contact with your thumb.
2. Pink foam does not like tape no matter how many times you wrap it.
3. A to-do list is a good thing even if it changes hourly.

[~Morganna~]

I second number 1 big time, after several blistered thumbs!! I'm having nightmares about it being party time and I haven't even started setting up yet!! AUGH! LOL

[Da Weiner]

1. Halloween fund - gotta have one. Put some money away when you can and leave it there until needed for that special day.

2. Computer list - Make a Halloween to do list and save it on your computer. You can update it every year and make notes regarding food, candy, etc. You can plan things ahead of time for each day so you're avoiding from getting klobbered later on. You can overbuy one thing and you need to buy the same thing for your haunt every year (pumpkins, candles, duct tape, paper products, etc.)

3. Plan your meals accordingly during "Hell Week". I'm sure no one in your family will die if they don't eat for a few days but this is where a crockpot can be your kitchen buddie. It's not just for parties, it can be feed the family and shut them the hell up. It can save you a lot of time (who has time to listen to whining - you go off the deep end (lack of sleep), kill them, now you have to clean up all evidence and burying the bodies and cross your fingers no one will know they're missing for a few days.) This could take hours you don't have to spare and you're the first one the cops will haul down to the department for questioning.

4. Alcohol and/or Meds can be a blessing and a hinderance. They can block out the stress but it could also make you pass out and nothing gets done. Now, if you don't have anything to do that night and you are stressed - by all means - you have my blessing!


5. Party Food - It's nice to make things homemade. Because food has to be done last minute - buying grocery items such as cupcakes, chicken wings, etc. can be bought and doctored up if needed. If you're having a party at night - appetizers, finger-food, chips and dips, and maybe a big food item is sufficient. Most people want to party and already ate during the day. Again, depending on the number of partygoers and whether or not you need to change the color of your rug that night - take this into consideration.

6. Enjoy your party and Halloween day - it's here and outa there before ya know it. Kind of like a laxative.

[~Morganna~]

I forgot to mention:

Whenever possible have your party OUTSIDE!! Makes cleanup (on SO many levels) so much easier!

[Todd]

Three things I have learned.

1. Gorilla glue and foam board...........go together.......like pizza and beer

2. Lighting is the first consideration;motion second and sound third

3. October is the fastest month

[Fright Zone]

Melty those are hilarious :)

I guess mine are more than 3:

1a) Buy fresh batteries and install them in props prior to ToT. Especially if you put the whole haunt up in one day.

1b) Get candles ready for luminaires and jack-o-lanterns ahead of time.

1c) Carving jack-o-lanterns takes more time and elbow grease than you think.

1d) Know how many electrical plugs you need and where the lighting will be. It's especially difficult if you slap it all up in one day.

2) It's fun to build tons of stuff BUT then you have to STORE it somewhere and try to remember what's in each container. Forget about trying to catalog each container. Stuff gets moved around too much between them year-to-year even to put labels on containers BUT it does help to group similar items and props together if possible.

3) It really is easier to put it up piece-by-piece before Oct 31st BUT only if you can trust roaming teenage boys not to vadalize it AND you have your own yard to haunt.

Bonus 1) Shop around this season and make a list of prop items to snag Nov 1st at a discount for next year BUT then come to your senses and see lesson number '2' :)

Bonus 2) Keep a notebok of stuff to make or observations when it comes to mind throughout the year for future reference (I use Circus Ponies NoteBook on the Mac) and bookmark sites in your web browser according to categories. All for future reference at your finger tips. It takes patience but it's worth it.

Bonus 3) If you can videotape the haunt and put it on a DVD-R it's easy to see your mistakes, successes, reactions and gain inspiration as you watch it in the off season.

[Wyatt Furr]

1)Dont sweat the minor details,in the dark everything looks good.
2)Stick to a budget,do you really want to eat PB & J all next year?
3)Have fun.It's Halloween, the kids will love anything you do.

[Sloatsburgh]

I still haven't learned to ignore obnoxious teenagers/kids.

1) lighting is key

2) sounds will suprise people almost as much as movement

3) keep a constant theme. Pirates and Aliens do not belong in a graveyard.

4) Reputations is a good thing.

5) Plan early, plan often. I'm looking forward to '08 and '09. They are weekends.

6) Remember it's dark. Some seams and gaps will not be seen.

7) Someone else will be better. But you can learn from what they do.

[halloweengoddessrn]

1- hire someone to deal with food, drinks adn clean up at your party. I hooked up with a college student adn for $100 bucks- I actually got to enjoy my party for the first time!
2- Prep what you can ahead of time and have lists. Nothing worse than having to run to the store becasue you forgot something dumb like ice!
3- Stock up! I guy fog juice by the case, extra batteries, extra lights and have them in case I need them.

[kerryike]

1.) Test your lighting after dark before the big night. Make sure there's enough eerie lighting for the size of your area. Well built static props get little attention if they're displayed in too little lighting.

2.) When building props, it's not as important to pay attention to detail as you may think. Many imperfections go unnoticed after nightfall in dimly lit areas.

3.) Plan and set a theme and then go with it. Mixing and matching doesn't work, so give a particular prop a rest for the season if it "doesn't fit in".

[Gothic Nightmare]

1 - Try to paint your props in the actual color lighting it will be seen in. Red stuff don't show up too good in red light.

2 - The prop you spend the most time detailing will be the one least noticed.

3 - Even though you spend a lot of time doing something amazing and original, two out every ten people will call your haunt lame if it doesn't have a "chainsaw" guy / dot room / insert your cliche haunt item here.

[Cassie7]

1) Begin plans for next Halloween before this Halloween.

2) (mentioned before, but can't be stressed enough) Start buying Nov 1. You'll never find better prices.
2b: Buy props and give-aways throughout the year.

3) Take good care of your haunters. Feed them before show time and have an ample supply of bottled water chilled for them throughout the night (it gets hot in those costumes).

4) Have a tear-down plan in case of sudden rain. Assign people to certain props/areas so they're not all tripping over each other trying to get stuff done. #1 priority is power cut from the main sources.

5) If you run power cords across your yard, bend 6 inch lengths of coat hanger into narrow horse shoe shape and use them to tack the wires down into the ground to avoid toe tripping.

[Revenant]

1) Notify the police ahead of time so they know it's happening when it's happening and don't hesitate to call them if trouble breaks out. And if someone truly does cross the line, press charges. No exceptions. Half-assed warnings show weakness and invite trouble next year.

2) If any of your actors are kids, do not put them in a spot where they are out of visual range of the adults, especially in a maze.

3) Have at least one large, preferably intimidating adult there NOT in costume to act as security to quell problems should they arise. Costumes suggest part of the show; regular clothes suggests seriousness and "I'm not playing a game with you."

[Sloatsburgh]

1) Notify the police ahead of time so they know it's happening when it's happening and don't hesitate to call them if trouble breaks out. And if someone truly does cross the line, press charges. No exceptions. Half-assed warnings show weakness and invite trouble next year.

2) If any of your actors are kids, do not put them in a spot where they are out of visual range of the adults, especially in a maze.

3) Have at least one large, preferably intimidating adult there NOT in costume to act as security to quell problems should they arise. Costumes suggest part of the show; regular clothes suggests seriousness and "I'm not playing a game with you."


There must be some stories behind those.

[DarkShadows]

Hmmmm Lets see what I can come up with...

1) Don't put any electrical stuff in the way front by the fence. Flooding sucks and can ruin prop-1's ;)

2) It's realllly easy to get girls numbers... Hit on em while there in the haunt, they WILL want you to take your masks off to get a look LOL... If all goes well, well, you get the idea (I'm 18 and got at least 5 girls numbers last year :D )

3) Don't schedule the window guys come and install your front window on your opening day... They will arrive 8 hours late. (Last year I had to tell them to come back another day, and good thing I did because we were packed!)


And about the teenage kids wrecking stuff, I had to scare some kids last year. No body messes with my stuff, I dont care who you are. Nothing like me and my 300 pound lineman friend chasing some junior high kids down the block.

[Revenant]

There must be some stories behind those.


I am no longer an active haunter because of my neighborhood. The last year of the local haunt that I used to act in, 3 punks beat the crap out of a 12-year old kid in the maze. The people that did the haunt had a meeting and declared enough was enough. No more hauntz n' da hood.

[kerryike]

I am no longer an active haunter because of my neighborhood. The last year of the local haunt that I used to act in, 3 punks beat the crap out of a 12-year old kid in the maze. The people that did the haunt had a meeting and declared enough was enough. No more hauntz n' da hood.

Wow. That really stinks!!! It really burns my hide when so many must suffer at the hands of just an ignorant few. I'm sorry to hear about your experience, Revenant.

[meltdown211]

This is easy to say...dont give up. I have yet to have any vandalisim to my stuff, I usually create most of the damage myself as I trip, fall, roll, glue or crush my props while I work on them or set them up.

Maybe forgo one prop this year to install a motion light and sensor to keep that to a minimum. I hate that when the vandals win and take out one of our minions...

Melty:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Eric Striffler]

Hmmmmm well let's see...

1. Your haunt is most likely not impervious to weather, make sure you build it very sturdy.
2. Don't waste your time worrying about little things when your haunt is actually going on. Just have fun! If you worry too much about one poor aspect of it, you'll regret it when it's over. Just enjoy it while it lasts so you'll get your fix for the year. ;]
3. Know what's scary. Seriously, your main audience will most likely be teenagers and young adults. They want to be scared if they go and expect to be scared. If the atmosphere is scary, don't have a little happy pumpkin patch inside somewhere. That's not scary. Then again if your target audience is younger kids then that's okay. But make sure you keep it all around the same audience.

By the way, I agree about the girls. I'm 16 and for whatever reason the whole "you just scared the shit out of me and I can't see your face but you sound really hot, are you single?" thing is big now lmao. ;]

[arcuhtek]

Its cold and windy today....I got most of the stuff up last night...so I am being lazy and surfing...

Here is what I have learned over the years.

1. Next year will go faster if you ORGANIZE and neatly store what you installed this year. Case in point, I use plastic ties to neatly store my TONS of extensions cords. I store them in similar lengths, single receptacles versus multiple, power strips and even by color ( I use black, white and even green ones). Last night went smoothly because all that was so neatly stored. So TAKE YOUR TIME putting things away.

2. For large items like fog machines, I like to keep the original packaging. Makes storing things easy, items are secure and best of all, everything is labeled if the product is illustrated on the sides.

3. I second, buy TONS of fog juice.

4. Carve your pumpkins early, but not too early.

5. If you shop on the internet, try and purchase everything before October 1 to allow for shipping, beat the last second rush that wipes out stock, and this allows you time to spare if you do forget something.

6. Test your fog machines in September. Parts take a while to order and fog machines are the among the fastest things to go out of stock in case you have to buy a new one.

7. Learn as much as you can. The internet is amazing source of information. But dont trust everything you read. What is proclaimed as EASY by some people is complicated to others. We all have our areas of interest which makes it seem interesting in fun. But we have all tried things that were suggested by others and failed or lost interest. Its okay.

8. And yes......there will always be the punk kid who claims your haunt is stupid or lame. But guess what....he is the ONE person who really is scared. This is his way of making himself appear bold and brave. Scare him a lil more....or have a another person in your haunt ready to pounce...use a secret code word to signal the extra scare...dont be afraid to use it.

9. Always be ready to improve.

10. Finally, have a great time....sit back and take a long look at the haunt in the heat of it all and appreciate what you have worked so hard on.....enjoy!

[wormyt]

as for me...hummmmmmmmmmm
1. Eat plenty of ice cream, drink plenty of sweet tea, and start my day with sugared down coffee lots of caffine!!!!!!!!!
2. Dont stress about whats NOT done...folks will love what you have if they dont even know what you were planning.
3. Have fun!!!!!!!!! Kids love Halloween night and they will love what you have no matter. If you at least give effert, then thats what counts. Never give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Gothic Nightmare]

as for me...hummmmmmmmmmm
1. Eat plenty of ice cream, drink plenty of sweet tea, and start my day with sugared down coffee lots of caffine!!!!!!!!!
2. Dont stress about whats NOT done...folks will love what you have if they dont even know what you were planning.
3. Have fun!!!!!!!!! Kids love Halloween night and they will love what you have no matter. If you at least give effert, then thats what counts. Never give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well said wormyt. Just scare the crap out of them and have fun. My jaw litterally hurts the next day from smiling so much. We live all year for this. Enjoy it!

[kerryike]

as for me...hummmmmmmmmmm
1. Eat plenty of ice cream, drink plenty of sweet tea, and start my day with sugared down coffee lots of caffine!!!!!!!!!
2. Dont stress about whats NOT done...folks will love what you have if they dont even know what you were planning.
3. Have fun!!!!!!!!! Kids love Halloween night and they will love what you have no matter. If you at least give effert, then thats what counts. Never give up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks, wormy.

#2 is particularly comforting. Things never seem to work out exactly as planned, and I sometimes get down on myself about the "lack" of what I've accomplished (things breaking down, burning out, etc.). But, in the end, everyone really does appreciate it. From now on, I'll focus on THAT (the end result) instead of what I could have done. Putting things in perspective may really help my planning for the following year, also.

[operatingnurse]

1) Make sure you have dedicated actors. My actor driven Grim Reaper was abandoned early in the evening, and I missed watching the comments and reactions from TOTers and parents. Apparently, smoking was more important...

2) Have a game plan for your electrical layout. We spent hours trying to figure out where and how to run all the new props that needed power. One party goer went home to gather more extension cords, and my neighbor came through with cords and outlets.

3) We were sorely lacking on our lighting. To the point I couldn't video the graveyard. We spent so much time setting up all the props (starting at 10am, even) that the lighting and electrical (see above) came up short. We didn't execute about a 1/4th of our props because TOTers showed up at 5:30pm. We lost a lot of cool details due to lack of lighting.

I am gonna be so ready for next year...unless it rains...

[nixie]

These are the main lessons I've learned:

1. Prioritize and finish the most important things first. Having a million things going at once means you may end up with a million things partially done and nothing completed.
2. Use the entire year to work on it.
3. You cannot over protect your props from the elements and neighbor kids!! Anchor everything down, add just one more coat of poly, use more stakes than you think you really need, use cameras and motion sensors if possible. Never underestimate the destructive power of wind, rain, and loser punks!

[salem]

1. Count up all the batteries think you will you need and buy twice that amount.

2. Don't build your haunt around effects/props that can be rendered useless by a light wind or rain. Make sure you can cut power quickly. You running around the yard in a bedsheet because the weather took out your fog, FCG and lighting isn't a pretty sight.

3. During setup- small items will fall out of your pockets into the grass. Delicate items will only fall out over concrete.

[Spartan005]

Just one for this year:

Craigslist is your best friend, especially if you're doing a home haunt. Look under the "free" category and type in anything you can think of.... fence, gate, furniture, organ, piano etc....
And make sure to search for haunted house and halloween props starting the week before halloween until a couple weeks after. Lots of people decide to get rid of everything around then.

[DieTodtenReitenSchnell]

1. People are more likely to be frightened by things they can relate to. I changed out a sound effect that scares the guest from behind while they are looking at the prop in front of them. When the PIR sensor kicks, it makes the sound effect. If I use a human scream, it does startle the person from behind, especially if it's loud, but when I changed it to a voracious snarling/barking dog, it tripled the scare rate.

People don't normally hear human screams in their daily lives, especially in the bushes...but a snarling dog... that's another story.

There is another closely related point. A scream is a person being victimized. This does not lend itself necessarily to "you" being victimized. As long as somebody else is screaming, you are ok. But the snarling dog is a threat - a direct threat - to you, and therefore very scary. You can swap these two sounds with others or even other kinds of effects than sounds - and test it with the same thing in mind.

2. Guests seeing small things out of the corner of their eye move are really great - even if the thing is some non-descript non-scary item in the corner in the darkness. It depends on the state of mind of the person but it can either scare the person, distract them, or generally make them more confused and out-of-control. Then, you have them with the next scare.

3. Those star-tipped deck screws kick ass over phillips-tipped drywall screws. Make the investment. They don't slip when you put the Makita on it.

I'm sure there are more. :)

[debbie5]

1. People are nuts.
2. Buy extra candy.

[dionicia]

1. People are nuts.
2. Buy extra candy.

You forgot #3. See Above

:D

[DarkLore]

1. Nylon .25" lock nuts don't.

2. Use a spacer for a pivot.

Don't try to pivot using a bolt. Bolts have threads that carve at the pivot arm and eventually the lock nut will come off. Murphy's law...if it stays on all year during testing, Halloween night is when it's coming off.

[Dead Things]

#1. Weather proof. Wind and wet (rain and snow) are givens so all electrical junctions are wrapped and taped in plastic bags and any delicate electronics are put in water proof containers. Anything that can blow over is staked or sandbagged.
#2. Test, test and re test, especially where moving parts and chicken wire co exist.
#3 If it's going to go wrong, it will on show night, try not to sweat it, people will appreciate the fact you put out something more than a pumpkin and a cutsey scarecrow.

[kprimm]

1.When you are building your props, Plan, plan ,and then plan some more.And when it still goes wrong, keep going untill you get it right, the pay off and the great feeling you will have for pulling it off are worth the hard work.

2.Save your money up for halloween budget,and always plan on more than what ever you thought your stuff was going to cost you.

3.Always think of your storage options when building or buying your props and make stuff so that you can take it apart easilly for storage.The rafters in your garage and tarps are your best friends.And dont store any of your latex pieces (masks, hands ect.) in your garage.

[HauntCast]

I smell this months Top 10 list. Mine are:
1. One coat of polyurethane isn't enough for papermache props.
2. You have no control over people when you don't pay them.
3. I could put up a neon sign to tell the ToTs to take only one goodie bag and the little bastards will still grab a handful.

[The Bloodshed Brothers]

1. make lists of things that need to be finished during crunch time so you dont forget the little things hours before the TOTs arrive i.e. turn the tea lights on. charge ipods

2. dont let extended family come over when all they wanna do is sit inside all night especially when 2 scenes of our haunt was inside the house and we went to the trouble of putting a strobe in ever roomy so every window was flashing. (something that was completely out of our control considering we do our haunt at our folks house) but we've voiced our concerns

3. stay organized and relax

[Evil Andrew]

1 - This year in Colorado we had 3 feet of snow 2 days before Halloween. So, I set up my major props in the garage, and shoveled some spots on the lawn for the tombstones add didn't worry about the things I couldn't put out. Halloween night, all I had to do was open the garage door, piece of cake. Don’t sweat the weather!

2 - Use the time after Halloween to clean / repair props - don't put them away broken.

3 - Use the time after Halloween to expand your storage capacity. We have a high ceiling in the garage and built a huge shelf platform, adding 360 cubic feet of dedicated prop storage.

[Sananeko]

Be light on the flashing lights, it might be good to confuse them but unless you have a really good scare in that room it will actual dull the rest of the haunt.

Add a cute factor.. It does scare the hell out of them. I makes them wonder whats going to happen

Make one room quiet. Sounds are good but if its always there it hurts the haunt.

[jaege]

1. Decent lighting can really spruce up a scene.
2. Don't sweat the little stuff
3. Start early, thats what summer is for.

[The Creepster]

1> Gasoline is not as much fun as you would think

2> If using gasoline make sure road flares are used in place of flashlight

3> People general prefer bludgeoning to stabbing

[Devils Chariot]

1. Finish all motorized props or prop-1/fancy technological props before October starts. Re-test weekly. You will need october to repair/ troubleshoot them.

2. Light your yard a week before Halloween. You can put it away before 10/31, but make a map and notes where everything goes so you can set it up in a snap.

3. Once the first trick or treater comes into your yard, no more fooling with props or settings. Its time to have fun and scare people.

[Warrant2000]

1. Plan the haunt early, them make a list of props to populate it. Build according to your list.

2. Build early and all year long. A few tombstones this month, a groundbreaker next month, a zombie the following month.

3. Buy early and all year long to spread out the expense. Flood lights, extension cords, PVC, paint, etc.

[ubzest]

1.--don t store anything in cardboard boxes.
2.-- nobodys videos look good in complete darkness
3.--get as many people to video/take pictures for you, cause you will always be too busy to take them yourself.

[halstaff]

All great ideas! Some additional things I've learned -
1. Keep a notebook and take lots of notes. Bookmark projects into folders with names you'll remember later.
2. When shopping for parts for a project, buy a few extras. Pretty soon you'll put quite a collection of materials together. Then when you have that brainstorm for a new idea you can start right into putting it together. My best ideas seem to come after Home Depot closes.
3. Don't be discouraged if a prop is not working the way you want the first time. It often takes a lot of "adjusting" to get it to run just right. Keep Thomas Edison's quote in mind when prop building - "I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb." You learn something every time an idea doesn't work(I do know that Thomas Edison didn't discover the light bulb but I love the quote).

[The Archivist]

For me it's:

1) K.I.S.S.- Keep It Simple Stupid. I tend to draw up grandiose plans knowing full well that I would NEVER be able to make within the year.

2) Keep it cheap or free - I'm flat broke so if I can find materials free it will be less stress on my wallet later. Conversely, if I can earn some money recycling or by taking a paid survey it helps me cover the cost of the smaller stuff that I can't scrounge.

3) Scheduling - Write a schedule when each and every step needs to happen. I usually build in some flex time to take in account for weather, sickness, etc.

[Bone To Pick]

1). Setup is more fun than cleanup. Don't put it up if you don't want to take it down.

2). When making props, think about if/how you plan to store them. If you're like me, you don't have 5 acres and a polebarn to store stuff.

3). Lighting makes or breaks a Halloween display.

[The Rotten Pumpkin]

1. You need to turn on a fogger to make it work.
2. Plan for the weather... make sure you prepare for that snowstorm four days before Halloween
3. Train your actors. A first time actor will interrupt another first time actor in the middle of scaring a group to ask a question...("COREY!!!! Do you wanna switch positions?!?!") Ugh, I just wanted to smack that kid.

[scareme]

1. There's never enough time.
2. There's never enough money.
3. There's never enough time or money.

[dionicia]

1. No matter how much you prepare, your always going to forget something.
2. Lighting the area you distribute candy is just as important as lighting the rest of the haunt.
3. The fear of being scared is just as good as the actual scare (I didn't have anyone available to scare the ToTs this year, but they freaked out waiting for someone to jump out at them anyways). :)

[grantbrott]

1. Put someone reliable at the door to control traffic flow.
2. Too many people allowed into haunt at once ruins everything including your hard work.
3. Have back ups to swap out people for breaks.

[Tricia]

1. Take into consideration the paths TOT's will need to take through the yard. If it's too confusing, you spend all of your time guiding people, when you should be making them poo thier pants.
2. Don't forget that it's the most important holiday of the year (and you've been working every weekend since May)- enjoy it.
3. Hot glue. OW.

[RandalB]

Probably been posted already,

1) Check all body parts are clear before pulling the trigger on the nailgun (Besides the nail it drives a long wooden splinter into your body that's fun to get out...)

2) Be prepared to repair. Your Prop that worked for six months without a failure will break on the big night. Garanteed. Same goes for fog machines, strobe lights and Boom Boxes.

3) Excessive detailing on a prop means that the lighting in that area will fail; see #2.

RandalB

[Zombies R Us]

1. Don't sweat the small stuff.
2. Everything is small stuff.
3. Wine cures all.

[Dark Angel 27]

Dont use entension cords plugged into your neighbors outlets without asking...things can go dark "in the midst" when they see their electric meter spinning wildly...

110v's can REAAAALLLY make your hair "curly"...no matter how straight it is. It can also give you a black index finger...and your butt hole may pop out. true story...at least thats what it felt like..

On Halloween, dont inappropriately grope the "hot" Trick or Treater Moms as they want a photo with you in costume...they will punch you in the mouth, even with a zombie mask on.

Be aware of the placement of your extension cords in your front yard, especially if you can't see well out of your mask...you could trip and fall on a foam gravestone, skulls, and a wodden cross, crush them, and then pull out all of your graveyard lights and have several of your trick or treater neighbors laughing their butts off..

Dont "Hold out" on the "good" candy for the TOT's, when they find out you gave them the stale "almond joys" they have a habit of being "rocketed" at you when you turn your back...

Falling from the roof is ALOT farther than it looks...and those "pile of leaves" make VERY poor cushions...

Jeeze...Im like Confusious.... yes grasshopper...

I would LOVE to know the stories behind the lessons!


3. Hot glue. OW.

*blinks* really?

Okay, my three lessons are:

1. you don't need a whole jug of fog fluid to last one night with just one fogger!
2. beware the smart ass kids dressed as a platoon of storm troopers.
3. keep cool while wearing makeup. liquid makeup stings the eyes. :D

[Zurgh]

Figured it would be a good time to bump this thread...

1) Read this list... it's good advice.

2) Don't work in a vacuum... IE don't build an awesome prop in full daylight, filled with hours of detailing, only to go to display it in that perfect spot... that has near no lighting. Think about how & where it will be displayed. It's environment can really make or break the props effect. It can suck to create a cool prop that no one notices.

3) Remember to laugh, nothing and only nothing is perfect.:googly: