Oct 28 2012

Sounds to Scare By: Sounds of Gore

Sounds of Gore
Official Site
Sounds of Gore Compilation, Gore Galore 2007
Organum, Rusty Knife Haunt Soundtracks 2004

I wouldn't dare joke about the greatness that is ToxicToons artist Eric Pigors.

Like many Halloween enthusiasts, I’ve drooled over the high quality costumes and props offered by Gore Galore for quite some time. But it seems that I spent a little too much time admiring their props, as it wasn’t until late last year that I discovered they also had their own line of sound effects CDs. I’m not talking about a mere handful of your standard “one effect per track” CDs either; Gore Galore has well over a dozen volumes, each featuring an hour long soundscape devoted to a particular theme. For those interested in said soundscapes but not able to afford purchasing them all to see if said soundscapes suit their setup’s needs, they even have a special sampler CD of the first 15 volumes. Each track on the album is a 5 minute segment from each volume. I think we can all agree that’s more than enough listening time to help you make up your mind, along with being long enough to test the tracks in your haunt to see how well visitors react to them. Due to it being released before the creation of volume 16, there is no sample from Dark Apocalypse on the album.

Things kick off with “Meat Locker,” which features lots of buzzing flies and clanking chains. You can tell right off the bat that these aren’t merely the same two clips looped over and over again, as there’s plenty of variation. Sometimes there are lots of flies and a few chains and at other times it’s the exact opposite. There’s also segments with equal amounts of both. It’s perfect for meat lockers, scenes with body parts dangling from chains and, as Gore Galore suggests, a Hellraiser-themed room. “Industrial Terror” has even more variety than the preceding track thanks to its electrical zaps, clanging metal, warning buzzers and numerous power tools being used in the distance. As you can easily imagine, it’s great for haunted factories and chain mazes. “Spectral Nightmare” mixes the sounds of wind and ghostly moans. It’s softer than you’d think, but does offer interesting differences in ghost noises. In fact, some of the cries sound vaguely electrical at times. I do like how some of the ghostly wails go from one speaker to the other at times. While not perfect, it’s a good soundscape to use with a Flying Crank Ghost or any other scene involving ghosts. Playing it in a dark maze or hallway also suits this track. No matter what scene you use it with, be sure to play it softly rather than crank up the volume. “The Cave” features lots of dripping and gusts of wind (which actually sound more intense than the effects in the last track), in addition to both distant growls and screams. The occasional swarm of screeching bats is a great touch. I was amused to hear a bellowing alligator mixed in with the monster effects, but this might not be an issue if most of your clientele isn’t familiar with gators or if your cave scene actually has one in it. Don’t laugh, the original haunted house ride at Quassy Amusement Park used to feature an alligator in a cave. In addition to crickets, crows and tolling bells, “Cemetary of Unrest” also features some gravedigging, ghostly moans and even the occasional zombie. “Sanitarium” has plenty of laughing, moaning, cackling and screams from both genders, along with chains clanking, wheeling gurneys and various metal on metal noises. Some of the laughs sound fairly clownish, so you could get away with using this in a circus scene as well.

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Oct 27 2012

Music to Haunt By: Grave Tone Productions

Grave Tone Productions
Official Site
Music To Be Buried By, B@Home Wreckordings 2011

Aw man, who ate everything in the fridge?

Long time readers should remember how, in my review of Clouseaux’s (then) complete discography, I teased a horror-related side project of sorts at the end. Well, the wait is over and the cat’s out of the bag: I was referring to Grave Tone Productions.

Founded in 2010, Grave Tone Productions is the creation of Brian Davis and Jay Brooks. Due to their unique style, the music of Grave Tone Productions is better suited for use in the “Haunted House of Rock” idea I brought up in last year’s review of Dead Rose Symphony than it would in most types of haunted attractions (although there are ways around this, I’ll have more on that later). In addition to Jay Brooks on Bass and Brian Davis on keyboards and drums (who also wrote all the music on their debut album), Music To Be Buried By also features guitar and bass work by Nick Whittington, Jason Davis David Cummings and Andy Salmon.

“Sinister Foreshadowing” starts things off with an impressive soundscape of chirping insects, walking and howling wind. After a door creaks open and shuts, the sounds effects die down and our creepy narrator discusses the horrors to come. It’s perfect for use waiting room of your haunt before the next batch of guests is allowed in. A music box-like introduction starts off “6 Degrees of Suffering,” which is soon followed by touches of harp work and modern rock horror kicks in. The wordless female vocals during calm, eerie string solo are especially effective. “Room 324” starts off with a lot of feedback, clangs and screeching metal cries. This is soon followed by some whispering and creepy bursts of music. The sounds of a music box, electronic toys and the sounds of children make this good for a haunted nursery in a “Haunted House of Rock.” Said rock music comes in late into track, as well as a rather cool musical use of samples of a young child talking. “Nightmares and Lullabies” also features creepy children, along with eerie music. There’s an industrial feel and chimes that go back and forth between lighter and darker tones (along with plenty of samples). “Ghost Note Funeral Hymn” has an interesting Spanish funeral speech at the intro and outro. The rest of the track? Soft, slow piano work with creepy backing effects, like dueling choirs of both genders. “The Murder Game” also uses eerie, soft tones with loud bursts of samples. The excellent great piano work and guitars also provide a great creeping feel.

“Walking Corpse” mixes samples from Night of the Living Dead with rockin’ guitars. You could use it in a “Haunted House of Rock”‘s zombie scene, but I really think this works best if you play it for people waiting in line. Soft marching drums and mournful piano start off “Deathmarch,” but a definite rock bursts in soon enough. Despite being named after a 1963 horror movie, “Violent Midnight” starts with an 80’s horror feel and later adopts a more modern feel. The use of the female choir is very effective, as is the spooky sample. Those wanting something for use in a regular haunted attraction will love “Raining Fear.” In addition to the sounds of thunder and rain, there’s a piano dirge and horror stings that get faster and more frantic as time goes on. “The Procedure” is perhaps the most interesting track on the album. It starts with the sounds of someone entering a room where a patient is kept. The sounds of a heart monitor, drilling and screams lead to rock music that layers in the sounds of the heart monitor and flatlining. The music itself reminds me of a Dethklok song at times. In “Creatures in the Closet,” a piano leads to a scratchy recording of a child saying their prayers. The creepy chimes go well with the piano work, which soon merges with rockin’ guitars. I suggest playing this as people enter your “Haunted House of Rock.” The lengthy “7 and Death Makes 8” mixes fast, soft piano work with both soft wordless vocals, chimes and the occasional touches of rock. In other words, it’s like if the most sample filled Clouseaux track made sweet monkey love to Dead Rose Symphony. In fact, the Clouseaux connection becomes even more apparent thanks to its lengthy surf outro!

If it had to summarize the musical style of Music To Be Buried By, I would have to say that it’s a cross between Clouseaux’s Beyond Good and Evil with something you might hear in a modern horror movie. Although this style of music wouldn’t really work for “haunted mansion”-type attractions, I think playing their music to psych up the crowd waiting to enter a wide variety of haunted attractions is a great way to build excitement so that people will want rush in (which you can take advantage of by hitting ’em with a really good scare). Another benefit to using their music at your haunt is that it’s all royalty free! That’s right, if you purchase their music, you can use it in a haunted attraction (professional or home) without having to pay any licensing fees. And if you email Grave Tone Productions to let them know about it, they’ll publicize your haunt on their website for free! If if you don’t run a haunted attraction, the music is great to listen to by itself.

You haven’t heard the last of them, either on 6’+ or in terms of future releases. In fact, they’re also getting into the horror film business! Here’s the trailer for their short film, Who’s There? (which also features their music).

Special thanks to Grave Tone Productions for the review copy!

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on the above sites (or constructing a project that’s detailed on them). This also applies to the suggestions made here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 27 2012

Guest Post: Having a Hi-Tech Halloween

[We are proud to present a guest post by Whitney Adams, staff writer for BBGeeks.com and AndGeeks.com.]

Halloween is full of ghost stories, candy, costumes, and decorations. Some people celebrate Halloween by simply changing a light bulb to shine down on a bowl of candy, others go all out. There is no reason why you can’t go all out and get to use all of your cool gadgets at the same time. There are some ways you can use your tech toys to decorate your home, create a costume, and even scare your neighbors. Either way, your home or costume will be the only thing anyone can talk about.

One of the most basic ways to scare all of the kids and neighbors on Halloween night is by setting up motion activated decorations. These are pretty common now days and can do a wide variety of things. Some motion activated decorations shake the bushes, have glowing eyes, or even make creepy moaning noises. By using each decoration together, you can create a giant tree monster or a spooky grave yard. It is easy to create your own motion activated decorations as well. All you need to do is hook up a motion detector to a homemade coffin that will open whenever someone walks by. Creating your own motion activated device lets you get as creative and scary as you want.

If you want something more than motion detecting decorations, you can also create your own grave yard night show. People have started doing this more and more over the years for not only Halloween, but also for Christmas. Set up your front yard with decorations and lights. While you are setting everything up, keep each set of lights or decorations in different groups. So, if you have lights at the top of the house, those would be one circuit and then the lights for the graveyard would be on a different circuit. You will also want to pick a song or two so your lights can change according to the music. Once you have those, you will want to use a lighting controller to run all of your lights. These controllers can be found on various websites, or you can create your own. On the websites, you will be able to put in your music, and then design your light show using the program they provided. Of course, if you are more of a technology guru, you can create your own light show program on your PC of Mac.

Decorating isn’t the only way to make your Halloween hi-tech. You can also create costumes that have their own technical components. One of the popular options is creating a hole in your stomach, or any other body part. All you need is two tablets or phones that can video chat with each other. Simply duct tape the devices on your body, one in the front and one in the back, and then set it to video chat. You can add extra gore by using fake blood or guts. This can be done with any device that can do video chat. That means you can mix it up and have a tablet and a phone to create a bullet whole effect, or just to through off people admiring your costume. There are plenty of phones on the market that have front facing cameras, so you can use your Android phone or your iPhone if you want. One problem with this may be that certain devices require an internet connection to conference. If you aren’t sure the place you will be debuting your costume will have internet, you can get T-Mobile broadband services for your phone and will be able to have internet as long as you have your phone with you.

If simply using a phone for your costume isn’t enough, you could create your own iPad or iPhone that actually works. The easiest way to do this is to use LCD TV and hang it on your body. You may want to decorate the TV with different buttons to make it look like your iPhone, iPad, or Android device. Then, you connect your phone like you would to your computer, but use the TV as a dual screen for your phone. While wearing the costume, you can use your iPhone and your friends will be able to see your screen. Of course, this can be a pricey costume.

Another way to keep your Halloween hi-tech is by creating your own maze or haunted house. Your haunted house can use things like motions sensors, programmed Halloween lights, or even create illusions using your tablet, phone or TV. If you set up your own Halloween maze, you could hook up a TV screen that is receiving a video feed from an iPad or phone somewhere else. Then when a person in the maze sees this, they will think it is a way out, until they get closer and see they have duped once again. By using motion activated props you can create crawling zombies, cackling witches, moaning zombies or psychiatric patients. Of course, to show your guests that it was well worth the confusion in your maze, you can show maze goers how others are doing. Set up webcams throughout the maze and direct the feed to a couple TVs or monitors at the end of the maze. That way when people come out of the maze they are rewarded with treats, drinks, and getting to watch others as they go through the maze.

 

Oct 26 2012

Haunted Woods Food Drive

I have a splitting headache!

Location: 67 Fitchburg Street, Marlborough, MA 01752 (Directions)
Dates/Times: Oct. 18-21, 25-28, 31 from 6:30 until 10:00 pm (Dates/Times subject to change as years go by)
Admission: One non-perishable food item (per person)
Phone: (508) 485-6151
Website: Official Facebook Page

Despite this technically being the Haunted Woods’ first year in operation, the attraction has quite the backstory. In 2002, George Larassa ran a haunted house out of his garage in order to help collect food for those in need. After a few years, Mr. Larassa moved and his new residence was sadly not well-suited for haunting. Thankfully, his friends Steven and Sharon Levy volunteered to keep “Marlboro’s Haunted House” (and the food drive) going as a yard haunt and were able to use Larassa’s props in this event along with some additions of their own. The Marlboro Lions Club got involved sometime later to help haunt the place, but they were sadly not present on the two occasions I was able to swing by. This year marks the return of George Larassa, who has permanently taken back the reins to the food drive and is returning it to its roots as a full-fledged haunted attraction with the help of several volunteers and the Marlborough Moose Lodge.

That said, much of the spirit of the yard haunt years of the attraction still shines through. The woods is just as packed with decorations as the earlier incarnations were. It was a lot of fun to see some familiar props scattered throughout the woods, both as major set pieces and as random decor. As was the case during the yard haunt days, you could easily go through it multiple times and still spot new details during each trip. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that most of the cute, kid-friendly decorations were not present in woods, and what few that were kept stayed solely at the entrance of the haunt. That said, the Haunted Woods does have a way of making the spooky events in the woods more suitable for younger visitors. You see, they cleverly lend out glow sticks to all children who go through the woods, so that the performers inside can see them from afar and know not to target them.

The Haunted Woods makes great use of music and effects, including some creative uses of light and darkness in its scares. As it is set in a wooded area, it is possible to see ahead or the back of displays at times. However, there was definitely an effort to reduce as much of that as possible through fog machines and the placement of props, screens and some rather ingenious bits of misdirection from the tour guide. Speaking of misdirection, there were many such scares present in the woods, along with lots of monsters following you from behind and the traditional “jump scares.” Truth be told, I was actually starting to get sick of the people following me after awhile.

I was also impressed by the skills of the kids, teens and adults that portrayed the various monsters lurking in the woods. They never missed a beat and I never caught them without their masks on. I was also pleasantly surprised to see that none of them were of the “wearing a mask with street clothes.” Instead, everyone wore appropriate costumes and several performers had excellent spooky makeup jobs instead of wearing masks. Considering that I’ve paid good money to go through professional haunted attractions that didn’t show such care, this was a very welcome change of pace. I never felt rushed while going through the woods and the length of my trip felt just right. I had so much fun and experienced so many distractions (both intentional on the part of the haunt staff and me trying to take in as much as possible) that I didn’t reflect on unlikelihood of certain scenes being in the woods until it was all over. There were some times were I could hear laughter ahead, but I’ll let that slide since I’m not sure if it was the actors or other visitors to the haunt.

I should also note how the cast of monsters changes every night. I’m sure the empty jail cell seen during my trip would have had someone in it had I gone on another date. Speaking of changes, I’ve been assured by Mr. Larassa that there will be a mix of old and new scenes in the woods every year.

Once confined to a residential neighborhood with limited parking, the haunted food drive is finally at a location with enough space for both a full-scale haunt and plenty of parking. It’s existence is a welcome change of pace considering the rarity of haunted attractions in the region and quality of the Haunted Woods is even more impressive when you factor in how this is the first time “back in the saddle” by someone who hasn’t been haunting since about 2004. If things continue to get better from there, this could easily become a 5 skull attraction in no time. So definitely make sure to stop by the Haunted Woods this October. The price is only a canned good and all the “proceeds” go to charity. If you want to help even more, you can even volunteer to help out if you live near the area! What’s not to love?

Final verdict: 3 skulls out of 5

UPDATE: The Haunted Woods Food Drive’s final run was in 2014. Although it is gone, you can still enjoy spooky thrills for the price of a canned good in the area at Nightmare Marlborough. Old props from the Haunted Woods Food Drive have even been donated to this attraction!

Special thanks to the Haunted Woods Food Drive for use of the image!

Oct 26 2012

AHoD Fun Size: David Philips of HIGH FRUCTOSE ZOMBIES

 

A Handful of Dirt usually asks a person five questions they wouldn’t normally expect or receive in any other credible interview.

But since it’s Halloween, we’re offering a FUN SIZE version where we ask one Halloween question from the Serendipiter Bag o’InquiryTM.  

 

 

David Braly Philips is part of the husband-wife duo that brought New York Comic Con the debut of High Fructose Zombies, a comic book that puts a sweet spin on the zombie twist.

“When a brand new candy bar starts turning people into zombies in the small town of Sweetooth, it is up to Clea brown, and her ragtag group of friends, to stop the EVIL Yumzy corporation from reigning down the Sugarpocalypse! Once Clea just wanted to escape from her town, now she wants to take it back! And she’ll do so a la lollipop – the perfect tool with which to behead the undead.”

Follow High Fructose Zombies on Twitter and Facebook. Currently, there is a Kickstarter campaign that allows you to get on the ground floor of the six-issue story arc/graphic novel. There are plenty of incentives to bite in today!

What was your favorite costume that you wore as an adult?

My favorite costume as an adult was The Act of Being Windblown.  I put a wire through my tie, grabbed some newspaper and folded it to make it look like it was blown onto me and gelled my hair up.

 

 

Oct 25 2012

Music to Haunt By: Shadow’s Symphony

Shadow’s Symphony
Official Facebook Page
The House In The Mist, Self-release 2011

Surreal estate

Shadow’s Symphony is the musical brainchild of Pennsylvania native Grant Smoker. Shadow’s Symphony’s Facebook page touts their style as “haunting music from the darkness,” which I can’t say I disagree with after hearing their first album, The House In The Mist.

The title track, “The House in the Mist,” immediately grabs your attention with eerily atmospheric opening (making it perfect to use when people first enter your haunt). The creepy buildup and wordless vocals in the background are great touches that add to its timeless feel. Great piano work hints at lost luxury in “Dust Covered Opulence,” which features the return of the first track’s spectral choir and other dark touches. “From the Grave” effectively combines a soft, eerie opening with wordless vocals while “Lost Memories” evokes the past with its combination of chimes, piano work and a unisex choir. The comparatively short “Darkness Lives” benefits from both a creepy buildup and wordless female vocals, which make it a bit more intense than last few tracks. “Out of the Shadows” is a great mix of piano and string work. Strings also shine in “Legend of the Ruins,” which provides a definite sense of age. The female vocals are appropriately soft and wordless for a ghostly feel, while some of the music even sounds like groaning. There are some plinking notes at times, but it never feels out of place. Similarly, “The Hands of Time” makes the listener think of antiquity with its soft, slow build to harpsichord-style music. Wordless female vocals get a real workout here.

“Mourning Souls” is practically a continuation of the last track, but has its own darker touches, like a mix of tolling bells and wordless choirs moaning. In contrast, “All Have Fallen” uses a heavy, slow piano and only touches of wordless vocals, but the overall feel is just as effective. “Restless Spirits” creates a feeling of dread through its low buildup, making it perfect for springing on guests as they enter a particularly creepy hallway or room. Although the opening chimes provide a deceptively light tone, “Tragedy” soon becomes much more mournful and lends itself well to funeral parlor setups. “A Sinister Feeling” lives up to name with soft (but heavy) tones that increase in speed, along with some dripping-like notes that could let you use this in a dungeon or sewer scene. “Beyond the Witching Hour” uses wedding or funeral-like music after the opening clock-like notes, followed by bursts of speed. The atmospheric slow build of “Ghosts In the Dark” is rivaled only by its eerie piano work. The plodding tones of “Cursed Ground” create a sense of unease while heavy piano work effectively both opens and sets the tone for “Bound Within These Walls.” The soft touches of drums are a great touch. Heavy touches fill “The Haunting of the Crowley House,” along with a harpsichord-style opening and ghostly choirs. “Through the Night” starts with just voices for a great effect and soft music joins in later. “Reflections From the Other Side” has a very soft, slow build that sets the introspective tone for rest of song. The backing music here is fantastic. Finally, “The Dead Will Rise Again” is soft and ethereal at some times and showcases a menacing, plodding piano at others.

In short, The House In The Mist is an amazing musical trip through a long-ruined place of former elegance, with wordless female vocals appearing in most of the tracks. I’m overwhelmed by both the sheer excellence of this album and the limitless potential it has for use in haunted attractions of all kinds (the older and more majestic looking, the better). It’s also great for use in theatrical séances. Each track can easily fit a variety of scenes while never sounding generic or bland and all but a handful lend themselves well for individual looping. Although some might not care for the lighter feel of certain tracks, I think that most people will be perfectly happy to play the entire album in a loop for their Halloween displays or haunted houses. In fact, it’s one of the best albums I’ve ever come across that comes the closest to my ideal of a perfect Halloween haunt soundtrack.

In addition to this incredible freshman effort, Shadow’s Symphony has hit the ground running by releasing two new albums this year: Threshold of Forgotten Souls and Fairvale Funeral Parlor. In fact, I understand that one of the tracks from their most recent release is a direct sequel to a track from the subject of today’s review. I haven’t heard them yet but even if they’re only as half as good as The House In the Mist, they would still be definite must have’s for any Halloween buff’s collection. So rush out and pick this album up before Halloween, you won’t regret it.

Special thanks to Shadow’s Symphony for use of the image!

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on the above sites (or constructing a project that’s detailed on them). This also applies to the suggestions made here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 25 2012

Costume Crazyness 2012

I don’t have an introduction in me this year, so let’s just jump right in:

The sad thing is that this “Horror Puppet” mask isn’t the worst Saw knock-off I’ve ever seen. That honor goes to a little number I saw at my local Rite-Aid. It was an overhead latex hockey mask with red dots on the “cheeks,” an attached black fright wig and streams of blood pouring from the eyes. Sadly, I was unable to find any photographs of it online for your “enjoyment.”

I don’t know what’s weirder, the fact that a knock-off version of a woman from the Progressive commercials costume exists or the fact that the model of said knock-off looks more like Flo than the woman modeling the officially licensed version.

That’s odd, why is this dog mask being marketed as a werewolf mask? I’m not kidding, this looks far more like a Schnauzer or Scottish Terrier mask than it looks like a werewolf. You can’t call yourself a monster if your face makes people want to give you belly rubs.

Granted, I haven’t seen Iron Man 2 yet, but I highly doubt that an “Iron Woman” character appears in it (let alone look anything like that costume). These costumes, on the other hand…

*laughs*

*cries*

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Oct 24 2012

Music to Haunt By and Sounds to Scare By: An Introduction

Reader’s of last year’s “Music to Haunt By” will remember that my review of Sonic Realm’s debut album noted that a change was scheduled for all future versions of the review series. That change? Adding reviews of sound effects albums to the mix. Although this decision was originally inspired by the seeming lack of other musical spooky atmosphere albums (something I’ve since found not to be the case), I’ve since come across another reason to embrace sound effects. While reading a now-offline (for now) writeup at the official Facebook page for the Thornhill Woods Haunted House. The basic gist of it was that the owner preferred using only sound effects instead of music, as he found that other haunts using the same Midnight Syndicate albums detracted from the overall experience at his fault. Why should they be scared? After all, they’ve already heard this music before on countless occasions. He also feels that it’s more realistic if the guests only hear the sorts of things they would hear if they were actually in such a scenario, which helps guests further immerse themselves into the haunt. Although I think both methods are valid (in fact, you could play music and sound effects at the same time if you wanted), he does have some excellent points. Sometime you don’t need music to enhance a scare. The chestburster scene in Alien is proof of that. And no matter if you use music or sound effects, you want to use material that the general public hasn’t been exposed to numerous times. And isn’t that what I’ve been showing you how to do all this time?

Although both formats will be discussed in this installment of the review series (along with all future installments), reviews focusing on music will be tagged “Music to Haunt By” and ones about sound effects will be tagged “Sounds to Scare By.” And what better way to get ready for this year than by looking back over last year’s reviews:

Music to Haunt By: The Return
Music to Haunt By: Prelude to a Nightmare
Music to Haunt By: Alex Otterlei
Music to Haunt By: Darkmood
Music to Haunt By: Dead Rose Symphony
Music to Haunt By: The Dark Tower
Music to Haunt By: Sonic Realm

On top of that, the non-story sections in Tales of the Frightened also offer some great spooky music that could work wonders that your Halloween display or haunted house.

As is tradition, I also have some bonus tips and free downloads for you. The Google Books preview for The Halloween Propmaker’s Handbook by Ken Pitek has some excellent tips on using sound in scary displays. If that isn’t enough for you, rest assured that the upcoming reviews will have plenty more. Incompetech has enough free spooky music available to let you create the perfect musical mix for whatever display you have planned, while the National Weather Service’s JetStream page has some free public domain storm sound files under the “Teacher Preparation” section. How do I know that? Besides being creations of US Federal government employees, I also played it safe and asked before posting the link!

Please enjoy the most recent episode of our podcast as a final treat, which contains spine-tingling selections from all of the groups I’ll be covering (along with some material that was specially selected for this episode).

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting or downloading from any links given here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 23 2012

AHoD Fun Size: Sarah Braly of HIGH FRUCTOSE ZOMBIES

 

A Handful of Dirt usually asks a person five questions they wouldn’t normally expect or receive in any other credible interview.

But since it’s Halloween, we’re offering a FUN SIZE version where we ask one Halloween question from the Serendipiter Bag o’InquiryTM.  

 

 

Sarah Braly is part of the husband-wife duo that brought New York Comic Con the debut of High Fructose Zombies, a comic book that puts a sweet spin on the zombie twist.

“When a brand new candy bar starts turning people into zombies in the small town of Sweetooth, it is up to Clea brown, and her ragtag group of friends, to stop the EVIL Yumzy corporation from reigning down the Sugarpocalypse! Once Clea just wanted to escape from her town, now she wants to take it back! And she’ll do so a la lollipop – the perfect tool with which to behead the undead.”

Follow High Fructose Zombies on Twitter and Facebook. Currently, there is a Kickstarter campaign that allows you to get on the ground floor of the six-issue story arc/graphic novel. There are plenty of incentives to bite in today!

 

What design, no matter how intricate, would you carve into a jack-o-lantern if you could?

Probably a wombat. It’s a good go to.

 

Oct 23 2012

Hellevator

Elelator go down da hoooooooole

Having a fake elevator in your haunted attraction does wonders for the overall atmosphere. At its most basic use, a well-made one can help increase the feelings of isolation and being trapped in your haunt. Having it seemingly go out of control and violently plunge into the depths only adds to the fun. But making an elevator seemingly go out of control isn’t the only way to generate scares. There can be scary effects with the controls, such as the above pictured change in the floor indicator lights or, for older models, having something scary happen to the floor dial. Perhaps the automated announcement will take a sinister turn or how about a monster that pops out through the safety hatch on the ceiling? I even know of one where the elevator isn’t even designed to simulate movement. After the button panel malfunctions, the riders are ushered out only to discover they are now in a broken down, haunted version of the happy hotel they were previously walking through. One might even argue that the broken elevator’s lack of movement makes the transition that much more effective! That is, as long as guests enter and leave the “elevator” through the same set of doors.

Don’t get me wrong, almost all of your guests will know the elevator effect is fake, but a good “Hellevator” ride needs to do as much as possible to plant a seed of doubt in your guests’ minds. One of the best ways to spoil that is to have them enter through one door and exit through another. They’ll immediately figure out how the effect was done, and I think we can agree that it’s more creepy (and fun) if they aren’t sure how the effect was accomplished. You want this to be like a real elevator ride, where you enter and exit through the same set of doors.

A friend and I once rode in a “Hellevator” at the now-defunct Terror on the Wharf haunted attraction in Salem, MA. A guide lead us into the elevator and had use face the secondary door. Within a few moments, the elevator’s normal movements turned into violent shaking. On top of that, flickering red lights eventually appeared at some openings near the top, implying that we were riding straight to Hell. After we had exited from the haunt’s final scene (which the elevator had delivered us to), we immediately began discussing our thoughts on the experience. Although the ride was fun, we both agreed that the use of two doors hurt the experience. On top of that, my friend had looked over his shoulder while the guide and I were distracted and saw that the entrance of the elevator didn’t have any doors! This revealed we had not left the previous room! In other words, it completely killed the illusion for him.

But before I discuss how to accomplish such an effect, let’s look at how these illusion are created. Some “Hellevators” use implied movement, some use actual movement and others combine both methods. Implied movement can be created using moving lights, rollers (or old treadmills) scrolling a brick or stone patterned fabric in an elevator window or even animations shown on flatscreen TV “windows.” I’ve even heard of someone who uses speakers that cause slight vibrations to create the illusion of a moving elevator! As for versions that use actual movements, air–powered pneumatics and springs seem to be the most popular methods. However, the use of pneumatics can be very time consuming to set up, in addition to the fact that this method offers more potential danger.

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Oct 22 2012

Monster In A Box

Because doing a

There are so many variations on the “Monster In A Box” prop that it’s nearly impossible to pin down an exact definition other than the one suggested by the name. Some say that the definition should apply to any kind of prop where a monster suddenly bursts out of a box or container of some kind (like the above-pictured example). However, many in the haunting community would argue the term traditionally refers to a prop where a sealed box covered in warning signs suddenly starts shaking. But even props that fall under that definition have numerous variations available. Some versions might use the movement, lights, fog and/or sound effects to imply the presence of a monster inside, while others might opt to give visitors a quick (partial) peek of the creature inside. Sometimes the lid might open completely and nothing will emerge from the box! Some versions operate continuously, while others are activated through the use of mat switches, event timers or motion sensors.

Using one version one year and the other during the following year can make for a good effect. Guests expecting the box to shake around like it did last year will be extra surprised when a monster pops out. Alternately, having a monster pop out one year and using a chained up and shaking prop using the same sort of box next year makes for an amusing gag. There’s even variants that act as a hybrid of the two main types of “Monster In A Box” props. My favorite example of this has the monster burst out of the side after seemingly failing to escape through the top. It’s a great bit of misdirection that really enhances the scare factor of the prop. In addition to the usual wooden box or crate, the effect can also be used with chests, trunks, coffins and even a giant version of a “Jack-in-the-box.” Although optional, having a flashing light emit from the box is another great way to enhance the effect. This can be accomplished with a specially–rigged light, police siren light, Christmas lights or strobe light.

Although there are commercially available versions out there, it’s far less expensive to build your own. With either some artistic talent or wood grain contact paper, even a cardboard box can be used to create a basic “Monster in a Box” prop. A battery-operated miniature police siren light or strobe light should suffice for light, assuming your design has openings that allows light to be seen. In a pinch, using chains made out of crumpled strips of aluminum foil can work if the prop is only shown in dim lighting and is kept far away enough from your guests. All you need for animation is a single Bumble Ball. That said, you should include some sort of partition (like a piece of wood) between the Bumble Ball and the part of the box where the lights and source of sound effects are kept. This also has the added benefit of helping weigh down the box enough so that it shakes without risking it moving around too far from its intended position. If you’re using a wooden box or chest, the use of multiple Bumble Balls is recommended.

However, for really impressive shaking, you’re going to have to roll up your sleeves and use a much stronger motor. The most common tutorials either recommend using drills or windshield wiper motors. You need to be careful that motor you’re using is not too powerful or else box could potentially shake itself apart. The best way to determine how to avoid this is to read as many tutorials on making this kind of prop as possible. In addition to the links I’ve already provided in this article, please enjoy the following:

Monster In A Box
Monster in a Box 2004
CindyBob.com Monster In A Box
SEMITB (Super Easy Monster In The Box) – Marks Place
Animatronic Props – HauntProject.com
How to Monster in a box Halloween haunted house prop

UPDATE: Apparently some brands of Bumble Ball-style toys are prone to overheating or breaking, so please do your research before purchasing any. Also be sure to never leave your “Monster In A Box” prop unattended for long periods of time as well!

Special thanks to Terror Syndicate Productions for use of the image!

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on the above sites (or constructing a project that’s detailed on them). This also applies to the suggestions made here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 21 2012

Unintentionally Appropriate Halloween Songs (p.2)

When you’re making a Halloween playlist and you want to do something a little off-the-beaten-path, you can’t go wrong with Q Lazzarus’ “Goodbye Horses” (AKA The Buffalo Bill Song from Silence of the Lambs). This song is horrifying in that movie and perfect to play when you want to send those people who KNOW what it is into frightful shivers. The song is about self-acceptance and rising above adversity, which is HILARIOUS considering the context of that scene.

 

Oct 21 2012

Flying Crank Ghosts

I'm the Ghost of Christmas Past, gonna kick your balls and kick your...

The Flying Crank Ghost is one of the most effective props you can have at a haunted attraction. It not only looks incredible, but it also has an air of mystery as to how it’s accomplished. You can tell that it’s great just from the picture above, but even that can’t do it justice. Let’s see one in action:

Invented by Doug Ferguson of Phantasmechanics, the Flying Crank Ghost (or as it’s commonly referred to, the “FCG”) made a big splash in the haunting community during the mid-to-late 90’s. Naturally, many people built their own versions and made variations on the concept. One person even made a small version of one using Legos! I’ve also seen a budget version called “Chee Po’s Flying Crank Ghost” that uses oscillating fans to operate it and one creative haunter who used a miniature version of the FCG setup to power a small alien prop. There’s even a “Dangling Crank Spider” floating around out there!

Even the traditional “wig head and cheesecloth” marionette was altered to great effect, giving way to light up eyes and concepts like headless ghosts and creepy spectres. Although originally designed as a puppet for a LARP event, I think this prop would make a killer FCG variant. My personal favorite variation isn’t even technically a Flying Crank Ghost. Instead, it’s a wearable puppet designed to look and move like a FCG. Then when visitors dismiss it as just being an animated prop, the operator lunges out at them for a great scare. This works best if it’s done in a room that housed an actual FCG in previous years. Another greeat way to get some extra mileage out of a Flying Crank Ghost is to combine it with the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect to create a moving ethereal image. Imagine looking into a seemingly empty space, only to have a moving ghost materialize into view!

While far from obscure, there’s still enough unfamiliarity with the FCG among the general public that makes it far more effective than the kinds of props that got used by everyone and their brother after low cost versions appeared on the market. Sure, it’s very well known among haunters and Halloween enthusiasts, but your average person is a different story. I’m positive that at least a few of you reading this had never even heard of the concept before, let alone seen one in action. Even if they suspect they know how it works, they’ll probably imagine that it’s far more complex than it really is. Kind of like all the people out there who think the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect is actually a hologram. What few premade versions there are out there are either solely available through online retailers known only by hardcore Halloween buffs or as stripped down versions that are such (in my opinion) pale imitations of the FCG that many might not realize what it’s based on.

I suspect the other reason for its lack of overexposure is its method of overhead operation. Unless you’re willing to drill holes in the ceiling, you’re going to have to construct a frame of some kind to hang it on. Depending on where you plan on displaying your creation, the use of a frame might also require the building of a crypt or mausoleum. Not everyone has the time or storage space necessary for such an endeavor. But hopefully you do!

I personally feel that the Flying Crank Ghost isn’t nearly as complicated as one might think and is a very worthwhile addition to your haunted attraction or Halloween display. You’re practically guaranteed to be the talk of the town if you build one. In addition to all the links I’ve provided above, there are plenty of other tutorials out there to help you.

Special thanks to Hedstorm Productions for use of the image!

Gravedigger’s Local 16 is not to be held responsible for the content on or anything that may occur (be it good or bad) as a result of visiting any links on the above sites (or constructing a project that’s detailed on them). This also applies to the suggestions made here. Attempt at your own discretion.

Oct 20 2012

Chuck Palahniuk, DAMNED

“When you’re descended from a thousand years of suffering, you tend to see the absurd humor in even the grimmest situations.”

Perhaps this quote from a Fangoria interview with author Chuck Palahniuk should preface every novel of his, as a way to explain what the reader is about to discover.

One of the things I wanted to ask Chuck Palahniuk during the question & answer session held after a reading of his new story ‘Boogeyman’ was if he held any fear towards death. This wasn’t an accusatory question, that his life of writing provocative scenarios in his eleven-novel career would somehow earn him a REASON to fear death.

This is an honest confession, one allowed to pass by the mask I wear writing this – I am scared of death. It’s not the process but the fear of no longer existing, of no longer having a mind or having some kind of way of interacting with people. I’m not sure if there’s either a heaven or hell but if I could pick, I’d spend eternity in the McKittrick Hotel with Calloway played by William Popp.

The subject of Palahniuk’s latest novel, Damned, deals with the concept of heaven and hell. Writing about the afterlife is a safe way to assuage the fear in the greatest of unknowns, about what happens to someone after they die. Not so much the body but the brain and the concept of the soul. In Damned, the soul of a thirteen-year-old girl is condemned to Hell. The first of a planned trilogy, Damned follows Madison Spencer as she experiences Hell firsthand. Comparing it as a demented Judy Bloom novel (each chapter opens up with “Dear Satan. It’s me, Madison.”) the novel aims to offer a perspective on living, dying and being damned through the eyes of a pubescent girl.

That’s a bold undertaking for a fifty-year old man. I don’t remember what I sounded like when I was thirteen and I’m much closer to that age than Palahniuk is. Setting the narrator as a young girl is a crazy move and there are some times when the illusion fails and it becomes less Madison’s story and more Chuck’s.

The book falls apart in many places, which might be reflective of Palahniuk trying to do too much in too short of a time. He’s an ambitious writer, and some of his ambition pays off. Damned has some really strong concepts and some really potent writing. The chapter where Madison, daughter of a famous movie starlet and a wealthy businessman, finds herself abandoned over the winter break in her boarding school stands out as one that demonstrates Palahniuk’s talents as a writer. The scene is well crafted through the style that made such novels as Fight Club, Choke and Invisible Monsters highly enjoyable to read. In addition, this chapter of this girl experiencing life as a ghost while still alive (foreshadowing!) is probably the strongest, emotionally, throughout the book.

There are plenty other areas in the book for emotional value to be mined. Palahniuk proposes that demons in Hell are the disposed gods of old, that there’s a potential that Jesus would eventually be cast down into this Inferno. This rich supply of potential characters is a ripe crop of personalities but of those who appear, demons are presented as nothing more than bored government workers.

The interpersonal relationships between Madison and the characters she comes in contact with are never really developed. There are some hints, but it all seems very superficial as Chuck tries to get everything in before the story runs out. There are two more books scheduled in this world, one of which might be finishing up right now.

‘Damned’ came out in 2011, written during a 2008 period that was tumultuous to Palahniuk’s life. His father’s killer was removed from death row due to a case review and his mother was diagnosed with cancer. This book seems the product of therapy and much like therapy, breakthroughs and revelations come with messy exploration and a lot of directionless effort that seems, at first, a good way to go but end up wasted. It’s a book that goes by fast and has some positives. It has a lot of flaws. It won’t be the book that makes a new fan of Palahniuk but if you want to see where his head is at (and where you soul is going) you should give it a read.

Oct 20 2012

Hallowindows

Back when Strange Jason and I were gearing up for the first Halloween countdown, he showed me an amazing Halloween display video. In it, an elaborate spooky animation display was projected onto the front windows of a house. It was incredible and mere words couldn’t do it justice. Sadly, I lost the link in the great computer crash of 2008 and had no luck retrieving it. Thankfully, I was finally able to rediscover the video this year thanks to some creative searching. It turns out the “Hallowindow” display was created by a extremely talented illustrator named Mark Gervais. I’ve also since learned that not only does he create a new animation every year, but he sells DVDs of each show at the official Hallowindow website. Thanks to his Youtube channel, you can see some examples of the animations in action:

Oct 19 2012

Touch and Feel Haunt Ideas

In two of my reviews for last year’s “Music to Haunt By” series, I briefly discussed ways to use certain tracks in variations of the old “touch and feel haunted house” setup. Maybe it’s just me, but I think this sort of haunt is a dying art. While it was once the main method discussed in books on how to make a haunted house, now it’s all but forgotten. Granted, traditional haunted houses are awesome and it’s fun to stock up on cool props and costumes, but I think it’s kind of sad. I understand that a lot of its discussion back then was due to it being much cheaper and simpler than the alternative, especially back in the days when animatronics and such weren’t readily available. I imagine that the potential for stains and allergy issues are also a factor. It also doesn’t help that so much of the ideas (spaghetti for brains, peeled grapes for eyes, etc.) are so commonplace that almost everyone knows what’s going on. As any haunter will tell you, what often impresses people the most are the effects they can’t figure out. So for today’s article, I’ll be discussing how to update the concept.

Let’s start with changing things up a bit. Spaghetti can be more than just brains, it can also be used as guts, cat intestines, worms, snakes and veins. If you’re using it as intestines, be sure to coat it in olive oil. To throw your guests off, try using a cooked cauliflower, a fresh tomato or a “grow a brain” toy. Or you can do as this book suggests and use a balloon filled with warm water and coated with strawberry jelly.

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