Halloween Discussion Forums, Costumes, Horror!

Are you going to do you own yardhaunt this year? Yep, I'm going to do it in September, but at this moment I am currently working some coffins, wallpapers, and others in the backyard. Then, I will save them in the barn until October, I will put them out in the front porch.

Yeah the yardhaunt is already in the planning stages

But I will post pictures this year, and hopefully have some video of it.

Way to go, HF!

When you get a chance of taking some pics for this Halloween, feel free to post here!

We're doing silhouettes of witches and cats on the lawn (made of plywood) with appropriate lighting to show them off. The shadows will continue into the house where there will be bats and cats and whatnot.

The majority of my props/decorations will be hitting the front yard during the last weekend of September. The good stuff (strobes, fog, lighting, sound) won't go out until Oct. 31st. I take the day off from work and spend the entire morning rigging up everything. The kids start Tot'ing right after school in my neighborhood, so I need to be ready to rock and roll by 2:30!

2:30?!?! Wow is that early. Do they continue late into the night or are they done at 6 or so?

Ya, tell me about it! I couldn't believe my eyes the first year we lived here - ToTing during the day! When I was a kid, I didn't start until after dinner. The last kids usually roll through around 10pm or so.

the kids in my town start at around 4! i dont go out till like 9 hehe

I would love to do a yard haunt but sadly I live in a flat I do have a patio area but it is away from the street, so no one can see it unless I let them in through the alley. I had a bowl of candy out last year just in case we got some TOTs (it was out first year in the flat) but alas, we did not.

When I get my own big house though.. with a garden.... oh, THAT will be a different story!!

I'd love to do a yard haunt but we usually take the kids out TOT'ing and we both dress up so we are gone for most of the night.
So besides a few outdoor props (inflatable spider, graves etc) we don't do a whole lot. I'd love to have a big ol' interactive display...

I'm planning on using the Black Magic ideas found on Stewart's website (have I said that enough?!?!?). It's mostly silhouettes of witches and cats illuminated by a light from behind. I've got the wood I just need to get to work.

I'd like to have something simple for outside this year, where I'm doing the witches kitchen inside..maybe I should try a silhouette.

Do we get to see your finished project Dr.?

I've recently been tasked with creating a haunted hayride at the farm where my son works/volunteers. I went to the Six Flags haunted hayride last year and am trying to piece together what they did in my mind so I can come up with some ideas. From what I recall the most effective elements did not differ greatly from a traditional haunted house; it was the unexpected that scared the most. I don't think I'll plan elaborate staging as much as "ambushes."

Dr Strange-- you thought about having a scarecrow in a field for the hayride that's more or less automated... either by hand or by motor, so it turns when the ride drives past. You could have someone dressed the same as the scarecrow standing beside the road further down... Have them move slowly... take a step or two... then make a run for the hayride. They could even climb aboard -- have the hayride driver slow down-- and pass out candy or something. So it's scary, but not.

I dunno...

... but I did read somewhere that haunts are more threatening when it poses a threat to your person. For example an car accident scene might not be very scary in and of itself, but if the car accident resulted in the release of a bus full of convicts who might be in the area, it's a bit more threatening.

... but... you prolly already knew that

The scarecrow is a good idea. I'm not sure about the budget for this but whatever money is there will probably be spent on strobe lights and fog machines. I appreciate the brainstorming!