| Notes on Costumes and Decor |
| As I said on the main page, no one is ever too old to dress up. So that said, I truly believe in the creative side of costumes. Don't just buy whatever is popular, but make something yourself, and be different. Try using different materials to make the costume, and don't be afraid to dress up on when invited to parties. Don't just wear a head piece. Go for the full ensemble! And for godsakes..Have fun! Alright. So. House decor. I've been doing Home Haunts ever since my brother left for college. He use to take over the basement and we used to have our own haunted house down there. (No longer...:<) Anyway, so since 6th grade, I've been taking over the job, except with our front yard. My suggestions to those who are interested in doing home haunts, whether you're just getting started or just want some simple decor, please respect the rules that the rest of us home haunters follow. Almost all decorations are made froms scrap. Rarely will one see an all out home haunter buy 80% of the decor. Newspaper, clay, chicken wire, and duck tape are your friends. Use them well. Also, theatrical prop shops are a great resource to buy things like foam heads and skulls and cheap costumes, if needed. Other notes: When decorating, it is highly suggested that one steers away from gore. Two words: over done. It's so overdone, people start to expect it. The idea is to surprise people. Understand that one of the greatest home haunts was not scary, but rather simply amazing to look at, because everything was so masterfully put together. On techie stuff: I'm really not a techie. But, if you want some neat effects, go for fog machines (which are rather expensive, try water and dry ice), black lights, and glow in the dark paint. If you're so uneqipped for techie stuff, pay attention. I've made due with fishing line, which was pulled by small motors connected to pullies, which kept my stuff going all night. Don't leave the stuff on all night before Halloween night..Waste of energy. I say it because I've seen it happen before. Also, Don't leave stuff so loosely attached that it's easy for people to take. Baaad idea. People can and will steal things easily. Be careful; everything should be well attatched and rooted to the ground. Get started early. I start in July. That's when I play. I start making stuff in August. Good, quality haunts, take time, work and patience. Not everything will work, and don't expect everything to come out exactly the way you want. People add a lot: last year my friend and I had an entire skit that we acted out for trick or treators. We had music blasting in the background, were in full garb, and even had a sword fight choreographed. People came and videotaped us. Yeah. Top that, you gore-lovers. |