BIG Haunt Changes!

OK. I know I said I was going to do a dark carnival haunt this year. Things have changed. But definetly for the better.

I've always wanted to do a walk-thru haunt. And after seeing Steve Hickman's Dark Works last year, the urge has been even stronger. Well, I recently ordered the Terror Syndicate Homer Haunter's Prop Building Videos vol. 4 (man that's mouth full), which focuses on building a free-standing walk-thru. Another thing I had wanted to do was host a "party haunt", or a haunt where you open it both for a party as well as to the public on Halloween.
I've made a decision: I'm canceling "Troupe Macabre" this year, to focus on creating a highly elaborate (and probably expensive) walk-thru party haunt for 2011. As for this year, I'm going to experiment with a more atmosphere-based haunt that is less prop oriented. The theme will be an old, decrepit house, the kind every neighborhood in America used to have; the ones kids would call the "haunted house". But that's something for another time. I'm probably going to be doing some postings on HauntForum about this, so if anyone has any questions, just shoot me a note there.

Well, I guess it can't hurt to reveal the party haunt's name:

The 13th Street Morgue

PS: Two big shout-outs:
1) go over to Pumpkin Knight's blog, The Land of Always October - he has some very cool news :)
2) Another shout-out to me first British Follower, Ali. Thanks for joining - now I'm boring on an international level!

OK, enough Procrastination!

Yes, I'm finally going to review the Terror Syndicate Productions haunt, DARK WORKS!

The last Saturday before Halloween, my brother Hayden, Stepdad Ben, and myself, all piled into the car, popped a CD of Midnight Syndicate in the stereo, and hit the road for Pittsburgh, PA! After finding owner Steve Hickman's house, and the home of Dark Works, we hoped out of the car to wait in line. We waited in line for about an hour, finding out that only three people per group are allowed to enter the haunt (this helps amp up the creep factor). Finally, after waiting under a true werewolf moon, we entered the mouth of Hell!

I won't give away too much about the Haunt (gotta keep it surprising for next year), but I can tell you that it is ONE OF THE BEST HAUNTS I'VE BEEN IN!!! Heck, it outshone the 7 Floors of Hell by far! There were very few actors, but every animatronic and animation was perfect, better than most haunts, including some pro ones! The place simply oozed Halloween atmosphere, especially in the disgusting bathroom! It was both indoor and out door, and scenically amazing! The real showstopper was the "TV room", which I won't describe (I can't, words don't do that room justice), but it was very theatrical, and is something I've never scene in any haunt before!

Afterwords, when the haunt closed, I got to meet Steve, and talk shop with him. He's a great guy, very hospitable and generous. Turns out He rarely buys masks and props -- he makes them! Also, everyone knows Steve to be the man who invented the term "Monster Mud", but did you know that he also coined "dorp" alias Erosion Cloth? The guy was nice enough to show me how things worked, and he even gave me a "Dark Soundscapes" CD that he made! Overall, I highly recamend the show and the Website, and I give both Steve and his haunt Five Stars. Great Job.

There. I'm done now. :)

Terror Syndicate website

Journey into Madness

Well, tonight is my trip to the haunt of Steve Hickman's DARK WORKS. I gotta say, I'm really excited about seeing this legendary haunt in person. This was one of those "haunts on the forefront", with its elaborate maze layout, high-tech pneumatics, and clever use of monster mud. I'm also excited about meeting Steve, it should be cool to get to talk shop with another haunter. Overall, it should be a fun night. Since I'll be getting back really late, I'll post about it tommorow. Now, get back to your prop building you sickos!

PS: Thanks to CB and House Bloodthorn for joining my blog. You both have some very cool blogs yourselves!

Hot Damn!

OMG!!!!!!! I can't believe it!!!! I'm going to see the one and only Terror Syndicate haunt, DARK WORKS, in person this year!

I've always been a huge fan of Terror Syndicate, and the haunt. The props and sets have such a ghoulish and rotten look to them that I just love. Well, I thought, "Hey, wouldn't it be cool to see it in person?" I saw on the site that you have to be invited to attend the haunt in Pittsburg, PA. So I sent a nice, polite e-mail to the owner/operater, Steve Hickman, asking if I could come. I was honestly expecting a "no", but boy, did I get a shock when, just minutes after I sent the e-mail, Steve invites me and my parents to come over to see the haunt a week before Halloween. Not only that, but I get to see all the behind the scene stuff, so it should be awesome! I can't wait! Look out, Dark Works, here comes the HalloweeNut!!!!!!

Terror Syndicate.com