Official Haunt Video!

Here it is, Cool Ghouls, my official Scarecrow Hill 2010 video (or slide show, if you prefer).

2011 Costume Clue...

My original costume from when I started haunting, in 2006.
And welcome to the Dismal Trader, Movie-Prop maker extraordinaire!

Picnik and Photoshop - how I love you both!

Top - Before
Bottom - After

Hey, Kid! Wanna see something scary?

Frankenstein (1931) has always been a favorite. It's the first horror film I ever saw. Now, Dutch filmmaker Richard Raaphorst has begun putting together a frightening and grotesque new twist on the story. He calls it Army of Frankenstein. The basic premise is that at the end of WWII, an increasingly desperate and occult-obsessed Hitler found the journals of Victor Frankenstein, and sets about to create an army of creatures built from the bodies of fallen Nazi soldiers. It was interesting that I found the trailer now, right as I'm doing a report on Nazi Propaganda for my school. The trailer seriously gives me the creeps. Probably 'cause it's so damn convincing (not to mention the soundtrack is nightmare fuel)! It's been made to look like footage of Nazi graverobbers at work. If you're not frightened easily, click here to see the trailer at TwitchFilm.com.

UPDATE: TwitchFilm has announced that shooting for Frankenstein's Army will begin shooting this Spring!

A lost story, "The Hollow"

I was browsing through old files on a computer I haven't used in a while. It's fun, remembering old concepts and ideas for haunt themes. But then I came across this document called "The Hollow". No idea what this story is for, or what was supposed to happen next. Here's all that was on the document:

"It was about midnight when the three men stepped out of the fog. No-one was there to see the strange sight of men literally popping out of nowhere, save for a half-starved alley cat. Two of the men resembled gunslingers, with their brown dusters, wide-brimmed hats, leather boots, and the rifles slung on their backs. This was 1967, in rural Pennsylvania; gunslingers were no more. Yet the two men with the guns weren’t the strangest members of the trio. No, the man in front of them was much more…….unusual. He wore an old corduroy jacket, an earth-colored shirt, jeans, and boots like the ones his comrades wore. But over his head, he wore an old burlap sack, like the head of a scarecrow."

It also had the picture I posted above. I thought I'd post it because I still think it's a pretty atmospheric exert (although I think my writing's gotten better since then).

New Lair

Remember how I said that my haunt will be smaller this year due to something else happening? Well, here’s the reason: my dad and I are finishing the basement, and I’ll be building a new room down there! Honestly, I’m pretty excited about it, ‘cause my old room, with its olive green walls and lack of any kind of spooky décor was kinda bringing me down. I’m going to be doing a faux-stone paint job on the walls, and will be framing prints of art from ToxicToons and possibly a “Halloween” movie poster. Still working out some of the details, but it should be pretty cool. Well, that’s all for now. I’ll keep you guys posted with any more details about the room or haunt.

I’d like to give shout-outs to Justine’s Halloween, Julie, and Stolloween, who I think is the reining King of Paper Clay. Thanks for joining, you guys!

Plans for 2011

Well, another year has come and gone - a time for reflection, peace…and planning for next Halloween. After this past Halloween, I’ve had to make a few decisions about this next haunt. For the past two years, I’ve been doing the haunt at Mom’s house near Pittsburgh, PA. It was very stressful trying to bring props back and forth from their and where I live with my dad in Ohio. I became rather annoyed with myself for forgetting some key props. So, in order to be more productive, I've decided to do a small-scale haunt in Ohio, at my house. I say “small scale” because of some other stuff happening this year that I’ll be blogging about later. I have a couple ideas for this haunt, not entirely certain what the theme will be, but hopefully it’ll be something that the ToTs will remember. I have to admit, while the prospect of an all new haunt with a new location is exciting, from past experience the Halloween audience in my dad’s neighborhood doesn’t really get as in to Halloween as they do in my mom’s town. Not as many people in costume; but then again, I mostly do these haunts for myself. Well, not much else to say, just keep an eye out (not literally, mind you) on my blog for the theme of the haunt, as well as more exciting projects in my near future. Until then, the awesome video below I found YouTube should give you an idea as to what my haunt 2011 might look like (from user rgshollow).

Oh, and a blood spattered welcome to trickortreat and the FROG QUEEN, of the spectacular Davis Graveyard. Seriously, if you haven't seen the site, what the hell have been doing? Go there NOW!