Tips?

[Hellraiser15]

Hello all! I have been a haunt actor for 2 years now and have done all sorts o'things but now I am in a bedroom scene with a television on static in it and also one of those "fake scares" that looks like an actors coming out, but its just a shadow then I get 'em from the corner of the room. It's been going great but I never know what lines to use so I always free-style it. Any tips or strategies for what would be effective here?

[txaschainsaw]

I as a slider at a local "screampark" at the LA County fair, tend not to have a "character" too much. I dont really have a theme for my costume either. So basically im just as immature, and entertaining for the guests as possible.

My tip, just entertain them. Make it where YOURE the one they are talking about for the next couple days at school, work, etc. Make them remember you. That will draw customers back the next year, and will get your managers at the haunt to love you. =D

Of course, i scare them as best i can, being a slider, its usually more startle scares. Im using a metal trash can lid that i drag with me as i slide this year, as well as air horns, duck calls used for hunting, etc. But then after i scare the crap out of them, i usually like to single out the one in the group that thinks he is a badass, and do a smart ass remark towards him, just to get the group laughing and entertained.

Of course when there is that one person that gets scared, i like to chase them, me and some other sliders will occasionally corner them and keep them there for a certain amount of time, and then let them go.

So basically, entertain, be retarded, be immature, thats what you get paid to do. You cant scare people in a mature way, its just not possible. Usually you get a better reaction when you do/say something immature.

Its all for fun, have a good time out there!
Austin

[Dr. Giggles]

What Austin said! Tho You don't necessarily have to deliver lines, I don't know where that thought came from that you have to recite some sort of monologue to get scares. Unless stated otherwise, I try to avoid lines. GUtteral noises. But in the case where I decide to honestly interact with patrons, I do it in the most nonsensical ways I can. Talking about ducks and ham sandwhiches. It sounds ridiculous I know, but for some reason it creeps people out. And I have had people come up to me at the end of the night (Waited around all night) and ask me what I was talking about.
Make em think, it will scare them.

[Allen H]

" Any tips or strategies for what would be effective here?"

Is the rest of the house themed? Or is it just going from one scene to the next without a tie in? Is your room in a certain time period?
I normally try to tie lines into the house itself or what the actor is doing, it also helps to know if you are male or female and what your frame is, different builds cant get by with different things.
It could be something simple like coming out with a knife and no eyes and saying "Dont sit to close or it will ruin your eyes" in a mom voice. Or "TV rots your brain"
If they look nervous you can ask them to stay and have "family time" with you That make sense if your in a living room.
Dont say "fresh meat" or tell them to "get out" as those are way over used.

[Hellraiser15]

Trust me, the managers LOVE me, I put some of the better effort in as an actor, but we do have a theme, sort of. Its kind of like haunted mansion overrun by spiders type of thing kind of... I'm a male 5' 8" ish if that helps, but I have usually been yelling at them and saying ill cut their eyes out and sniff em breath on em that kind of thing. and yeah, "get out" has always been something i've strayed from

[Bradenton Haunted Trail]

You could say "Want to stay up late and watch my favorite show and you will be the star" or "Do you want to stay the night or i mean eternity with me hehe" of course the delivery is every thing in what ever you chose to say.

http://bradentonhauntedtrail.com

[Jim Warfield]

See if you can figure this out?

The flashlight goes on. It shines upon my face.
I turn it off, the entire room is dark.
I turn the light on my face again.
I turn the light toward a mannequin in the corner.
I turn the light upon my own face again..everyone laughs!?
I turn the light on the mannequin agian.
Then the light goes on my own face....everyone laughs!
I repeat the light on the mannequin.
I once again put the light on my face..everyone laughs more and louder.
This whole time I am saying nothing.
I'll give a hint....alot of it has to do with timing.
The rest has everything to do with how stupid I can make it look!
All of this served to really give my voice a nice rest.
This was tonight's "Invention".

I also modified this routine to give me a really nice way to scare the absolute crap out of the bad boys being a disturbance at the back of the room...much to everyone else's delight!
I Am The entertainer, you know.
hahahaha! Doing anything it takes!!

[LivingTheHauntedHouseLife]

I recommend watching the movie 'Poltergeist' for this scene.
In the movie this young girl stares at a tv with static in it, but inside it is a 'ghost' that is trying to posess her.

Maybe trying to act posessed while watching the tv?
I'm not quite sure, but reading about your scene made me think of that movie right away.
I have a pic inserted to show you a little of what I'm talking about.

[Killer Katie]

I agree with the earlier post, dialogue isn't always the best way, especially since you are coming out of the corner, and it seems to be a quicker scare.
I would toy with a few ideas...
Maybe make the sound of the tv, but loud and "juicy", then top off with a giggle, or insanely say"cable's out!"
Or get a remote and yell "CLICK" over and over - again insane (i LOVE insane obviously LOL)
"No tv for you!"
Maniacal laughter, or growling (mentioned above i think) works really well for startles!!!
As a Cast Manager and a lover of haunts, try to steer away from lenghty dialogue. It slows down the room, and can almost ruin your startle, plus may just be annoying to the customer.
In my opinion, keep it to one to 3 words max. And make it interested to you, so you don't get bored
Good luck!