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Do you play undercover boss when your haunt is running?

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  • Do you play undercover boss when your haunt is running?

    Do you pretend your a customer and walk though to be sure they're not playing cards in the back?

  • #2
    My Wife Does This.

    Puts on a mask & costume, provokes the employees, sometimes scares them, sees what they would do if some stranger was lurking where they weren't supposed to be= very usefull.
    Of course she also has fun doing this.
    Scares some of them sometimes.
    Catching them playing cards is only really bad if it's Strip Poker.
    hauntedravensgrin.com

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    • #3
      Last year was the first time that I have done this myself. I thought I would try it since we had alot of new volunteers. It proved to very valuable. Got all the newbies started on the right foot. A put on a costume went out to the field and when they relized it was me then I left the field and put on another. I don't have a very big turnover with volunteers. There are just a few new ones every year. It was fun and I probably will do this again.

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      • #4
        All the time.

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        • #5
          Sort of

          I am constantly walking my trail backwards. It has about 65 turns on a one way path through a corn field so I can stop just short of my guys and listen to reactions or peek through corn and see it. Lets me have a really good feel for the whole show. Plus going backwards I get to hit every customer coming toward me. Sometimes I go with no mask and just a flashlight I flick on my self saying louldly "I'm just security...why are you shaking/wet/out of breath/jumpy ?" After they volunteer all the info I want to know I part them with a "You know what is really funny.......people think I work here" and disapear down the trail onto next victims.

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          • #6
            Taking a cue from SCarowinds, we don't even pretend to be undercover. When I worked at SCarowinds, our maze managers walked with groups every now and then just to ensure the show was running smoothly. Since I've been with the Hall of Horrors, we do the exact same. The actors then know they will be checked in on frequently. It's not fool-proof, but it has its merits.
            O'Shawn McClendon
            Creative Chair -- Operator: Cayce-West Columbia Hall of Horrors

            One mans junk is another mans kick-ass new prop...

            http://www.hallofhorrors.com

            http://twitter.com/hallofhorrors

            http://cwchallofhorrors.blogspot.com

            http://www.youtube.com/hallofhorrors

            http://www.myspace.com/cwcjc_hallofhorrors

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            • #7
              I'm usually all over the place. Behind the scenes, with groups going through, in costume and out. My favorite thing to do is wait until about half way through the night, and put on a new costume that no one has seen me in, and work my way through the house. The actors will say things to the unknown new guy that they wouldn't dream of saying to me. I love seeing their face at the end of the night when they realize it was me. HEHE Of course it only works on the new guys. The veterans expect that all unidentified creatures could be me.
              sigpic
              Louis Brown
              Owner, operator, and dish washer
              at
              DarkWood Manor

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              • #8
                We also utilize several actor leads. They are not in make-up or costume. One goes through with a group at least every fifteen minutes. They are able to look for potential problems and again keeps the actors on their toes! We also send a co-ordinator through regularly without a group ti make sure someone doesn't need water, bathroom break, has a propproblem, etc.
                R&J Productions
                Las Vegas, NV
                www.LasVegasHaunts.com

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                • #9
                  I think I walk my maze 20 times a night. I like to stay just behind a group out of sight and when they enter a scare area and their attention is on that, I make up the ground and watch the actors work on that group. Then I come around the corner and say "good job" or offer advice.

                  Now I sometimes get spotted by the group, and if that is the case I'm in costume, so I do a little chase and get them moving forward, then hide and get behind the next group.

                  I don't have much problem with actors getting out of costume and "playing cards" or whatever, we are usually in constant scare mode from open to close due to the traffic. Sometimes during the first half an hour its slow, but not usually an issue.

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                  • #10
                    Every Night!

                    I think it allows you to see what your actors are doing when it's not you and you get to see true customer reaction so you can fix what doesn't work. I end up constantly walking through the houses, and I let them know that I am so that they are on guard consistently.
                    Do Vegan Zombies eat heads of lettuce?

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                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Killer Katie View Post
                      I think it allows you to see what your actors are doing when it's not you and you get to see true customer reaction so you can fix what doesn't work. I end up constantly walking through the houses, and I let them know that I am so that they are on guard consistently.
                      I'm a haunt junkie! I know alot of haunter prefer to SCARE people, but I love to BE scared. and this has proven valuable when checking on actors. I'll walk through with groups (or if a single person comes to walk through, i'll go with them) , I also follow behind groups (far enough back so actors don't notice me and i peek around the corner, through doors and peep holes to get the reactions and scares) but I also pop into rooms without telling the actor and i'll get a scare with them. Each of the three keeps my actors on their toes. They never know when i'll be in or how i'm gonna be coming. BUT when they see me in a group, they do their best to scare me any way they can. It's like a constant challenge for them. If they can still scare me on Halloween night, I say that's a job well done.
                      sigpic
                      Catie Mahfouz
                      Blood Ink Writing Service
                      www.hauntwriter.com

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                      • #12
                        Undercover Boss

                        Hell all ~

                        When I used to be able (before I had "locked" myself in to a particular character with latex and all ) to through haunts I helped design .. it was a great aspect as to seeing the creation "come alive" .

                        While I didn't use the "fast areas" for staff ( unless needed) it was still good.

                        Now... what I try to do currently is find a TRUSTED friend of mine who is from out of town(either out of state or from the next town over) .. or has NOT seen what we have done for a few years and invite them through and see what their take on it is.

                        Seeing as though all the actors I have KNOW what i will be wearing .. AND the fact I'm the only 6ft tall 38 year old on the crew LOL its makes it a bit difficult to go thru " incognito".

                        Just my thoughts.
                        LoneWolf

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                        • #13
                          Something we do that has proven very effective is to invite members of the Fire Department, Police Department, Press and Media, other Haunts, etc. to come through for free throughout the season as "scouts". The Actors know this will be taking place, however, they never know when a scout is in the house or who the scouts are. At the end of the season at our Golden Ghoul Awards Dinner, in addition to announcing the winners of the Scariest, Most DEADicated and Team Player award winners, we also announce the winner of the Scout Award. The Scout Award winner is determined by the feedback of our scouts. At the end of the evening we'll make mention of the fact that we had one or more scouts in the house and remind everyone that we're tallying their feedback. We also let everyone know how impressed the scouts have been, which is typically the case. : )

                          Just an FYI, The Fright Team members, Actors and Security, vote on the other three awards, Scariest, Most DEADicated and Team Player, and management is not allowed to vote. We encourage the team to pay attention to one another through the season and to share their scare and entertainment stories with one another. This really gets everyone pumped up and involved in a friendly competition.

                          Kel
                          sigpic
                          Kelly Allen
                          Raycliff Manor Haunted Attraction
                          www.RaycliffManor.com
                          www.Facebook.com/RaycliffManor
                          www.HauntBook.com

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                          • #14
                            I uploaded some pictures to Facebook from the 2010 Raycliff Manor Golden Ghoul Awards Dinner. You can check them out at http://www.facebook.com/media/set/fb...37849559616444

                            Kel
                            sigpic
                            Kelly Allen
                            Raycliff Manor Haunted Attraction
                            www.RaycliffManor.com
                            www.Facebook.com/RaycliffManor
                            www.HauntBook.com

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