Internship/getting into the business

[jo@easternstate]

I agree with the previous post, contact all the professional haunts in your area. I've had two employees receive college credits for working on my tech crew at Eastern State Penitentiary. One was an Industrial Design student who worked on my animatronics and now is working for a design firm in LA that works with Disney. Another was a film student who received credits for a stage management class. Go to your dean and look into getting credits for working within your major during the summer.

As for your friend, have her send resumes and samples of her work to companies that she would want to work for. Another route to go is also contact local haunts. I had a very talented prop maker contact me 3 years ago. I had her do a few pieces for me the first year, then we hired her to be in charge of our costumes and make-up. She now even has her own company and will be a vendor at TransWorld this February. Visit her web-site: http://www.safarianomalous.com

Hope those examples give you the inspiration to get your name out there. Remember, it's impossible for haunts to find you, but we're always looking for talented people to find us!

[Raycliff Manor]

Ditto the last two posts! All the posts have been great advice. As a haunted attraction owner, I'd love it if someone like you came to me and said they were looking to apply their talents and education in order to gain some real world experience and get noticed! Once they'd proven their commitment and ability, I'd do everything in my power to either find a way to create a position within our company that would entice them to stay, while at the same time offering to help them springboard to bigger and better things with excellent experience! It seems that a haunted attraction would be a great place to apply your education and build an amazing portfolio! Best of luck to you in your endeavors SSP!

Hey Nightgore, how's school going? I'll bet your staying busy, but I hope you're enjoying the process of learning and moving closer to your goals!

Kel

[SSP]

Thank you all for the help. I think I have something underway, possibly, and I'm taking all your advice with me. I can't say enough how helpful you all have been. If I ever do get my hands on a good position somwhere, I'll let you all know.

Thank you
-Luke

[Jim Warfield]

There are numerous "Job-Opportunitys" out there in which you will be able to use your creative skills , just beware of the work agreement and don't allow yourself to be unfairly taken advantage of.
Danging a lone dollar bill infront of someone (hypnosis?) and then getting all the financial benefit from their sweat and creative ideas, all for that lone, measley dollar........well I have had this type of a situation offered to me a few times over the years, as have probably many others on this forum.
Be wary.

[Raycliff Manor]

Probably some of the best advice yet Jim! In my younger days, I've been on the receiving end of false promises and the perpetually forward moving dangling carrot!

Kel

[Jim Warfield]

One man wanted to hire a group of artists and artisans to build his dream. A Ghost Town along a busy highway, a tourist attraction, it would be being built on a barren piece of land, alot of work, of course he was totally prepared to pay all the talent a whopping $5.00 an hour for their sweat, creativity and talents.
For some reason it never got built? Gee?
Another man mulled some of my ideas over for three months then shot me this deal: He would provide the land (a really terrible piece of land good for almost nothing , except maybe a mountain goat farm) He would provide $30,000 and his crew of men to help build a building to put the attraction in (a small building , not a haunted house, but something possibly equally entertaining that I don't think has been done before)
After it was up I would manage it and be a 30% partner...sounded good so far...then he took a breath and said "After the first three years it would then become all mine and you would just walk away."
And how many years do most new businesses take to begin to really make a dollar? I think probably about three years, I would say.
This whole project never happened either? Gee?
Well that's enough, anyone who hasn't "been there" can sort of get the picture , I imagine.