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Originally posted by annarchy
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yes yes yes!Sarah Meier
Haunting Copy Copywriting Services
"Words they remember you by" -
Jason,
No the world isn't coming to an end because I want to build a new actors room at Darkness. I don't think you understand, and i will put myself as an actor up against anyone in this industry and I mean ANYONE! I'll throw down with you baby!!!! LOL The point there is I know acting and I did it for 10 years. I acted in my own haunt almost every single night for my first 10 or so years. The next five years I probably acted like 2 or 3 days a week. The last five years, I only act when I want to train my actors, the old guy gets out there and shows them how its done. I act to pump up my actors, sometimes my actors don't know who I am when I'm in my costume, and they see me dropping people to the floor all over the place and they come up to me and say 'who in the hell are you'.
To train actors you must get in there and do it, you have to show them, you have to push them to the side and show them even without a mask I will drop these next few customers... we appreciate actors, and we take care of our actors. We buy them dinner every weekend, give them soda, candy, bonus money for performance, we have contests, we do it all.
Seriously though before animations, before unreal sets, and special effects and all that which we have throughout the Darkness, we built our first haunted house for $500.00, no animations, nothing. We scared the hell out of people, we did stuff that should be illegal! We used real drills with giant drill bits on them, we used real machetes, we bashed up walls, we used a real weed eater and chased people back to their cars. I remember one time we jumped on a car while they drove away... that was funny.
Even the first few years of the Darkness was NO animations... NONE!
It was all actors and set design. I know as well if not better than anyone that actors are the key to success to any good haunted house. I have had a ton of industry people come and see both of my haunted houses each october, every october, ask anyone who's come they will tell you our actors are NUTS!
We train them before the season, during the season, we cause panic attacks, people leave running out the door...and I mean the FRONT DOOR!
Our goal was to showcase the haunted house, set design, detail work, and 3D work... I think everyone agrees its second to none. Maybe other haunts are as good but not better... the actors we had on hand some did a pretty good job.
I HEARD THAT SHANE GOT THE HELL SCARED OUT OF HIM... correct SHANE???? The guy who scared SHANE was a guy who's worked at Darkness for the past 4 years! He is a Darkness lifer.
Ben Armstrong said he got scared THREE TIMES...the owner of House of Shock I heard jumped through the roof. I'm sorry all 40 or so actors didn't leave you shaken and stirred but we just didn't focus on it.
Our goal was simply to inspire haunt owners with awesome set design.
The reason the only reason we opened late was because the actors room was unorganized, I will fix it. I will write an article about and I will post the photos once its done.
I already have it mapped out. It will be awesome and it will be organized.
But as far as scaring people ... that is EASY so EASY that anyone can do it, but building sets and detailing those sets is NOT easy. I know haunts know how to scare, so we wanted to showcase design, sets, and detail.
Did we do that? Can anyone deny that? Seriously!
So... you want scares well you'll get them you'll see!
LarryComment
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Larry did you just challenge people to an act off...all i got to say is BRING IT!Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an asshole.Comment
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Tater... bring it buddy!!! I'll take that challenge anyday. Tater you come down to St. Louis this September or October. You can be a guest actor in the haunt, and we'll both get in there and do it to it... but you won't scare anyone in that Granny gig! Not here not in St. Louis, we got hard core haunt fans here.
I was PAID YES PAID just to act for three years straight at Madison Scare Garden, because they used me to motivate their actors. I acted there for 10 days one year. In New York I've NEVER IN MY LIFE SEEN people so easy to scare, New Yorkers are like babies! No offensive but they are just easy pickings. You come to a harden city that has been ridden with haunts for years like St. Louis or Kansas City, or say Detroit you better bring it on.
In New York or cities where haunts haven't been around where its not a long term tradition you can drop people saying BOOOOOO...
When I was in New York I dropped Bob Costas like 50 times, Salt and Pepper group got them to quit and run out the door, and poor old Lynton Harris I made it my own personal fun to scare him everytime I saw him. LOL
Scaring people is easy anyone can do it... its not hard, there is no real art form to it just about anyone can learn. But yes some people can get so good at it that they are just unreal...that is an artform!
Some actors just become legends, but just about anyone can learn to scare if they get the timing down!
LarryComment
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You know what?
LARRY SAYS......
I will put myself as an actor up against anyone in this industry and I mean ANYONE! I'll throw down with you baby!!!! LOL The point there is I know acting and I did it
I SAY......
PUT YOUR MONEY WHERE YOUR MOUTH IS!!!!!
It will not be me taking this challenge........but someone from my crew
I have a few to chose from!
When shall the challenge take place?
Now I need to clarify..........I am talking full out acting
Not in a haunted house jumping out.........I am talking stand up cue line entertainment.
Cause your right.....anyone can work in a haunted house with the right coachingLast edited by Ken Spriggs; 04-01-2009, 10:10 AM.Gee could it get any better than this?Comment
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All I can say is I have seen some GREAT and memorable characters in the haunts I have visited. I f you are talking a pop out scare, I think most of what is done in a haunt could be done by anyone with a few min training. Now to do it over a 20 night season, that makes it more difficult. If you are talking about being in a que line, that takes a VERY special person. Guys like Sheldon, and Show Me the clown and Kevin Dells, Reggie, Brooke and Lexie from Rockford, Jim Warfield, and Tater, I would hire in a heart beat to work my haunt. We have never seen Larry act, so maybe he has some good Kung Fu to bring, but Damn, it better be the bomb, to get my vote!!www.atheateroflostsouls.com Or if you need makeup or supplies www.abramagic.com
"I am a frickin evil genius who deserves some frickin respect!"Comment
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Ken,
You and I we need a throw down for sure this has been building just must too long... I will come act in your haunt in 2009 and you come and act in my haunt in 2009. Deal! Lets do it! LOL
I bet it will be a battle! Now me vs. Tater...that i a tiger vs. a kitty cat! LOL
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RON...
You are right abou what you said. Here is the thing about rating or reviewing a haunted house. ANY HAUNTED HOUSE NO MATTER HOW COOL IT LOOKS can be scary on ANY GIVEN NIGHT and then SUCK to high heaven the very next night. This is a fact and I don't care who's haunted house it is be it Ken's or Netherworld or any of them. Sometimes actors don't show up, people are sick or tired from a long weekend, or whatever.
You are right its TOUGH to bring it 20 days in a row... Ron we are open every single night in October and yes people do wear down. Being in the buisiness for 20 years I've learned a thing or two about keeping the motivation very high, finding new actors to replace the beat up ones, and training techniques.
I will write an article about for the next magazine!
I think you will be impressed with some of the things I do... I'll write it!
Again Darkness is scaring and Creepyworld is scarier... I have my actors at Creepworld flying off just going off the hook. We have meetings almost every single night, we have lots of chainsaw, power tools, and all sorts of tools and tricks of the trade out there.
I am going to write an article! I'm inspired!
LarryComment
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Ooh, them's fightin' words! You gonna take that, Tater?Originally posted by drfrightner View PostSarah Meier
Haunting Copy Copywriting Services
"Words they remember you by"Comment
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You know I'm just kidding him!!! Tater is invited down to work in our haunt this October. I hope to see him here!
LarryComment
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Bad thing about larry being a tiger is...that its way past due for that old tiger to be put down...me being a young nimble "kitty cat" i can walk all over the tiger before he blinks...Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an asshole.Comment
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Tater,
Lets set the date for you to come down! Paper Tiger (Old Tiger) vs. the Young Cat! You will capture everyone on video! Do me favor and bring me your walker to give me a fighting chance. LarryComment
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See Larry!!!
Larry?
I never said I wanted to challenge you.......I guess I could if you want to.
I use a crutch called a chainsaw...what the hell do I know?
Now if you want a challenge.....since you are soooooo good.......I will chose 1 of my guys.
Like I said though....this is not haunted house acting
This is PURE improv comedy all the way to horror and then some
Funny.....some of you may have seen Sheldon and crew on Saturday???? Yes no???
If anyone has Sheldon pics I would like them!!!!Gee could it get any better than this?Comment
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Larry, slap one of your silicone masks on ( your choice ) and make a short video with it like Ben did. It would be very simple to do and will give Tater some inspiration to come to work at your haunt. Stop talking about it, bring it, Show us what you got. lolComment
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