People Where Are You?

[elowther]

Awesome photos Shane, who's next?

Wow Shane, those are great! The swamp house at night must look fantastic with the fog chiller and lanterns. I love the texture of the skulls. I wish I could leave detailed stuff set up like that. Maybe someday we will have an indoor section of the haunt to leave good scenes up so they don't get destroyed by the weather. The Shotgun blast in the back prop is insane looking. it looks like it could be many shot gun blasts to do that much damage, lol!

I can't wait to read about your haunt coming up. The stuff looks amazing, thanks for posting the photos. Let's hope every one else posts some to this thread. It's really inspiring to see others work and works in progress this time of year. It's still early enough in the season so that most people can post photos. I know when it's crunch time I'm not at the computer much or am to tired to bother uploading any photos.

Who's build photos will be next?

Eric

[elowther]

Anthony Bourdain

That's a riot twin Locusts! Tom will get a kick out of it. People tell him all the time he looks like Anthony Bourdain.

[Twin Locusts]

That's a riot twin Locusts! Tom will get a kick out of it. People tell him all the time he looks like Anthony Bourdain.

Yeah, it's like at a glance so obvious. It looks like you guys have a lot of fun!

You're corn maze photos and sculpted props absolutely rock. There's something very very appealing about a dark open sky above a haunt. Your photos are the first that have had me doing weather research and cost benefit analysis of rainy weekends vs. the freedom and creative potential of an outdoor haunt. I'm in pre-production for 2010 and nothings off the table for theme and build.

The other outstanding presentation of an outdoor haunt I've seen online was in Phoenix, those guys have it made out West. Cool nights and very little chance of rain. Post more photos, your work is inspiring.

Best,
Greg

EDIT: Approaching a haunt from an outdoor perspective makes you sort of re-think what a haunt can be, which is a good exercise. It also makes you start listing potential challenges; things that may have an equivilent with indoor haunts but take wing outdoors.

It seems like securing the location would be challenging, not so much to property loss but to vandalism.

There's got to be a real potential to kids hiding out in the field until after closing.

Flow management would have a whole new life outdoors.

I used to consult several city art councils and metro art boards, airports, etc. The first thing we spoke about when reviewing comission submissions was material and construction. The saying in this industry was that outdoor artwork had to "be able to withstand the meanest and dumbest people in the world for at least the next fifty years" - thus a hell of a lot of bronze sitting around outdoors.

[IHAUNT]

Haunthony Bored-Rain

Great Swamp scene Shane.............. I want one!.............. Eric?!

"Why is Anthony Bourdain sleeping in your coffin?"

I don't look THAT old do I? It must have something to do with the coffin

"your guy could be Bourdains body double! - can he cook?"

I can cook a little Italian but I wouldn't eat any of the strange crap that AB eats.

I am out of work at the moment so any takers on my celebrity impersonation of AB?

As for keeping this on topic..." People where are you? "...Eric & I were going to head over to the farm today to work on the corn maze que line but the weather isn't cooperating. I am bored.

Yesterday I and Dan B. (another Haunted Overloader ) went to a help out our good friend Tim Dunne at Fright Kingdom in Nashua. He's hosting the East Coast Haunt Club gathering at his Haunt this year on August 1st. Anybody going? We all plan to be there!

Tomorrow Eric & I plan on continuing to work on the Grim Reaper figures for 'Soul Taker's Burial Ground'. Those coffins we built will be in the scene along with the GR figures.

Here's a pic of me working on the bones for the GR hands from last week.
Please tell me I don't look as old as AB does in that pic!

CIAO!

Tom M.
Creative Consultant
Haunted Overload

tom@hauntedoverload.com

[Twin Locusts]

"The meanest,dumbest people" have not achieved tool-user status! Peeling the banana is one thing, putting the diamond tipped bit in the rotating hammer drill is something else.

Jim, I'm glad you're not 'dumb or mean' [yes, I'm speculating] for a formidable vandal you would surely be.

the hammer drill was a nice touch, adds a dimension.

[Twin Locusts]

Great Swamp scene Shane.............. I want one!.............. Eric?!

"Why is Anthony Bourdain sleeping in your coffin?"

I don't look THAT old do I? It must have something to do with the coffin

"your guy could be Bourdains body double! - can he cook?"

I can cook a little Italian but I wouldn't eat any of the strange crap that AB eats.

I am out of work at the moment so any takers on my celebrity impersonation of AB?

As for keeping this on topic..." People where are you? "...Eric & I were going to head over to the farm today to work on the corn maze que line but the weather isn't cooperating. I am bored.

Yesterday I and Dan B. (another Haunted Overloader ) went to a help out our good friend Tim Dunne at Fright Kingdom in Nashua. He's hosting the East Coast Haunt Club gathering at his Haunt this year on August 1st. Anybody going? We all plan to be there!

Tomorrow Eric & I plan on continuing to work on the Grim Reaper figures for 'Soul Taker's Burial Ground'. Those coffins we built will be in the scene along with the GR figures.

Here's a pic of me working on the bones for the GR hands from last week.
Please tell me I don't look as old as AB does in that pic!

CIAO!

Tom M.
Creative Consultant
Haunted Overload

tom@hauntedoverload.com

Hey Tom! Yes, this photo looks more like a happy haunter than our food elitist AB.

[terrormasue]

Thanks Eric for your words. I wish I had some pictures to post but all I have been able to get done are my panels for my maze. I have a few props that I have put together but nothing as cool as what have been posted thus far. Shane your picutres are great and Eric I would love to know how you make your skulls. They are amazing!! My haunt will be utilizing 3 acres and will be very organic. I wish I could grow a corn maze but I am afraid it would burn up before maturing that is why I opted for the panels. Eric where are you located? I would make a trip out just to go through your haunt! Thanks again, and I WILL open in 2010.

[elowther]

Organic props

See you tomorrow Tom, we have over 300 finger bones to make!

Terrormasue,
We are located in NH. Let me know if your coming up, I'll give you a tour. There are tons of photos on our gallery pages for you to get ideas of organic designs. Since you are in Texas you could do research on corn mazes down there. I'm sure it wont burn up, check this link out of all the corn mazes in Texas. You would have to do a lot of research though, it's not that easy without major equipment and knowledge. You could probably hire someone to plant it.

http://www.cornmazesamerica.com/texas.htm

Here are a few photos of last years construction in progress, no where near finished. It shows a small section from the back side of the haunt. I use custom fencing with corn stalks attached to them and instead of wall panels I like pine slabs with bark to the outside for an organic look. Some of the fencing I leave open to show lighted scenes. I can keep structures like this up all year. When the time come we roll out rugged black fireproof fabric for the top to make the tunnels dark.

Talk about organic, here is a photo of that pine bough tunnel I was talking about. Tons of work but I have never seen one like it. It zig zags and goes on for a while, each year it is different. Using all these organic materials in a creative way allows me to cut costs, therefore increasing profitability and it keeps people coming back to see what's new for the season. I have to make things look good even during the day because we are open for day tours as well for kids and people that don't want to be scared but like to see all the sculptures and carved pumpkins.



This was one of many that have to be tied into bundles to make walls.


Tony, you have the vine monster how bout a pine bough costume? lol!


Tree monster carving a lot of work but low cost.

[graystone]

Look Guys!

We want to see some photos! Come on share the horror! Shane and its put up or STFU! Shane this time!

[Speculo]

NETHERWORLD Vampire Master

Here is a sneak peek at one of our 2009 icon characters for NETHERWORLD Haunted House -

The Vampire Lord of our upstairs show BLOODNIGHT -

[scarygoat]

WOW! Is that a silicone mask? That looks sick Ben! You should start selling these masks!!!

[Speculo]

Yep... Silicone head and hands. Wait till you see the full costume - very cool!

Sell em? We focus all attention just getting open! No way we want the life of a vendor, now that is hard!

There are a lot more Haunted Houses than Haunt Vendors if you get my drift!

Thanks for the kind words.

[scarygoat]

Ya, I understand. I just realized how hard that would be, lol. Very nice though. Is that Bill "Splat" who helps with your silicone masks?

[Speculo]

Yes Bill made the head, Matt Silva made the hands, Jayne Rogers made the costume, and that is my lovely smile.

Thanks!

[scarygoat]

LOL. I should be coming down there this fall, so hopefully I will be able to see this blood sucker in action!