Halloween is a holiday that many people decorate for and celebrate as much as Christmas and in 2012 Lone Star Holidays made the commitment to bringing top-notch haunting classes to the Academy. We call these our “Scare Sessions” and the team behind them is going to do their very best to help you develop your haunting skills.
Mike Carr, the chairman of the Halloween Development Committee for Lone Star Holidays, is heading up the planning of this series of classes. Mike has worked to develop the Beginner track for the 2011 Academy and brings a great sense of organization and drive to the table. He’s definitely someone who will get it done! In addition, Mike coordinated a large haunt that benefited an elementary school for over 10 years so he knows how to create something that scares without causing fainting spells!
Partnering with Mike is Eric Kristiansen, who is the founder of the Dallas/Fort Worth Friends of Halloween. The DFW Friends of Halloween is made up of several hundred members who gather throughout the year for “Meetups”… sound familiar? Think “Make N Takes” in our LSH jargon! Eric brings many years of coordinating a large-scale residential haunt that is open on Halloween night only and brings in 500+ visitors. He is a firm believer that Halloween props can be built out of almost anything and right in the comfort of your own home. Eric is exciting to be partnering with Mike and Lone Star Holidays to help share his knowledge and experiences about haunting and we know we can all learn something based on the classes they are preparing.
Speaking of which… here are just a few of the class sessions the team is preparing. Don’t get to scared now, and don’t turn off the light!:
The Psychology of Haunting (Joe Rogers):
What does it mean to have a really good haunt? Lots of blood and guts? Screams and flashes of light? Gore galore? Maybe yes to some of these, maybe no. Determining your haunt is the starting point, before you get to any of these other considerations. Your motivation, your audience, your goals… these are the first items you need to determine before moving forward. This course will help you define your haunting goals and move towards them.
Mechanical Halloween Props (Eric Kristiansen):
Eric Kristiansen, the founder of the Dallas/Fort Worth Friends of Halloween, will be at the Academy showing some exciting mechanical props for use in a home haunt. Whether you are mechanically inclined or you just want to get some inspiration, this is a class that will help take your haunt to the next level.
Animating Your Haunt Using Your Computer Control (Jim Hall):
You have your current computer control that you use for your Christmas display. How about using it for Halloween? Many people use Halloween as a “dress rehearsal” for the Christmas season while other go all out for the spookiest time of the year. Regardless of what computer control system you use, this session will help you come up with some ideas of how to use it for your haunt.
Prosthetics, fake blood, actors and animated figures… these all combine to create some of the best (and scariest!) effects. This session will focus on the many ways you can incorporate these types of items into your haunt. You will get to see some things up close and discover new methods of adding detail to your Halloween display.
Lighting Your Haunt (Panel):
Light can be a powerful resource in a haunt IF you know how to use it correctly. Sometimes the simplest items, used subtlety, are a big success in a haunt. These courses will move you through the simplest spot lights, to black lighting, and finally to using animated lighting control to create some amazing results. You never knew what that single light bulb in the garage could do for your haunt!
Basic Make-Up Supplies and Application Tips:
This session will show you how to use some of the very basic materials and concepts to learn about make up for your Halloween experience. You’d be amazed how simple this can be achieved with simple items, some of which you may already have around the house.
Using Servos for Halloween (Steve Hughes):
Servos are what make things move and Steve Hughes will be on hand with his 3-axis skulls to show you the basics of working with servos. The possibilities are endless as you come up with ideas to use the knowledge and ideas Steve will share with you during this class.
Adding a Sense of Humor to Your Haunt (Mike Carr):
Haunting isn’t supposed to be funny, is it? It’s supposed to scare people, sometimes outright terrify them! Isn’t that the point? Yes… and sometimes no. In any situation, haunts included, there needs to be some down time. It creates a sense of security that then is broken when the next scary piece of your haunt comes along. Humor can be a big part of your haunt and help to manage the ebbs and flows of the horror aspects. Come and learn how to make a smile, however short-lived, during a haunt!
Haunt Fair:
Because of the schedule and number of classes it is difficult to do actual builds at the Academy. Mike Carr and Eric Kristiansen are coordinating show and tell and prop specific demos during the first Haunt Fair. You’ll see everything from stationary objects like walls to the more complex animated figures. There will be lots of items on hand for you to see up close and ask questions about. Move from section to section and see some of the unique display props for your Halloween haunt.
team behind them is going to do their very best to help you develop your haunting skills.