Creating a Gateway for Your
Cemetary
Modeling a Haunted House Room Design
Basic Lighting Theory
Basics of Faux Marble for Floors
Increasing the Scare Factor of a
Haunted Hayride
Creating
a
Gateway for Your Cemetary
Mario E. Garit Jr.
Most people
do not like to think about death, or one of its constant reminders,
cemeteries. The place we could all end up someday gives most of us an
uneasy feeling. This natural reaction to a graveyard is why they are so
ubiquitous in Haunted Attractions. While tombstones and low-lying fog
are the “body” of the cemetery, a well-made entrance can greatly
contribute to that suspension of disbelief and sense of unease by
adding a level of realism. The entrance to your necropolis serves to
set the atmosphere and builds anticipation while holding your patrons
captive, preparing them for what is to come. Building a cemetery
gateway can be a simple and fun project, and adds a finishing (or
beginning) touch to your cemetery.
Materials
4 - 1" x 12" x 8'
4 - 1" x 10" x 8'
4 - 2" x 4" x 8'
4 - Sheets 1/2" Plywood or OSB
1 - Sheet 1/4" Lauan
1 - Box 2½" Finish Nails
1 - Box 1½" Finish Nails
1 - Box 1" Finish Nails
1 - Box 3" Drywall Screws
2 - Carriage Style Lanterns
2 - Flicker Bulbs
2 - Cable Clamps
2 - Electrical boxes for lanterns
2 - 9' Extension cords with ground
1" Molding (optional)
2" Crown Molding (optional)
Wood Glue
Sand Paper (several grades)
Wood Filler
Electrical
Begin by removing one “knock out” plug from each electrical box, and
secure an electrical cable clamp into each of the holes. Cut the female
end off the extension cords and push the stripped end into the box
through the clamp. Strip the shielding from the wire ends and connect
them to the lanterns using wire nuts and electrical tape. Once the wire
nuts are securely taped in place, screw in the flicker lamp bulbs and
plug in each lantern to be sure that they are working. Tighten the
cable clamps and set the electrical items aside.
Construction
Cut the four 1x10s and the four 1x12s to a length of 7'. On the center
of the 1x12s, about three quarters of the way up, locate the point
where you would like to install the lanterns and mark the center point.
This is an aesthetic choice; mine were about 24 inches from the end of
the board. Using a 2" hole saw and a keyhole saw, cut out a hole at
this location big enough to fit the electrical box into. Secure the box
to the board and then install the hardware that comes with the lantern
attachment to the face of the box. Attach the lanterns temporarily into
place, and check for a good fit. Then remove the lanterns and set them
aside.
For each of the two columns, you will use two of the 1x12s and two of
the 1x10 boards. The boards of similar size will be opposing each other
as you assemble the column. Attach the four boards to each other using
the 1-1/2" finish nails to create a 7' rectangular tube, and repeat the
process for the other column. Check the construction for sturdiness and
then countersink the finish nails about 1/8" using a nail set. Fill the
holes and any cracks with wood filler and let them dry. When the filler
dries you can sand and smooth all edges.
Sketch out a basic arch on one sheet of ½" Plywood. Use the full
width of the 48" plywood and mark the two points as shown in Figure 3.
The radius of the curve is about 12' 1½", and the center point
is directly above the edge of the plywood with the 25" length. Take
your time during this part. A pencil and long piece of string comes in
handy, as does a helper. When you are satisfied with the shape, cut out
the arch using a jigsaw. Sand the edges and smooth out any waves or
rough spots. This piece will be your template to make the other three
front and back “sides” needed to create the two arches. When you are
finished with the first one, use it to trace out the pattern on the
plywood to create three more exactly like it.
Using the 2x4s, cut 4 pieces 48" long, 4 pieces 25" long, and 2 pieces
9¾" long. These boards will be used to attach the front and back
arches together to form the finished pieces. Nail the 48" and the 25"
2x4s to the arch sides making two mirror images of each other. Attach
these arch halves to the columns using the 3" drywall screws through
the two 48" pieces. Make sure they are centered on the column and are
10 ¾" apart face to face. Then take the 9¾" piece and
tack it on the flat part of the piece where the curve hits the 17
½" side. This becomes a spacer between the two arch sides.
From the plywood scraps left over from the arches, cut two rectangles
25" L x 10¾" W and nail them to the upright 2x4s of the arch
pieces. They should be flush with the 2x4s. Then cut two 17½" L
x 10 ¾" W pieces and nail them flush onto the horizontal 2x4s on
the two arch pieces. For the curved surface, cut a piece of Lauan 10
¾" wide by 7’ long. This is a little longer than you need, but
you can test fit the piece and cut it to actual length. Run a bead of
wood glue along the curved edges of the arch, and starting flush at the
end near the 25" 2x4s, use 1" finish nails to tack the Lauan down along
the edges nailing it to the ½" plywood edges, curving it slowly
as you go. Next, cut two 14¼" x 12¼" pieces for the tops
of the columns and nail all them down using the 2½" finish nails.
Use the 2" hole saw or paddle bit to drill a hole in the bottom and
back of the column to run the electrical plug through and install the
lanterns. The gateway is now functional, but kind of plain. Now it
depends on the finished look you want for your gateway. To add detail
to the columns I attached 2" crown molding around the top of the
columns and around the whole base of the gateway and 1" molding along
the column edges with 1" finish nails. Complete the look of your
gateway by painting it to look like faux stone (See Scenic Brick In
Three Steps by George F. Ledo, Issue 26) or with a marble finish (See
Creating Faux Marble for Your Haunt by Patrick K. Koppinger, Issue 32).
For added effect you can distress the gateway with rust stains or add
some vines for that true abandoned look.
While most of us will end up in a graveyard someday, no one likes the
uneasy feeling that a cemetery brings. A cemetery gateway serves to set
the atmosphere, and builds anticipation while holding your patrons
captive preparing them for what is to come. By adding an imposing gate
at the entrance to your graveyard, you add detail and greatly
contribute to that suspension of disbelief, and increase the sense of
foreboding that your guests will feel as they enter your realm of the
dead. Add some tombstones and low-lying fog and you are ready for the
first victims…I mean guests!
Mario E.
Garit, Jr. is the owner and operator of Haunted House Makers Unlimited
(R), a commercial/charitable haunt in Southern California. You can
contact him at mgaritjr@hauntedhousemakers.com or check out his web
site at www.hauntedhousemakers.com
Modeling a Haunted House Room Design
Randy Powell
When designing a Haunted House,
many people utilize drawings to help them plan the layout, visualize
the concept, and estimate material requirements. However, for complex
3-dimensional or mechanical designs, a scale model is a very useful
tool. In addition to helping with material estimates, a model will give
you the opportunity to test mechanical and lighting effects. It will
also allow you to view the set from the patrons’ point of view, albeit
on a smaller scale, to test sight lines and viewing angles (and it’s
fun, too!).
Recently we decided to build a 1:12 scale model to test the concept of
the design of a room, and how it might be built. The set dimensions are
based on a standard 4-foot square base grid. The footprint for this
room is 4 units (4' each) long, by 2 units (4' each) wide for a 16' L x
8' W space. The set height is 16' tall, (4 units). At 1:12 scale,
1"=12" or 1'. This makes our finished model 16" long, 8" wide, and 16"
tall.
The key element to a good scare is to immerse the patrons in the
effect, rather than having them walk by a tableau or display. In this
example, the room is designed as a hallway alongside a staircase, and
has two interactive scares. Patrons first enter the hallway through the
entrance doorway, where they find themselves facing the staircase.
Below the steps, an actor/operator pulls a lanyard that causes a scream
to come from a speaker mounted behind the door at the top of the steps.
Simultaneously, the door flies open allowing a decapitated body to fall
out and a severed head to roll down the stairway and come to rest at
the feet of the patrons.
As the patrons catch their breath, the same actor with a bloody axe
then jumps out of a “secret” door below the steps to retrieve his “toy”
(the severed head), and chases the patrons out the exit. The staging
provides a “misdirection” scare, a second scare, and interactivity with
the severed head and “monster” which heightens the perceived threat to
the patrons.
Requiring only a single actor/operator for a two-stage scare makes this
an economical gag. A single lanyard pull triggers the first effect.
Then the actor jumps out from below the steps. Resetting the gag is
quick and easy. After retrieving the head from amongst the patrons
(which is part of the act) and retreating under the steps through his
“secret” door, the operator uses a second lanyard to pull the body back
up into the cocked position and a third to close and latch the door. He
then replaces the head in the launcher platform.
A less complicated version of this gag could replace the dummy with
three or four decapitated heads rolling down the steps and a multiple
scream sound effect from the speaker. This version would however create
more work in the retrieval phase for the actor. The obligatory chainsaw
variation might use a recorded sound from the speaker, followed by the
monster firing up a real chainsaw (minus chain, of course) beneath the
steps and jumping out.
In this design, the stairway railing serves both aesthetic and safety
functions. It contains the falling body and directs the head down a
safe path to the feet of the patrons. It is important, however, that
the patrons be kept off the stairway. This could be done by placing a
velvet rope or other physical barrier across the lowest step. However,
a psychological barrier, such as dressing the steps as broken and
rotted through or covered with wet blood would be a preferable way to
inhibit access.
The main prop elements for this set include: an articulated headless
dummy with clothing, a severed head, and a costume and axe for the
“monster.” The set will also be dressed with additional props, such as
paintings, cobwebs, and ornamental lighting. A speaker mounted up high
behind the door at the top of the stairs will make the scream appear to
come from an upper floor.
A wooden or PVC armature with hinged joints hidden in the dummy will
allow it to fall like a real body. Foam, hot-glued to the armature and
sculpted with a matte knife and Surform® tool, will give the body a
realistic shape, pliability, and will protect the armature from damage.
Realistic latex hand and neck stump appliances will be attached, and
the body will then be costumed and appropriately bloodied.
The dummy’s feet will attach to a platform, hinged at the front, which
tilts forward allowing the dummy to fall out of the doorway onto the
top portion of the stairs, but not travel down the steps. The head,
however, will be loosely placed on the same platform and be “launched”
down the stairway to end up on the floor at the feet of the patrons.
While the head is made of latex over soft foam, it will be launched
from the platform versus being placed on the dummy’s neck, so that it
does not bounce over the stairway railing and hit a patron in the face.
The “secret” doorway under the stairs will be dressed so that it is not
obvious to the patrons. However, it will have a peephole for the
“monster”/operator. This assures that the entry of the “monster” will
be a shocking secondary surprise to the initial gag. The door will be
designed to open inward, under the steps, so that no patron will be
struck by it.
The first step of the design process was to develop the concept and
create floor plans and elevation drawings. The main considerations for
this gag included: patron and cast safety, the footprint of the room,
the vertical space required, patrons’ viewing angles, and the mechanics
and reset cycle for its operation.
If you look closely at the model photos, you will see that a one-foot
square grid has been drawn on the floor, and that most flat areas have
lines delineating 4 x 8 foot panels. Dimensions have been written on
many surfaces as a quick reference. With the lines drawn on the model,
a count of the 4 x 8 foot panels required for the set was easy to make.
This approach determined which walls would be shared with other sets,
how the wall bracing could be oriented, and it pointed out that costs
could be reduced by using drywall or other materials for the walls
above first level or away from patrons and actors. The model was also
used to demonstrate the concept to our design review group and will be
used for reference when sub-assembly construction begins this summer.
Tools and materials used to build the model included a triangle, an
architect’s scale, a clear ruler, metal ruler, matte knife with
snap-off type blades, pliers, wide masking tape, metal paper clips,
rubber bands, white glue, fishing line, a pencil, a hobby knife, a
binder clip, matte board, foamcore, and tracing paper with a grid.
I prefer to use an X-ACTO® #16 blade in my hobby knife, as opposed
to the standard #11. The #16 is easier to use for cutting mostly
straight lines. Snap-off type matte knife blades, which can be extended
out, make cutting through thick elements, such as multiple layers of
foamcore, much easier.
Of the construction materials, foamcore is the most versatile. It is a
lightweight board made of rigid foam with a paper or plastic facing on
both sides. It comes in various sizes and thicknesses, and is easy to
cut while being surprisingly strong for its weight. It may be more
difficult to find than the other items mentioned, but should be
available at your local art supply store.
At 1:12 scale, matte board is much thicker than plywood, but 3/16ths
inch foamcore approximates the thickness of a 4" thick panel. The grid
paper is a tracing vellum, which allows elements to be drawn on the
paper and aligned on top of other items. It also permits a design to be
easily flipped and retraced for mirrored elements.
The primary adhesive used was white glue. It sets up quickly and makes
a solid bond to the paper-based construction materials that I used.
Temporarily taping the seams and corners together with the wide masking
tape will hold the pieces together until the glue had sufficiently set.
In a few cases, I used rubber bands or binder clips to clamp things
together, especially when laminating materials.
Mechanically, the model operates similarly to how the full-scale set
will. The three “lanyards” are lengths of monofilament fishing line.
One lanyard triggers the effect and two are used to reset it. The door
actually flies open, the body falls over, and the head rolls down the
steps. However, a number of concessions to scale had to be made. These
included the use of a rubber band at the base of the door (versus a
spring at the top) to make it fly open and the lack of a tiny
self-latching mechanism to shut the door. The binder clip used to
secure the dummy platform to the top of the steps also helps tip it
forward when the door opens. Appropriate hardware will be used in the
full-sized set.
The rudimentary dummy is made of matte board, tissue, masking tape, and
paperclips. Monofilament fishing line is attached to the back of the
model to simulate the cord that will be used to pull the dummy back up
into the reset position after each performance.
Although the model was not dressed and decorated (i.e. filled with
scale props and realistically painted), with the top on, it allows the
room to be viewed through the doorways, just as the patrons will see it.
As expected, creating the model brought to light a number of design
issues to be considered for the actual set. First was the decapitated
head - when originally tested, with the head placed atop the dummy, it
bounced over the railing a number of times. So as a safety precaution,
despite a tendency for the dummy to fall onto the head and trap it, it
was decided that the head would instead be launched from the platform
to which the dummy is attached. The model also made it evident that the
operator will need a step to reach up and place the head on the
platform, which is eight feet off of the floor. And since the area
under and behind the steps will be dark, a different type handle will
be used on each lanyard to help the actor/operator distinguish them.
Scenes of a Haunted House can be more complicated than most people
think, and some may have trouble visualizing a design concept from
floor plans or sketches. While constructing a scale model of a room
design may seem like a lot of extra work, it is well worth the time and
effort for complicated sets you plan to build. The ability to estimate
material requirements, experiment with lighting effects, identify
sightline problems or mechanical issues and test solutions of the
design prior to construction, saves a great deal of time and money. It
will also help you explain hard-to-visualize concepts to carpenters and
set decorators. And finally, building a model can just plain be lots of
fun! Before long you will have your very own “demented doll-house.”
Randy Powell is a multimedia artist and video
producer in the aerospace industry. In addition to his “day job,”
he has provided professional Haunted House design and fabrication
services on a consulting basis since the early 1990s. He can be reached
at: pixelartisan@aol.com
Basic Lighting Theory
Michael Ward
“Should I use the Red bulb with
the black spray paint on the base or the green bulb with the scratched
up coating?” Although some of us would deny it, we have all been in
similar situations at least once in our haunting career. As the opening
day approaches everyone is just trying to get the final touches in
place, and lighting theory, one of the least understood and most
overlooked aspects of the Haunting experience, is the last thing on
your mind. But before you pick the scratched green bulb because of the
neat patterns it makes on the wall, consider this: could your use of
lighting help create a more frightening Haunted Attraction? Yo Yo Ma,
world-famous cellist, was asked: "What is it that makes you such a
great musician?" His reply was that it was not only knowing which notes
to play - but rather the quality of the spaces between the notes that
made the difference. In your attraction look closely at your use of
light and dark - both are equally important. Lighting represents spaces
in the darkness, and without light, there can be no darkness. It is the
darkness that we fear because it is unknown and the light that warns us
to what the darkness contains. To make these “spaces” the most they can
be we need to provide something more than just light and shadow. In
order to take control of light and make it do our bidding we need to
understand its nature. Theatrical lighting is a complex topic but I
feel the best place to begin is with color.
Color Theory:
Light has three primary colors: red, blue, and green. Along with color,
light has one more property called intensity. By changing the color and
intensity of a light source you exert a great deal of control over how
objects appear to your patrons. Theatrical lighting uses mixing and
contrast to create stunning effects as well as subtle nuances.
Award-winning lighting does not need to be complex or expensive, nor
does it need to be powerful and awe inspiring. In fact the best
lighting usually goes unnoticed.
We all know that mixing red and blue paint creates purple, while mixing
red and green results in a brownish black. The more colored pigments
that you add to the mix, the less light it reflects. One of the traits
that distinguish light from pigment is that colored light is additive.
As different colors of light are added to the same area, the result
moves closer to white. While mixing red, green, and blue paints will
result in black, mixing red, green, and blue light will approach white,
and by altering the intensity of this light it is possible to create
nearly every color the eye can see.
Lighting designers rarely spend a large amount of time mixing primary
red, blue, and green lights. Instead they create the effects they need
by using colored gels. A gel is a sheet of heat resistant plastic that
can modify the color and intensity of a light source. Most stage
fixtures emit a light is that close to white. White light is the
mixture of all the colors of light, and what a gel is really doing is
filtering out all the colors except the ones you want. Gels come in the
primary and secondary colors in addition to every possible combination.
By using gels you can get the exact color you are looking for without
having to store hundreds of colored bulbs. Normally the gels are housed
in a square metal frame and are either placed inside or on the end of a
lighting fixture. This allows them to be removed and reused many times.
Application:
Unlike the mixing of pigments to create a paint color, light is rarely
used to color the objects on a set. The most important use of light is
to help define and separate objects such as actors and scenery.
By mixing any two primaries, such as red and green, we can create a
secondary color, yellow. By mixing all three primary colors the result
would be white. If yellow is mixed with blue, the remaining primary
color, the result will be white. As yellow contained the other two
primary colors, the addition of blue simply completed the mix needed
for white. A color wheel is a useful tool for analyzing these
situations. The wheel begins with just red, blue, and green. Where
these colors overlap the three secondary colors of cyan, magenta, and
yellow can be seen. By continuing to add intermediate colors the wheel
can be made to represent nearly every color possible.
With this tool it is simple to find lighting combinations and predict
the results for different situations. For instance, drawing a straight
line through the center of the wheel will identify two colors that we
can add together to create white.
This method can be used to our advantage when setting lighting for an
area where we would like white light on a subject and some other colors
elsewhere. To illustrate let’s say a scene is lit entirely by blue
light and your actor is wearing mostly red. Unfortunately, red looks
dark or even black under blue light. In order to see the color of the
actor’s costume you will need to use a light that has some red in it. A
plain red lamp would result in magenta hues and mask any other colors
on the actor, while white would appear very harsh and slightly green
compared to the blue background. The best solution is to light the
actor in yellow. Because the actor is already being lit by the blue
light all over the scene, the addition of yellow will give the actor
the neutral white light that they need to be properly seen. This
maintains the blue background and creates an interesting complementary
color scheme.
This principle also works for creating other colors. For example, if
you wanted to create a nighttime scene you might be tempted to just use
a flood of blue light. The drawback to the monochromatic approach is
not only that the colors in your scene are washed out but the scene
also appears flat.
Because blue is a primary light color it cannot be broken down any
further. Blue is bordered on the color wheel by the colors cyan and
magenta. Both of these colors are mixtures of blue and other colors on
the wheel. What we are concerned with is that both colors have blue as
part of their makeup. By lighting one side of a scene with cyan and
another side with magenta the overall effect will be blue. Since the
elemental color blue is dominant it is the most apparent color of
light. But why go though all this trouble? The advantage is that each
light source will fill in the shadows cast by the other one. In the end
you will have a blue colored scene but you will also gain cyan and
magenta shadows. These new shades, along with the striking shadows, add
depth and more interest than just a flat blue light. In addition, the
magenta and cyan colors also add some red and green to the room. The
broader spectrum of light means that more colors can be seen in the
scenery, costumes and makeup of the actors.
Pigments:
Pigments are slightly different. In this case the primary colors are
magenta, yellow, and cyan. By looking at the color wheel for pigments
you may notice that it looks very similar to the lighting wheel; this
is because they are direct opposites. Mixing pigments is mixing the
ability to reflect light. Pigments are subtractive in nature because as
more colors are added less light that can be reflected. Therefore the
center of the pigment color wheel is black. A white wall will reflect
all colors of light while a black wall should reflect nothing.
Think of pigments as sheets of gel plastic glued to the surface of a
mirror. A red ray of light entering a black wall might make it through
the yellow pigments, but it will be stopped cold when it hits the cyan.
Therefore no light bounces back and the mirror looks black. If we only
have magenta and yellow pigments then the red light will make it
through and bounce back out. The yellow pigment will stop blue light,
and green light will be stopped by the magenta. It is worth noting that
regardless of the source light’s color, only red light will be
reflected back. If you were looking into the mirror and saw a person
behind you with a red flashlight, you could not be sure if that person
had a red bulb or a white one without turning around and looking.
If you shine a red light on a red wall the full intensity of that light
will be seen. However, if you shine a blue light on the same wall you
will only see a faint glow. If the pigment and light were perfect you
would see no light whatsoever. It is important to note that your
patrons do not see light; they see the effect of light on an object. If
the object is absorbing all the light it may as well not have any light
shining on it at all. Another thing to remember is that pigments and
lighting interact. If you were to stand in a darkened room and look at
a wall with a red spot on it you would have no frame of reference to
let you know what you were seeing. Just as in the mirror analogy,
without some other indication it would be impossible to tell if you
were looking at a red light on a white wall, a white light on a red
wall, or a red light on a red wall.
Furthermore, if you were using red as the color of the walls and lit a
room entirely in green light the walls would absorb the light that hit
them making the walls, and the room, appear very dark. Again it would
be hard to determine the colors of the light and walls without some
other clue. This type of color ambiguity can actually be used in an
effect. By matching gray and red tints of paint under a pure green
light you can paint a gray room with bright red blood spatters. Under
the green light the entire room would appear gray. Once the lighting
switched to white the red blood splatters would become much more
visible on the gray wall. This type of effect is often referred to as
Steganography, a technique of hiding something in plain sight. The same
effect is used to hide messages and then read them with a red plastic
decoder window.
The Secret:
The real secret to proper lighting is that there is not one. Whether it
is a major Broadway production or your new walk-in closet, the rules
are the same. Light only serves one purpose and that is to help us see
what stands before us in the darkness. Understanding how lighting
colors mix and how they interact with pigments in a scene is an
important first step to creating an even more frightening attraction.
It gives us the ability to give our sets more dimension, and to bring
out the real color of a costume without flooding the whole scene with
white light. The next time you are trying to set the lighting on a
scene, get some gels and try a few things out. Maybe that scratched up
green bulb would look good with a Roscolux #59: Indigo flood on the
walls. What can I say; the scratched green bulb really does make some
interesting patterns on the walls!
Michael Ward is an electrical
engineer, computer systems analyst, and an avid haunter for over 2
decades. He formed Theatronics Engineering to better focus his energy
on the technical aspects of the season. His background in theater, both
on stage and backstage as well as his musical career have given him a
rare insight into the theatrical nature of haunting. He can be reached
at Mike@Theatronics.com or by
phone at (402) 510-5405
Basics of Faux Marble for Floors
Patrick K. Koppinger
In the Basics of Faux Marble article, we covered faux marble for floors
and basic estimating formulas for materials. For faux marble for walls,
we will use the same formulas and techniques with a few modifications.
First you will need to know your subject, the type of marble. The
colors and textures are the important characteristics to focus on. Once
you have determined the colors and the amount and type of material you
will need, you can begin preparing the surface. For this type of
project I would suggest oil-based Japan paints for veining and
polyurethane for the clear coat (this is a very toxic method but very
durable). You will need a few things before you start:
Chemical resistant gloves (change them often and as needed).
Surgical foot covers (to help prevent footprints)
Respirator mask (not a paper dust mask)
Dust masks (for sanding)
The actual work always begins with surface preparation (it is
considered to be the most important part of any paint project). If you
have plywood as your floor, as with most sets, you will need to sheet
the floor with Masonite; this will give you a smooth surface to work
with. Once you have done this fill the nail holes and seams with
automotive filler (e.g. Bondo). Do not apply too thickly or you will
spend a lot of time sanding it smooth. A belt sander with a fine
sandpaper such as 120 grit should do the job. When you are finished,
clean the area of dust and debris.
Now you can prime the floor. When priming the floor you can use the
brush and roll method or spray the primer (I prefer to spray whenever
possible). At this point, you may also consider tinting your primer if
you feel it will help your process with a particular type of marble,
but white is usually good, as it will help show variation in tone and
depth. Kilz or an equally good primer (check with paint dealer) is a
good primer to use here. Allow the primer to dry and cure according to
the manufactures’ directions, then clean up and move on to the next
step.
Your next step is to apply the base coat. This can be done in the same
manner as the primer coat. It is important not to leave footprints; I
use surgical shoe covers so that my shoes do not leave marks, and
sometimes working in your socks is simpler (But not for the next step;
you’ll see why.) Allow the base coat to dry and cure before continuing.
Now you can apply your marble pattern. Fill three Hudson pumps (bug
sprayers): one with Mineral sprits, one with Alco (Denatured alcohol),
and one with Benzine. Wet the floor with Mineral sprits making a
puddle. Then take a 4" brush affixed to a roller pole (one for each
color) dip it into the paint and swipe it across the floor creating a
vein (the paint will spread out naturally). Then work the vein with the
brush spreading it out as desired. Now use the Alco, lightly misting it
in areas. The reaction will thin the paint more in those areas then in
the areas with just mineral sprits. Now adjust the sprayer with the
benzine so that the spray comes out in heavier droplets and spritz the
floor lightly in areas. You will see that where the droplets land in
the vein they will create little circles were the paint will move out
of the way. This technique is known as floating a floor. Work your way
back across the floor (not trapping yourself in a corner). Once you
have completed the floor and allowed it to dry and cure, clean up and
you will be ready for the next step.
Finally, it’s time to clear coat the floor with polyurethane. Again,
you can brush and roll this step or spray. Apply a good even coat to
the floor (it is very important not to leave foot prints in this step).
Once you have applied a nice even coat allow it to dry and cure for
about 4 days, then apply a second coat (this is usually best for
durability, especially with high traffic). Allow about 4 more days to
dry and cure (always follow manufactures directions).
This is a very impressive finish for faux marble.
If you follow these basics you will be on the way, though faux marble
results will vary on your individual skill level. But the keys to faux
painting are practice, knowing your material, and knowing your subject.
You will be able to achieve a great deal of quality if you work at it.
Patrick K. Coppinger has been freelancing as a scenic
artist and set painter. He has worked in the entertainment industry for
20 years, and has worked on such horror and Sci-fi classics as Masters
of the Universe, Waxwork, and Critters 2. http://hometown.aol.com/pkcpainting/index.html
Increasing the Scare Factor of a Haunted Hayride
Ryan Pluta
Scaring people on a Haunted Hayride is not as easy as it sounds.
Customer satisfaction is the ultimate goal, it is what makes us
successful, and to satisfy today’s teens, you have to find creative
ways to scare them. We have all experienced the classic haunted
hayride. A tractor pulling a wagon full of patrons sitting on somewhat
smashed hay bails through the woods, driving by scenes in which a
monster jumps out and rushes the wagon from some distance away. The
monster runs frantically after the moving tractor, banging on the side
of the wagon screaming and open for potential ridicule from patrons.
This is general family entertainment, but no big scares. However, there
are actually some simple and cost-effective ways to produce hayrides
that can help make your haunted hayride a crowd favorite. To a certain
extent, this strategy goes against many of the principles that classic
haunted hayrides encompass. It revolves around removing all scenes from
the hayride trail and using the patron’s own inner fears to help create
the atmosphere. Using lighting, fog and the patron’s imagination, you
can create a terrifying environment without costly props and scenes. Of
course, timing and proper preparation are essential, as is the use of
darkness to force the patron to use their senses more often, like in a
walkthrough haunted house.
Today, the public demands more bang for the buck. They want you to
scare them so bad that they wet themselves. That being said, there are
numerous obstacles faced when attempting to create actual scares on a
haunted hayride that you do not find in a walkthrough Haunted
Attraction. For example, many hayride wagons have safety walls that
enclose the wagon. These walls give the patrons a sense of protection,
like a young child hiding from the monsters under his or her bed
sheets. There is also safety in numbers. Ever walk down a dark alley
alone? Frightening. Now walk down the same alley with a group of 20 or
30 people: not nearly as effective. Because of the size of the wagon
and the needed clearance, you do not have the instantaneous, in your
face scares that you have in the narrow corridors of a walkthrough. As
the wagon drives past a scene, the patrons know something is going to
happen, and it generally happens far away. Even if you know something
is coming in a walkthrough, the scare is so close it still works
fantastically.
In an attempt to break the classic mold of the hayride, we can
capitalize on the patron’s imagination to help increase the scare
factor. Through the use of darkness, fog and lighting, with a mix of
actors, it is possible to increase the intensity of the experience and,
dare I say, create some actual scares.
Rather than relying on the outdoor elements like trees and foliage to
act as cover along the hayride trail, increase the intimacy of the
experience by building structures and blinds to hide actors and props
until the last second. Drive the tractor and wagon though dark barns or
pavilions with the sides closed off and a means to close the doors.
Keep in mind, the wagon does not stop, the doors are shut after the
tractor and wagon is completely inside. It is important for efficiency
that the wagons never stop unless necessary for a few seconds so an
actor can safely enter or exit the wagon from the rear. Plus, it is
important that the wagons are timed in such a manner that they never
cross paths. This will help create the eerie atmosphere so easily
produced in the houses. Shut the doors so that the tractor is
completely surrounded by darkness. Obviously, keep enough light in
front of the tractor for safety reasons. NO SCENES. Use lighting inside
the barns as the scene. Choose lighting that you would typically find
in a nightclub and use fog to accentuate the light, making a vortex or
other interesting effects. Mix up the light strategies and types,
strobes, colored beams, etc. Usually you would have the lights in the
center of the drive path on the ceiling and only turn them on as the
trailer passes underneath - one by one. This keeps the wagon lit, but
the area surrounding the wagon dark. One light goes off, and then the
other goes on at the appropriate time, keeping the crowd in eerie
darkness. Scares can be manufactured by capitalizing on the audience’s
imagination of what monsters might be out there. They hear them and
sense them, but cannot always see them. The goal is to create a Blair
Witch type feel, with the riders’ imaginations in full gear.
Now this does not imply that you do not need actors to create the
experience. They are an integral part of the equation. They ARE out
there. They should be making noise with several loud objects,
screaming, moaning and pleading for help. The patron can only see some
of the actors as the tractor drives away, but the darkness cloaks their
exact identity as they crawl after the tractor pleading for help. This
strategy, used in conjunction with the traditional drive through the
woods and the in-your-face chainsaw monsters who are safely able to
enter the wagon (during the brief seconds when the wagon stops to allow
the actor access to the permanent stairs on the rear of the wagon.) and
find the biggest chickens will help add variety, scares and overall
crowd enjoyment to your hayride experience.
It is important to also have a few monsters that are able to interact
with the patrons on the wagon. It’s a good idea to have a character on
each wagon that serves as tour guide. This character will be able to
ensure that patrons are acting in a safe and friendly manner and can
also help set up the mood for the ride. Many patrons will get enjoyment
by watching other patrons get frightened. While our main goal is to
create scares, our ultimate goal is Customer Satisfaction. In certain
pre-planned spots during the hayride, it is important to stop the wagon
for a few seconds to allow a few creatures with chainsaws to enter the
ride. There are always a few patrons that are completely terrified.
This gives everyone on the ride a great show and also keeps the level
of action at its peak. Be sure to train the actors to enter and exit
the wagon only when the tractor has stopped to ensure their safety.
With the Halloween season rapidly approaching, Haunters are looking for
unique ways to improve their attractions and begging for ways to offer
new scares. You are now armed with the ammunition to inject some
intensity into your new or existing haunted hayride. By removing the
scenes and taking away any premonition of when something will be
coming, you can now begin to explore this exciting strategy for using
the patrons’ terrifying imagination. Just remember that timing is very
important, both with the lighting sequences and the driving schedule of
the multiple wagons. The scares and the atmosphere created will depend
on your effective use of darkness and then breaking it up with some
unique fog and lighting sequences that will hide your actors and
entertain your patrons with a visually spectacular display. With this
information and sticking to the belief that people are afraid of the
unknown, you can now turn your biggest critics into your best allies -
your patrons’ expectations and imagination.
Ryan Pluta is owner of The Carnival of Horrors, a
multi-element event in Cleveland, OH, now in its 5th season. His
company Haunted Crypt Productions has been producing Haunted
Attractions in Northeast Ohio for the past 13 years. He can be reached
at hauntedcryptproductions@yahoo.com
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