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“Build it and Haunters will come,” must be the new motto of Haunt industry icon Leonard Pickel after the successful launch of the Haunted Attraction National Tradeshow and Convention™, better known as HAuNTcon, held May 14th through the 16th at the Adams Mark Hotel, in Downtown Charlotte, North Carolina. The event will tour the country at a different city each year. “A bold initiative,” remarked Lynton Harris of Sudden Impact.
Pickel listened for years to what Haunters wanted in a convention of their own, and HAuNTcon was a culmination of those suggestions. A tradeshow created For Haunters, by Haunters, this first-ever national convention designed for the Haunted Attraction industry under promised and over delivered, greatly exceeding the expectations of attendees and exhibitors who took a chance on this inaugural event hosted by Haunted Attraction Magazine.
“I see HAuNTcon as an ‘incubator’ for the Haunting industry,” explained Pickel, who organized the event. “It provides an opportunity for smaller Haunt vendors to test a product without spending a huge amount of money on booth space. The Haunted education provides the much-needed knowledge for Haunt owners to make more money and eventually buy more products from the exhibitors.”
The first clue that HAuNTcon is not your typical gathering was at room check in. The first 500 room keys given to attendees were printed with the HAuNTcon logo. “You could just feel it in the air; something special for the industry was about to take place in Charlotte,” explains Kirstin Wright, the HAuNTcon Event Coordinator and Advertising Sales Representative for Haunted Attraction Magazine.
“What a great show!” exclaimed exhibitor Chuck Jarman of Bump In The Night Productions. “I must admit, hands down, Haunters are some of the nicest people!”
As Haunters entered the registration lobby they were welcomed by four 4'x8' printed stand-ups of the unmistakable HAuNTcon logo, and upon registration the convention badges were also printed with the now famous icon. Even the special event and seminar schedule signs were printed in color with the logo and dripping blood graphics. Inside the show floor over 90 booths were laid out around 6 aisles and sectioned off in “pipe and drape” with black and silver curtains.
Day One
“[HAuNTcon] is much bigger than the first year of the Chicago Halloween Convention,” recalled Ed Edmunds of Distortions Unlimited, who was one of the exhibitors that debuted new products at HAuNTcon 2004. When the show floor opened on Friday, it offered the first glimpse of the remote control crawling zombies from Distortions Unlimited and the self-programming animation controller from Fright Ideas. There were also companies exhibiting at a major show for the first time, like DZX Creative Audio.
Haunt Ed
Second only to the Haunt Tours, the Haunt Education was a key component to the success of HAuNTcon. Four key seminars presented on Friday were designed to get attendees to the event before the opening of the tradeshow floor. Leonard Pickel started off the education program with a 2-hour seminar on How To Get Started In The Haunting Business, a topic that has become a trademark of Pickel’s, who has been presenting and expanding on this information for the past seven years. Next on the docket was an expanded marketing and promotions seminar presented by Jennifer Sharlow of Scream Queen Marketing.
Scheduled from the second the tradeshow opened until it closed each of the three days were product demonstrations and Haunted how-to presentations in one corner of the show floor. One of the only criticisms of the whole event was that noise from the show floor made it difficult to hear the demonstrations. Easily fixed, this minor problem will be corrected for future shows.
Grand Opening
At this point it was finally time for the tradeshow floor to open. An orange and black ribbon was stretched across the entrance to the largest hotel ballroom in Charlotte, North Carolina, holding back a throng of attendees anxious to purchase the new products on display inside. Leonard thanked the crowd for coming, and along with his wife and HAuNTcon co-organizer Jeanne Escher-Pickel cut the ribbon, officially opening the convention.
The tradeshow floor was filled with over 90 booths and 54 separate companies exhibiting everything from foam carving tools to a $20,000 Haunted elevator effect. “Everything was top notch, from the vendors to the ball,” said attendee Louis Brown of Darkwood Manor. “We got a lot of good deals, and we met a lot of new friends.” The Haunting industry was well represented with key manufacturers from all over the country.
Back in the seminar rooms, attendees now knew how to get started and how to get the public to the event. The next step was what kind of an event to build, and how to build it. These topics were covered first with a step-by-step design seminar by John Burton of Theatrical Terror called From Concept Through Production, followed by a specific look at Haunted Hayride Design by Randy Bates of Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride.
Actor Training
One of HAuNTcon’s major sponsors was the actor-based association Scream Syndicate. Dan “Boz” Krumlauf and Elaine “Zelda” Krumlauf were instrumental in scheduling the entire education segment of the convention and hosted a full slate of actor training seminars designed for both novice Haunt actors and attraction actor coordinators. The theory and acting workshops created a well-rounded program throughout the weekend.
Horror Celebrities
One of the most controversial elements of HAuNTcon was the celebrity room. “Many people in the industry are using horror celebrities to make appearances and help them promote their Halloween events,” says Pickel. “But this can be intimidating! Who do you choose and how much does it cost?” By having celebrities at HAuNTcon, the attendees get the chance to meet these icons face to face and ask questions about costs and availability in a casual setting. Originally set up in their own room, it was clear by the end of the first day they needed more visibility. “We moved the celebrities out to the tradeshow lobby and that made all the difference,” explained Pickel.
Dr. Evil’s Tour
On Friday night over 300 attendees boarded busses for a tour of the corporate offices of Charlotte-Based Morris Costumes, the hit of which was the office of product buyer Jim Lawrence. An avid horror model builder, Jim’s office is filled with a museum-worthy collection of incredible horror models he has built and painted. Next stop on the tour was a company warehouse for a light meal. Then attendees were whisked off to the main course of the evening; Dr. Evil’s Asylum and Area 51 in 3D, the two Haunts owned by Morris Costumes and designed by Leonard Pickel in 2000.
Even More Education
Seminars kicked off the second day of HAuNTcon with a full schedule of seminars and demonstrations. Three “messier” workshops were also offered during the day out in the parking garage of the hotel on how to build props and sets out of carved foam, monster mud, fiberglass and Great Stuff. “While the HAuNTcon speakers are experienced Haunters, we have chosen some who are less experienced as speakers,” explains Pickel. “This way we can incubate their abilities while bringing new blood and fresh new ideas to the attendees.” One prime example of this was Jennifer Wright of Goatman Hollow, who did a great job on a workshop demonstrating the uses of “Monster Mud.”
The show floor was steady but light for most of Saturday due to the large amount of education offered all day. “I put out a call for people who wanted to speak at HAuNTcon, and they just kept coming in. Then when I added all of it up, I had more speakers than I had time in the convention for,” recalls Pickel. “So we expanded the schedule past the tradeshow hours to make room for everyone.” A strategic decision was made early in the planning stages to separate the seminars by 30 minutes, giving attendees time to spend money on the tradeshow floor. And spend they did! “We sold almost everything we brought,” remarked Marc Bruner of Little Spider Productions. “I wish we had brought another trailer full!”
Jennifer Sharlow handled press releases and media for HAuNTcon and on Saturday there was a large color photo and article on the front page of the Charlotte Observer that continued on page 5. The convention was covered in news reports by all four of the local television news programs, and the story rotated all weekend on the 24-hour news channels.
The Costume Ball
Destined to be the social event of the season, the Haunted Attraction Magazine Costume Ball kicked off on Saturday night. “We could have sold spectator seats outside the ballroom,” joked Pickel of the hotel guests watching the procession of characters. As would be expected with makeup artists and Haunted Attraction owners in attendance, the costumes at the event were incredible. “The costume ball was bigger and more fun than any other party we have hosted,” says Jeanne Escher-Pickel. “About 90% of the more than 200 people in attendance were in costume.” The horror celebrities joined in on the fun, spending the whole night hanging out and even dancing with the attendees. A huge number of door prizes were donated by exhibitors and manufacturers who could not attend HAuNTcon, but still wanted to show their support.
The evening ended too early for many attendees who, still in costume, took over the hotel bar after the ball. For the hardcore Haunters, there was a late night showing of Creature Unknown the directorial debut of Michael Burnett and the Tobe Hooper film Tool Box Murders.
Car Show
Day three of the convention started as the other two did, with seminars and demonstrations, but the hit of the day was the Hearse and Parade Car Rally, which stopped traffic during the day on Saturday. Hearses from as far away as Michigan drove to Charlotte to show off their “Last Rides.” Each hearse received a participation plaque as a thank you for attending and awards were given out to several of the great vehicles on display. The hit of the show was Oliver Holler’s Time Machine DeLorean, and a “Dragula” type roadster owned by Eddie McLaurin of The Woods of Terror. The wildest hearse was a local entry by Keith Crosslins. This 1977 Cadillac was animated with a hydraulic suspension system and can not only bounce like a low-rider, but with the flip of a switch, the rear door flies open and a coffin slides out and drags behind the car with sparks flying.
“A great convention! Every event and seminar was top-notch, and the friendly community atmosphere was extremely enjoyable,” stated Jason Reese of RustyKnife Haunt Soundtracks. “I’m already looking forward to 2005!”
According to the exhibitors, Sunday was the busiest selling day, and there are already plans in the works to make the show run later in 2005. The last official event of the day was the Haunted Garage Sale. “I put the garage sale last for a reason,” explains Pickel. “I wanted something to hold the attendees in Charlotte through the end of the tradeshow.” The plan worked to a point. As expected, attendees swarmed over the Haunted Garage Sale items for about an hour before they hit the road for home. However, the vendor turnout was less than expected, mostly due to the price of tables. Plans are underway to fix this for 2005 as well.
HAuNTcon 2004 was surprisingly trouble-free for a first time event. The biggest surprise was the swelling of support for the convention coming from the attendees. “I cannot tell you how many people came up to me before they left and shook my hand,” recalls Pickel. “They all said the same thing. ‘Thank you for doing this!’ It was quite a humbling experience.”
Look Out Dallas!
The Ink is still wet on the contract, but we can finally announce that HAuNTcon 2will be held at the Adam’s Mark Hotel in downtown Dallas, Texas, April 22 – 24, 2005. “Dallas hotels were fighting over who would get the event in 200,5” says Event Coordinator Kirstin Wright. Not willing to rest on the success of the inaugural event, evaluation forms for both the attendees and exhibitors have provided the HAuNTcon planners even greater insight into the wants and needs of the Haunting industry. “Moving the convention one month earlier was requested by the exhibitors,” explains Pickel. “The larger prop companies need the lead time to build the props ordered at the convention. “HAuNTcon was designed by Haunters, for Haunters,” explains Pickel, “and we will continue to listen to the industry and adjust the convention to better serve all segments of the industry!”
With year one behind them, the HAuNTcon team is expecting to double the attendance and the number of exhibit booths. “There are a lot of Haunters in Texas,” says Pickel, “and we plan to pull out all the stops next year to reach those buyers.”
For more information about attending HAuNTcon 2005, call 704-366-0875 or go online at www.HAuNTcon.com. For information about exhibiting at HAuNTcon 2005, contact Kirstin Wright for a prospectus at 813-760-6311.
A Special Thanks to Bad Boys Scenic Design, Allan Erush,Dusti Lewars-Pool, David and LaNora Pickel, and all of the attendees and exhibitors of HAuNTcon 2004. Without your help and support, we could never have pulled it off! |
Pre-convention Haunted Road Trip
HAuNTcon started with a 2-day pre-show bus tour that left on Wednesday before the show. Eighty-five Haunters filled 2 busses bound for Haunted Attractions in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Haunt videos and lively discussion broke up the 4 hour ride to the beach. One of the first things that attendees noticed about Myrtle Beach, along with the great number of adventure golf facilities, was that this particular weekend in May was Biker week! The roads and parking lots were crowded with every make, model, and style of motorcycle customized from headlight to rear finder, most of which run without even a hint of a muffler.
After dumping off luggage at the hotel, eager attendees were dropped off on the “strip” area of the “Grand Strand,” a sixty-mile-long stretch of white sandy beach that has been attracting vacationers since the turn of the century. The popularity of this trip forced the two busses into different itineraries to lessen the impact on the attractions that were in operation for the season. The first stops were two summer seasonal attractions that are vastly different in both budget and approach.
Ripley’s Haunted Adventure is a large multi-level Haunt located right on the main tourist drag. Built in 2000, this Haunt is owned by the parent company of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. The Myrtle Beach Ripley’s Haunted Adventure was the second such attraction designed and built in-house by the company, and is drastically different from the first one built in Gatlinburg, TN. Both have similar story lines, but you can tell that they learned a lot about how to haunt from mistakes made on the first installation. In the Gatlinburg version, the storyline disappears after the first room of the attraction; in the Myrtle Beach attraction, the storyline is followed more or less throughout.
Nightmares Haunted House has beena staple of the Myrtle Beach strip for years and is an actor-driven Haunt. Built and operated originally by Ray Productions, the attraction is now owned by Chris Walker. The “in your face” acting of this attraction is a stark contrast to the Haunted Adventure’s realistically detailed sets and numerous animatronics, yet is often considered the more frightening of the two by patrons.
Back on the busses, the attendees had a chance to discuss the two Haunts on the way to Barefoot Landing in North Myrtle Beach. Half of the Haunters went to dinner at Joe’s Crab Shack, while the other half got in line for Ghosts and Legends Theater (see spotlight in issue #37).
A one-of-a-kind paranormal experience, Ghosts and Legends Theatre is a “sit down” theater style Haunted Attraction filled with ghostly animations, special effects, motion control, and intelligent lighting that together tell the true histories behind the many famous Carolina Hauntings. Standing ovations were offered by each group once the show was completed. As the attendees exited the attraction they were greeted by our gracious hosts Terry and Oliver Holler, the owners of the creative attraction. In a hospitality tent, there were cold drinks and a cake emblazoned with the HAuNTcon logo. Once the attraction was closed to the public, the attendees were provided an unprecedented lights-on, back stage tour of this “spooktacular” attraction. Oliver answered every question and shared tips and stories about the building of the Haunted Attraction.
Too soon, it was back on the bus for the weary travelers for the return trip to the hotel. Most attendees called it a night and turned in, while a few decided to experience some of the city’s nightlife.
Thursday morning the sleepy-eyed travelers had breakfast at the hotel before loading the busses to head over to the Pavilion Amusement Park to tour the Haunted Hotel Dark Ride. Built in 1975 by Funny Fright, the attraction was completely renovated in 1990 by our own Leonard Pickel, and then updated more recently with animatronics by Sally Corporation. Attendees experienced the ride once with the effects and lighting in operations mode. Then the work lights were turned on and the attendees were allowed to walk the attraction and get a closer look at how the effects were created. Park manager Sue Bass was kind enough to open up the ride for the attendees even though it would not open to the public until later that evening.
Next on the agenda was a lights-on tour of the Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. This is the first time that Ripley’s has allowed this kind of access to the industry. Guided tours of every inch of the attraction were hosted by staff of the attraction. The hospitality arranged by general manager Bobby Owens and everyone at the high-tech attraction was incredible.
There was just time for an impromptu group photo in front of the Haunted Hotel before getting back on the bus and heading out to Planet Hollywood for lunch. Then it was time to head back toward Charlotte and HAuNTcon. More Haunt videos and more discussion of the attractions, and more than a few naps were taken on the long trip to North Carolina, but the touring was not over yet.
After a quick stop back at the Adams Mark Hotel and a chance to check in, the attendees boarded the busses once again and headed just across the South Carolina border for a convention kick-off social and tour of Campground Massacre (see spotlight in issue #37). Attraction owners Sheila and John Trigg provided attendees with a light meal and a tour of their two haunted walk-throughs, Mina’s Lair and The Massacre Haunted Trail. Open to all of the HAuNTcon attendees for an additional fee, 200 Haunters socialized and experienced the Haunted Attractions in almost fully staffed condition.
HAuNTcon Exhibitors
AEO Studios
Alexanders Costumes
Bloody Mary(TM)
Bone Yard Effects Makeup Studio
Boss Productions
Bump IN The Night Productions
Castle Blood Productions, Inc.
Dark Attraction Productions
Dark Gate Entertainment
Digital Sound and Lighting
Distortions Unlimited
DZX Creative Audio/ HAG
Eccentric Gryphons
EFEX-Alive
Fright Ideas
Fright Props
Gep Productions, Inc.
Ghost Ride Productions, Inc.
Gilderfluke & Co., Inc.
Gore Galore
Graftobian Make-Up Co
Halloween Productions Inc
Haunt Master Products Inc.
Haunted Attraction Magazine
Haunted Enterprises
Haunted Horizons
Haunted Media Magazine
Hollywood Controls, Inc
Hot Wire Foam Factory
I.A.H.A.
Iron Kingdom, The
Kreepers Animations
Little Spider Productions
Michael Burnett Productions
Michael Davy Film & T.V. Make Up
Midnight Syndicate/Entity Productions
Nightmares, Inc.
Oak Island Productions
Peter Alan, Inc.
RALIS
Renaissance Treasures/ Jojo Bejano
ScAir Structures
Scare Parts
ScreamPass.com/Extreme Scream Productions, Inc.
Skeleton Coast
Studio TEK-FX
Theatrical Terror
HAuNTcon Celebrities
Andrew Bryniarski
George Lutz
Gunnar Hansen
Reggie Bannister
Gigi Fast Elk
David Naughton
Alex Vincent
Wednesday 13 |