Phobia Haunted Houses

April 17th, 2011

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What Are You Afraid of Anyway?

BY LARRY WICKER

In 1994, two men with very different business experience decided they wanted to produce a low budget horror film. Seasoned by many years of extremely varied business experiences, Phylo Darke and Kevin Campbell became the managing partners of Phobia, Inc. A treatment for the film was developed with a working name of Simon Fowler and included storyline, character development, makeup and set designs for the movie. After securing a location for filming the pending project, the concept of opening a commercial haunted house was discussed and developed. “It made more sense to explore and learn the dark attraction business, than compete with Hollywood,” recalls Phylo. The new venture would have risks, but with detailed planning and intense investigation, the investment and effort had a high probability of success.

After two years of formulating a business plan, attending various trade shows, numerous educational seminars and visiting dozens of Haunts aqround the country, actual construction began on the original Phobia Haunted Houses in a 5,000 square foot building on Highway 59 in Houston, Texas. “After college and a few years, I landed a great career at Phobia,” states Phylo, “I started working on this in 1994. I helped oversee the final planning and construction.” With planning completed, Randall Voelkle was brought on as construction coordinator. Randall was attending college at the time, studying criminal justice. He devoted the time required to build out the entire project, by working long nights and weekends. Phobia opened its doors for 31 nights in October 1996, with a two-element event and only twenty actors. The acting staff was doubled after the first weekend, and another dozen actors were added to the payroll by the end of the first season. Over 10,000 happy customers made Phobia’s first year a success.

“It’s all about a solid startup plan – you have to think everything through, before you buy anything… except graph paper or a copy of Haunted Attraction Magazine,” jokes Phylo. The best information came from seminars by experienced haunters that offered valuable experience without the constant sales pitch. “Seminars by Leonard Pickel, [editor of Haunted Attraction Magazine], gave me so much great advice,” recalls Phylo, “His expertise really helped us get started in me right direction.” Haunting is very specialized; setting up a solid scare and to properly light a detailed scene were tidbits learned by attending a few hours of seminars. Overall, it was a daunting experience; learning the fire codes, sifting through confusing city requirements and hiring dozens of people to act in a new Haunt. “We found a retired local haunter [named Bill Sasso] that had moved out of state and truly milked him for information,” recalls Phylo, “He was very helpful with specifics about the Houston market. “Of course we started this, thinking it was a seasonal business to make some extra money,” explains Phylo, “Now we spend eleven months of the year spending money and have income for twenty nights… there is something is wrong with that equation.” Phylo likens Haunting to farming, as it is dependent on the weather. If the temperature is too rainy, or too cold, people stay at home. The wrong weather can reduce customer traffic by 75 to 90%;

Phobia 290

In 1999, Kevin retired from Phobia, Inc. to focus on other business projects and his young family. By 2000, the event had outgrown the original building and Phobia Haunted Houses moved to its present location, a 30 acre tract of land in suburban northwest Houston on state highway 290, just minutes from the fashionable Galleria. With more space, the event was expanded into a true “Screampark” with three attractions in one location. The event has continued to grow to what will be six separate free standing Haunts in 2008.

“Haunting requires much more effort than one would expect,” explains Phylo. Master planning for the event is an ongoing exercise and future attractions are envisioned years in advance of construction. The core Phobia staff works on the attractions 12 months of the year with construction changes for the next season starting in early November.

The production values of each attraction are very high, thanks to art director Ryan Maness. A Phobia “walk-on,’ Ryan had attended the original Phobia as a teenager and came to work for the attraction right out of high school. “He was so capable,” recalls Phylo, “we kept him working after the season.” Every scene at Phobia is well planned out before the construction and decorated with tremendous detail.

“I love this business and my company,” explains Ryan. “I was meant to do this.” Ryan believes that the secret to doing things well is to love what you are doing. “It’s not work when you have a deep-rooted passion for what you do.” Like those in a movie set, walls in the Phobia attractions use a great deal of color blending. This layering offers texture and depth for an illusion of stress and wear. “There is nothing worse than visiting a haunted house, and seeing a badly painted fake rock wall,” says Ryan, “What are they thinking? High school plays have better artwork than some haunts.”

Ryan is especially discouraged by Haunts that fill up space with dark hallway after dark hallway with sparsely decorated scenes and one high school kid in a two-dollar mask. Phobia’s goal is to raise the bar for detailing of Haunts; to strive for a better customer experience. Phylo however, believes that what makes the Phobia experience so great and unique is the quality of the acting staff.

The use of light and shadow can make a quality static prop look scarier than an expensive animated prop that is in boring light. “Spending money in this business is easy,” explains Ryan, “but making everything look its best…that’s an art.” The designs that Ryan creates for the Phobia attractions are innovative, unique, well-made and functional.

“We work all year to provide the crew with a great venue; a backdrop that allows the actors to scare people more effectively,” explains Phylo. “But it is the acting staff that makes the attraction come alive. They are the stars.” Phobia 290 uses approximately 175 actors on busy nights, and those actors create a synergy that overwhelms customers. The energy feeds on itself, increasing the intensity. If one actor slacks off, there are two or three others nearby to pick up the magnitude.

Each attraction is designed for high traffic flow, with numerous hiding spots in each scene for the actors to use. “The actors at Phobia seem to seep from the walls,” describes Phylo. “Several attack you in any given scene.” While always trying to scare customers forward, multiple actors attack the front, rear and middle of each group so that every patron gets startled, regardless of where they are in the group. Each attraction has a manager whose job it is to train and observe the actors. These team leaders place the actors, help with the timing of scares, assist in developing scripts for each position and constantly oversee the actors during operations.

One such manager is Chris Rodriguez, who handles operations for 3D Clown Phobia. This attraction is being renovated in time for tours of the attraction during HAuNTcon 2008 this April in Houston. “We are working on some design changes and new art work,” explains Rodriguez who boasts, “The number one show in town is getting even better.” This demonstration of pride is typical of the staff, from the managers through the squad leaders and actors.

About 40% of the acting troupe is comprised of veteran actors, returning from previous years. These vets are spread throughout the attractions to work as squad leaders. They watch over new hires and less capable actors, helping them fit into the system. The squad leaders also aid with actor training and motivation.

Phobia’s acting troupe manager, Gonzo Orona, has been with the company for over a decade. “We have a family here,” explains Gonzo, “and they compete with each other each night for the scariest Haunt.” Customers are polled at random on their favorite attraction and the best actor, with cash and prizes awarded for the winning actors and Haunt. “I have the Red Bull babes come on huge nights and pass out energy drinks,” explains Gonzo, “Our staff is killer and we want to show them our appreciation.” Even at the end of the night the actors are known to cheer about their attraction, only to be answered by other actors, claiming that their Haunt is number one. “These people have worked hard for five or six hours and they still scream at each other in groups as they walk to their cars,” muses Phylo, “A rivalry and banter that continues year round on the Phobia MySpace page.” www.myspace.com/phobiahauntedhouse

This competition develops into pride in the attraction and for what the actors are doing. It creates an energy that has to be experienced to be believed. “Our actors are proud of their show… they want to be the best; they are the best!” boasts Gonzo, “We are so proud of the actors at Phobia.”

Phobia uses animatronics as a distraction, to frame the customer for the scare. Using pneumatics and various microchip controllers, Randall creates state of the art horror props which he prefers to be triggered by actors pushing buttons, rather than infrared sensors or mats, “For animatronics to be effective, timing is everthing,” says Randall, “It sets up the actor scare, and controls the mood and tempo for each scene.” Sensors are consistent and guarantee the customer will experience the scene as designed, but generally, an actor choosing when to trip the action is more effective.

Phobia’s Construction Chief, Randall Voelkle oversees all attraction design, construction and animatronic assembly. “You’re living in the last century if you think you can run a quality Haunted Attraction without animatronics at every turn,” explains Randall, “They don’t replace actors; they’re not always scary, but they set the mood.” The Phobia scare design uses animatronics for misdirection to set up the patrons for the scare. With the customer focused on the moving prop, the actors have the best chance of effectively scaring them. “The era of nothing but black walls, a dozen actors in Wal-Mart masks and a stereo playing the theme song from Halloween is over”, proclaims Randall. “The market has changed, upgraded, and today’s customer expects a lot more.”

“Phobia’s target demographic is an 18-year-old male. We don’t want ten year old kids,” explains Phylo, “A family oriented show is a death nell to attendance. We need copious gore! We need that edge!” The average client for a Haunted Attraction demands intense scene decor, wild animatronics and great actors, or they won’t return and they won’t tell their friends. “Positive word of mouth helps,” explains Phylo “Bad word of mouth kills.” Phobia even produces its own edgy sound tracks for hard core ambient audio.

Phobiaprops.com

Before long, Randall was building custom animated props of his own design for the Phobia attractions. “We had trouble finding off the shelf props that would stand up to the rigors of intense, high volume traffic,” says Randall. “We were constantly fixing something or looking for some part that the manufacturer forgot to pack.”

“We felt that we could do better,” added Phylo. “So in 1997 we started selling the same props we were building for the attraction to the industry.” Randall animates and fabricates; Ryan designs and decorates and Phylo handles the business aspects for what is now Phobiaprops.com. “We reinvented the wheel and made it better,” describes Randall. “We build props that will handle the punishment a high traffic haunt can dish out, from patrons and actors alike.” This heavy-duty design drastically decreases the need for repairs while the show is in operation. “A prop like our Phobia Thrasher (an old man pneumatic prop, dressed in tattered clothes, that comes alive shaking almost out of control), might cycle thousands of times during a busy weekend. It has to be designed to function for years of heavy use,” explains Randall. “We’ve shipped this unit all over the world,” explains Randall. “It’s a proven winner, with all its freaky violent movement.”

Phobiaprops.com has developed a loyal customer base that knows and trusts the quality of workmanship that goes into each product. PhobiaProps does not offer “custom builds,” instead the company only sells what they have in stock. “We actually ship our sales orders, on time, and they work,” explains Phylo. PhobiaProps customers are consistently happy with the products and their strongest form of advertising is word of mouth. “One of our clients will refer someone they know to us,” explains Phylo. “That is where we get most new business.” Working closely with select clients, PhobiaProps creates new and unique props. The company’s great selection of unusual, high quality Haunted House products, offered at fair prices, keeps PhobiaProps in demand with medium to large Haunts. “We are our own biggest client,” jokes Phylo, “because we use so many props in our own shows.”

“Phobia is a great place to work, but I like the prop company even more,” says Ryan. “I can dream up almost anything and Randall builds the frame and mechanicals…then I dress it.”

Mix and Match Attraction

Many haunts around the country use vinyl and wood for their walls, but Phobia uses steel and concrete walls to handle the high volume of traffic and patron abuse. “Maybe customers are better behaved at other attractions, but delicate scenes and props won’t survive a weekend here,” explains Phylo “These Texas boys hit hard.” Phobias year round location allows for a more solid construction, and in 2000, the PhobiaProps team started experimenting with using shipping containers as modules for a Haunted Attraction. This innovation offered the same solid structure as a permanent installation in a temporary location.

The next step for Phobia Props.com was to sell these Haunted Attraction “blocks,” along with their animations. You can now purchase complete Haunted Houses made up of fully decked out 40×8 foot containers. You can mix and match the container units and add more pieces to expand the attraction in the future.

The first container style attraction was Claustrophobia? built as an additional element at Phobia 290 for the 2006 season. The response was phenomenal and this success paved the way for an expansion of the company into franchising the Phobia Haunted Houses brand.

Phobia 45

For the 2007 season, Phobia, Inc. tested the concept by opening a second multi-element location. South of Houston just off of Highway 45, Phobia 45 has two attractions that make up the event, Darke World? and Mania? Each attraction consists of 10-14 forty foot shipping containers. These 4,000 square foot attractions are highly detailed and their themes are disturbing. Each

container is packed with animatronics, with one or more major props in every scene and drop down windows along many walls. “We make a small actor access hallway behind a customer hallway, and add the drop panels,” explains Randall, “We call the drop panels ‘Pickels,’ after Leonard Pickel who gave us the idea years ago.”

Walking through Darke World? and Mania?, one notices the complexity of the maze layout. Some walls are angled, others are curved and offset. “With our wall finishes and lighting, you can’t tell you are in a shipping container,” boasts Randall. DarkeWorld? starts out a livestock-loading arena. The first scene has cages and hanging timbers. Customer walkways are always 48″ wide and have lighted emergency exits throughout the path. The giant butcher with an oversized pig head greets patrons as they approach the next scene. The animatronics’ electric chain saw grinds and smokes, as he lunges at passing customers. Scores of severed animal heads hang from the ceiling. You are what you eat? and this is what’s leftover. After only three major scenes and several short hallways, eleven actors have attacked from every angle. The actor makeup is well applied and troubling to the average person. The next few scenes have multiple pneumatic props and an average of two actors per scene. The halfway point is comprised of a large room -with multiplex strobes, four actors attacking from all four sides, and distressed walls, oozing a pus-like fluid. The wrecked police car in the next scene, draws customer’s attention, as the actors spring from various drop windows (Pickels). The final six scenes are loaded with actors, gore and animatronics. The custom audios are subtle, but ever-present. The actor hiding spots are well camouflaged, and rarely predictable. Animatronics are violent, but safely removed from customers. The scene lighting is dramatic, but not obvious. A truly great show.

“One of our prefab modular units can be added to an existing haunt for a great entrance scene or grand finale,” explains Randall. “A Mom and Pop Haunt operation can really beef up their existing show with very little effort and make a huge experience upgrade, fast.”

Phylo believes that the key to expansion is quality control. The product must have the same high quality as the original. Consistency and originality, combined with attention to detail is what makes both of the Phobia locations a success. “As we train and work with our staff we keep an eye on the future, looking for our next managers and key employees,” explains Phylo. We have had several requests to franchise the Phobia product in other cities, but we first need to make sure that we can maintain the level of quality.”

A Haunted Attraction owner has to have both passion for scaring people and a solid mind for business to be successful. “The best business partners are all about business, but the best employees love the scares and Halloween itself,” explains Phylo. “Haunted Attractions are a labor of love that can be profitable in time, if well planned and run properly.” Each of the attraction names Phobia uses are trademarked to protect the value of the intellectual property and the Phobia brand. “We have developed Phobia into a brand for eventual nationwide expansion.” explains Phylo. “The new Phobia location is a stepping stone toward that goal, to test and perfect the art of running satellite venues.”

Haunting is not a get rich quick scheme. It is a business like any other, and requires time and experience to be successful. Advertising is a key ingredient! “Many Haunters I speak with are struggling to open or are just barely surviving,” explains Phylo who believes that advertising and a quality product are the keys to a successful Haunted Event. “If you are down to your last $1,000 in your budget, don’t spend it on more strobes or costumes … buy more ads!” A haunter can always buy the cool props and fancy wardrobe later with the profits made from a properly advertised attraction. “One big mistake Haunters make, is trying to start a business that is under-funded,” warns Phylo. “Be prepared with a healthy realistic budget and spend that money wisely.” The 2008 attendance goal for the Phobia two locations is 100,000 people. That is $3 per person in advertising alone.

Advertising is very expensive in a large market like Houston,” explains Phylo. “You have to be creative and willing to step up and spend the big bucks.” Phobia advertises heavily in the Houston market; primarily radio, television, billboards and flyers.

“With an advertising budget in excess of $300,000, Phobia blankets the local market,” explains Todd Reynolds, advertising representative for the Reynolds Group. “We tie in with major sponsors to offer value added discounts and joint promotions.” Fast food, candy, energy and soft drinks are the marketing partners that appeal to the Phobia brand. “We buy heavily on alternative rock, pop and rap radio stations,” adds Todd, “We don’t buy any country or softer rock.” The Phobia outdoor campaign is focused on billboards surrounding their two locations. “We’ll buy between 75 and 100 boards this year, exclaims Todd. “[Haunting] is a unique business to promote.”

The internet is also a vital part of the Phobia ad campaign. Every flyer, media spot, ad, and sign lists the Phobia website. “We cannot depend on the web to bring new customers,” explains Phylo. “MySpace is great, but does not create any significant new business.” The websites serve to provide more information and specific details, and to convince potential customers to come check out the show.

Phobia also distributes a huge amount of complimentary tickets to radio stations, church groups and flyer distribution outlets. “Some nights it seems like we see more freebies than paying customers,” jokes Phylo. “We work with schools and churches, offering special discounts or even tickets that they can sell to raise money.” This charitable effort provides a great network for additional exposure, but it also gives back to the community. “We might raise awareness for the Blood Bank by offering free passes for donated blood, or open for special event nights to raise money for charities,” explains Phylo. “It’s a win-win and we feel good about helping a little.”

“No amount of advertising will make the event successful if you don’t have the product to deliver,” exclaims Phylo, “and Phobia delivers the goods.” Last season, the Houston Chronicle rated the five attractions at the Phobia 290 location as the top five Haunted Attractions in Houston, which is saying something, in a city that hosts six or eight major Haunted houses and countless smaller ones. From national coverage by cable news networks, to local papers and magazines, Phobia consistently has great reviews.

Phyio believes that competition is good for the Haunt business. “It raises the standard for area attractions and keeps you on your toes,” explains Phylo. “What competition really does, and this is hard to embrace, competition creates greater public awareness in a market. It creates more buzz about going to Haunts.” Haunted Attraction customers will attend more than one event, and more competition creates more customers. “Don’t be petty,” exclaims Phylo who is a proponent of joint venture advertising. “Work with the other haunts in your area. You need each other to be more successful.” Even if the other attractions do not want to work with you, Phylo suggests that you still keep the line of communication open. “I know the people who run the biggest events in Houston. They are our competition, but they are all great guys,” explains Phylo. “We share information and try to help each other whenever possible.”

From what began as a simple low budget film project, Phobia, Inc. has come a long way; branching out into animatronics and even Haunted Attraction manufacturing through PhobiaProps.com. The balanced triad of Darke, Randall and Maness are now poised to take their band of terror across the country by franchising the Phobia attractions. The future looks bright in this Darke World?

Maybe a Phobia satellite will be in your town soon…What are you afraid of, anyway?

Don’t be Afraid…Take a Tour!

The building that houses Phobia 45 is a vast raw space with high ceilings and dirt floors. The two attractions inside are constructed in shipping containers, but you would not realize that from the exterior facades. After purchasing their tickets, patrons stand in a roped queue line in anticipation of the first Haunt… Mania™, “Neurotic behavior in manic color”™

The entrance room is made up of various fence panels. The brightly painted panels are UV blue, red and green. A series of inter-connected slow strobes create long shadows in the heavy fog. Patrons may anticipate a scare here. The fence hides potential places for actors to pop out. What patrons do not expect are six actor hiding places staffed with four actors. These characters wear white and red jumpsuits and simultaneously surround the patrons and cross their path, moving groups forward before returning to a different hiding spot. They scream things like “Feed your head” and “The color’s alive” before disappearing. Hurrying from their grasp, patrons come upon an oversized cage. Suddenly a giant clown in the cage begins to thrash against the bars. The clown’s oversized head is brightly colored, with large teeth and a strange smile. The cage’s metal on metal contact echoes loudly and is intensified by the violent animatronic movement while a fuzz effect guitar audio plays a carnival-like riff in the background.

The next scene is detailed with torn and distressed wallpaper, enhanced with Blacklight paint. Overhead is another large animatronic clown, seven and a half feet tall. Adorned with large red polka dots, it moves quickly across the room, from side to side and back into a darkened hall. The clown’s giant head is bright white and green, with an odd red frown. Its electric purple hair is frizzy and bounces as it moves. The floor begins to slope, leading to a tilted hallway illuminated by a flashing Blacklight. The UV reactive decor and static props blink in unison while a scratchy echoed audio plays in swirling surround sound. Lastly, an actor in deep blue UV makeup pops out of a drop panel, reaching far over the patron path with oversized gloves glowing bright orange. She mumbles something about a “lost papaya and dead boyfriend” and disappears behind the panel.

Brightly colored spinning wheels line the walls of the next room. Spirals and painted designs on the revolving discs are bright and disorienting while a “wah-wah” audio effect crisscrosses the thirty foot long dizzying scene. Next is a long Victorian hallway lined with various paintings in gold ornate frames. Suddenly one of the paintings drops with a crash, revealing a squealing and grunting actor wearing a hot pink pig mask and purple top hat. As patrons react from the actor a small jester animatronic pops from a side wall. Only four feet tall, this menacing jester prop has brightly colored teeth and bright purple tights. Its jester hat flaps violently as he springs up and down. A loud honking clown horn blasts as patrons exit.

Entering what appears to be a child’s room, a crib filled with dolls is centered in the next scene. Audio of a lonely child crying and singing permeates this nursery.

A giant deformed old man animatronic with tattered clothing moves across the room. Its twisted face is oozing snot and slobber. Suddenly another animatronic springs from the crib. A small baby clown-like creature with small wildly moving arms is dressed in bright red and blue. Its face is a twisted open mouth and fires a strange screech as the baby flails and recedes back to the crib. Two actors, dressed as kids, spring out across the scene clutching distressed dolls and chanting “mommy’s dead, daddy bled” moving the patrons to the next scene. After ducking into a slanted doorway, is a walk-in closet; long and narrow, lined with hanging clothes. Calming elevator I music fills the room as actors lurk and attack from behind the draped clothes. One large bundle of cloth leaps forward and down from behind the patron path. The colorful animatronic causes the entire hall to rattle with movement, disguising the actor hiding place. A curtained doorway leads to a dark hall and then to a large heavily fogged open scene. Moving forward, the walls change to heavy steel mesh and the audio heard is a combination of industrial noise and carnival music. Actors appear behind the mesh and slam themselves against the cage walls. They scale the walls and reach through and over the tops of the mesh, sometimes climbing over, chasing patrons forward. A mechanical top hat bounces as patrons move past, revealing a pile of smaller moving hats. Several three foot tall winged monkey corpselators, donning baby blue tuxedoes, spring forward, chasing patrons out of the space. A pink truck, has smashed partially through the wall of the next scene. Behind it, a giant bloody toothed Easter bunny looms over the patrons’ walkway. The seven foot tall bunny animatronic writhes violently, shaking its paws and bending in half. Sirens blare in the background moving patrons into a room with black and white stripes on the walls and floor. The body of a very tall old man leans against the wall with arms extended across the ceiling. His chest falls open and an actor bursts from the neon lighted cavity; the body’s legs kicking against the wall.

In the next room a tilted and distorted door is chained shut to keep something from getting through. Suddenly the door slams open to the extent of the chains, and bangs back and forth. After three or four cycles, banging loudly, the door flies completely open and an animatronic creature flies into the room through the doorway. This six foot tall dog with oversized arms and hands dons a wedding dress. It’s bright red gorilla feet are bare and flap as the body springs up and over the patrons’ heads. Around the next corner patrons pass the back side of the crashed pink truck before approaching a room filled with faces. Dozens of heads and partial faces adorn the wails of the space. Some are static, some moving. Some are very realistic, others are caricatures. The faces glow brightly with dramatic scene lighting and vivid colors. In the middle of the room, behind a giant 3D eye, an actor springs from behind a drop panel and maniacally shouts gibberish at the patrons. An oversized head with dreadlocks springs forward, revealing extra arms that reach towards the patron’s path. The giant head is a torso-less cross between a circus mutant and a Rastafarian, splattered in a paint explosion. The arms and dreadlocks move violently, as the head bounces to an audio of echo drums and a girl chanting “Feed your head.”

The next area is overgrown with plants. The walls are covered with the heavy vines and camouflage that seem to breathe with movement, as crickets chirp calmly in the distance. Suddenly, a section of the plant wall springs to life and moves toward the room’s center. The calm audio changes to a loud monkey scream as the actor in a Camo-Ghillie suit chases patrons past a sensor fired air cannon and into a short dark hall. Eerie holiday music resonates in the next gruesome scene of a Christmas gone horribly wrong! Suddenly a disgusting Santa Clause flies out of the fireplace; his beard is yellow and dingy gray, his giant teeth are green and rotting. The Santa animatronic wears a filthy red suit, stained and tattered. It lunges back and forth, forcing patrons forward into a fog-filled room with strobes flashing in the haze. The walls are painted in a black and white checkerboard pattern; the room is filled with multicolored bodies hanging from the ceiling. Pushing through the bodies, patrons are forced to move the rainbow of torsos aside. A sudden realization is that some of the dangling bodies are moving. The torso shaped animatronics kick and writhe. This hanging meat locker is filled with chaotic action and then several actors spring from behind the larger torsos and chase patrons to the exit into a very calm and brightly lighted exterior.

Relief is short lived, however, as patrons at Phobia 45 still have one more attraction to visit before they can say, “I survived The Phobia Experience™.”

Larry Wicker is a native Texan currently working for the oilfield support industry in Bakersfield, California. He attended The University of Texas and has been involved in the oil business since 1990. Wicker is an avid haunt enthusiast and has attended numerous Halloween Events from California to Florida.

This article originally appeared in Haunted Attraction Magazine Issue #49