haunted house

[Repair]

i would like to have your opinion.... my friend made the video for me. the first part of the video is what people watched while they were standing in line, the theme was alien abduction ( we live close to the Wright Patterson air-force base ) . ( kinda a local joke ). we used motion sensors and foot pads to trigger everything. the main tunnel was 10' high and 16' long ( wish it looked better on film ). the first part of the house had a 3'x3' vortext mirror ( in a room we called the elevator ).

I hope you like it . please let me know.

[Repair]

wow every one is very helpful on this site but no one left a comment. we spent over 7 grand making a free haunted house using all light-o-rama triggers and no comments. i used the equipment in a new way and wow no comments. sorry i did not put the lights in a 'show' then someone would say something

[Guest guest]

Just watched your vid and before I can make an actual comment I must ask this, all the videos used in your video, were those used in the actual display? That is, were there actually computer or TV monitors set up to actually display the alien and the text cues to inform visitors to move to the next stage, or are those just "embellishments" added in to make the video more interesting?



I think most folks are looking at the video and seeing these video cues and probably wondering the same thing, if they WERE NOT a part of the integral display, that is, not really utilized or used(weren't really there), then the video isn't giving the viewer the TRUE PERSPECTIVE of your LOR Display, this could be why there are no comments on it.

Now if those video cues were really there with the little green alien, and telling folks with both words and audio what the next stage to go to is, then, yes, that would be an awesonme setup, but I can't make that a true comment, not without knowing if actual visitors to your display really saw these videos, or if they are just add ins by the person that created the video for you. If they are add ins, again, it makes the video more entertaining, but it is also taking away from showing the viewer that could not visit and see your display firsthand, your true display.



Next time just add opening titles and end credits, but have the display videoed EXACTLY as a person visiting your display would see it.

No offense meant here, just some constructive criticism for the next video you post of your Haunted House. Especially if you want folks to comment on your display, as the display has to be the "featured" part of the video. Adding anything that just isn't, or wasn't there, to the video is lying to the viewer, and again, many won't comment on "embelished vidoes" like that, or if they do, it may not be what you want to hear(read).

From what I saw of the lighting effects and sound effects, it was very nice, but the video portions, if they were not really there, should be taken out. This is why I asked at the beginning, do the video displays actually exist in the display or are they just add-ins by the person that made the video.

[crackchecker]

I have to agree.



I liked what I saw and really like the concept.

[paulanator]

First of all, I had never seen this post, and I love the concept, I have never really seen an alien themed haunted house, and that is super cool, and I love the whole process.

I too had a hard time telling what was LOR and how it was actually integrated with everything and what the point of view the video was showing.

The idea that it was all LOR type controlled is super creative, and I doubt anyone here would snub it because it was not a "light display" I think quite the contrary, most people here think creatively and outside the box and love to think of things to do with LOR. That is why there are so many options such as DC, DIO, CCRs, RGB, etc.

It was just really hard to tell what was happening and how it was happening. Something like this is really hard to capture on video, but from what I can tell, this thing was really well done.

[kzaas]

Repair wrote:

wow every one is very helpful on this site but no one left a comment. we spent over 7 grand making a free haunted house using all light-o-rama triggers and no comments. i used the equipment in a new way and wow no comments. sorry i did not put the lights in a 'show' then someone would say something

It's your fault , you wanted the comments. I wasted 3.5 minutes of my life watching a bad video production that I had to shut off. We were told this was a video about a haunted house with special effects created by Light-O-Rama but all we saw were video special effects.

We all spend that kind of money on our displays and work just as hard as you did, we post our videos on here not for comments but because of pride. We want to show off and share our work with others. We do all this work for the enjoyment of others not for the praise of others. Before you come here bad mouthing us because we use lights and not all your fancy gadgetry, you need to figure out why you are doing it.

[CKSedg]

kzaas wrote:

Repair wrote:

wow every one is very helpful on this site but no one left a comment. we spent over 7 grand making a free haunted house using all light-o-rama triggers and no comments. i used the equipment in a new way and wow no comments. sorry i did not put the lights in a 'show' then someone would say something

It's your fault , you wanted the comments. I wasted 3.5 minutes of my life watching a bad video production that I had to shut off. We were told this was a video about a haunted house with special effects created by Light-O-Rama but all we saw were video special effects.

We all spend that kind of money on our displays and work just as hard as you did, we post our videos on here not for comments but because of pride. We want to show off and share our work with others. We do all this work for the enjoyment of others not for the praise of others. Before you come here bad mouthing us because we use lights and not all your fancy gadgetry, you need to figure out why you are doing it.

Wow! That was a bit harsh! I didn't take it that way at all. I thought he just wanted comments---positive or critical. I didn't feel it was a waste of time; I like to see different things whether they are my "style" or not. To each his own!

[kzaas]

CKSedg wrote:

Wow! That was a bit harsh! I didn't take it that way at all. I thought he just wanted comments---positive or critical. I didn't feel it was a waste of time; I like to see different things whether they are my "style" or not. To each his own!

Sorry, I just took offense to his second post, I too love to see this stuff used in different ways. I am an Electronics Tech. by trade and I love to experiment with this stuff.

But like I said, I do for other to to enjoy. If no one comments on it I'm not going to make a fuss about it.

[Dale W]

Do you have any cast members jumping out from behind the walls scaring people? Or is it a "special effects" generated haunted house?

IMO, the people that go to haunted houses want to be scared. If you want to see special effects (your video was good), watch a movie.

Me? I prefer the old school grab and dash method of scaring. I know, people always say don't touch the customer - or you can get sued for it.

But it has been my observation that the best way to run a haunted house is to:

1. Have a guide take your group through the attraction. You do this to tell the customer what to look at.

2. Have a distraction for them to look at while the monster scares them from behind.

3. Control the crowd as they attempt to flee in terror.

4. Every Haunted House needs at least one chainsaw.


If it was your goal to keep the scare factor to a minimum, I think you succeeded. If not, then consider the following.

Add blood curdling screams. Shrieking rabbits is a good one to add. Have grunt sounds come from corners.

Have an alien conducting a human autopsy. After the human is disemboweled, that cast member gets up and chases the patrons to the next scene. Have the alien block the exit so that the group seems surrounded. Add moderately timed strobes with a blackened plastic cover to minimize the light. Your attraction was too well lit. Patrons should not be able to see anything. Have the guide blind them with a flashlight so that they can not see. It adds to the disorientation.

Instead of a memory transfer being complete, consider adding a failure. A rejected human transplant would be different. It would be here I would add a chainsaw (or in the cornfield).

You asked for comments - please take this for what it is worth.

I enjoyed your video. Loved the lighting.

Sorry I did not see this in 2009.

[jasona]

I personally would like to see more. It looks like you spent a lot of time on the video editing and it was alright. I'd like to see a walkthrough without the added videoeffects. If you don't mind going into what all was involved into accomplishing this.

I'm looking into using LOR to trigger light and effects with motion triggers for a haunt as well. About to pull the trigger on LOR, I'm waiting to see what the new DMX this summer can do for me.

PS. I just found your other video. Much more informative to feed us geeks with

http://www.youtube.com/user/tracysax123#p/a/u/0/WjGcUwGpKIE

[jem5136]

I think this is an awesome haunted house! I put on a little haunted house during one of my annual Halloween parties for my friends, and, coming from someone else who builds a free haunted house, I think you did a great job.

My only advise to you would be to add some human interaction. In my haunted house, I have some of my friends build the haunt and they help the night of the party. It works out pretty good.

[Repair]

THANK YOU

i know that the video robbed much of what was going on. i am glad that the 2nd video was more informative, the first part of the video is what people watched while waiting in line,

we have no actors because people are not aways reliable. i have kids of all ages from 1yr to 78 so i can't do the blood and gore that i would so love to do.

i do apologize for my second comment but i looked forward to any comments from the people whom i do very much respect . we all like to entertain and are willing to help. i was kinda hurt when after such a long time i had no comments from the people i most wanted to get advice from....


thank you again for the honest, brutal and constructive comments.

[jasona]

hey repair. How well did the lor perform with using inputs such as motion sensors. I am planning a home haunt and that(and the summer sale) is all that preventing me from pulling the trigger now.

[Repair]

using the mini directors at each location. it gives you options like looping the first (2 programs) and the having the switch or motion sensor trigger the second program. you can have both programs triggered but the first program will be cut off when the seconded program is started.

the hallway with the laser had a strobe light that triggered when you got half way down the hall, i had to keep everything on from the first program and then added the strobe. same with the 'elevator' the 1st program was a loop until some one walked in. i had to build in a delay because it would trigger as soon as they walked in to the elevator, so program 2 would continue part of program 1 . it was fun to tweak.


the mini director can have it shorted or open as the trigger.

thank you for asking:)

[toddmoon]

Nice to see different efforts and effects with LOR.

People do love to be scared. For the last 20 years I have used a mixture of motion activated props along with human beings dressed up in various charters. I have found that some of the most basic things have just scared the living daylights out of people.

I used an air cannon for several years with paper shreds blowing out of the cannon. I am not sure what scared people more the hunch back that shot them with shredded paper or the sound the compressed air made shooting at them and blowing in their face. I still have kids to this day that will not set foot on my home because I scared them so much.

I have always kept the blood and guts thing to a minimum to keep things kid friendly. Just encountering the unexpected on Halloween night when people want to be scared anyway.

Last year I had a number of grim reapers dressed up in my yard and then had two humans dressed up the same. Having them come to life with glow in the dark contacts really got a lot of people going. I do change things up from year to year so while yearly repeat visitors are looking for last years effect I hit them with something new. I run a kid friendly show till dark and then after dark all bets are off and it is fun to scare the grown ups.