Scaremation Halloween Displays...

If you’re a fan of projected Halloween displays there’s a good chance that Scaremation has an animation in their catalog that will appeal to you.  These inexpensive animations can easily be rear projected onto a plain white bedsheet and incorporated into your haunt, or used just as a cool effect for the trick or treaters.  Setup is a snap and the digital files are loopable for hassle free operation.   http://youtu.be/hIwiEFnKLO4 Scare-1: Rough Night, 4 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$45   http://youtu.be/B21czGK1FmQ Scare-2: Mansion Parlour 1, 4 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$20 (anniversary pricing)   http://youtu.be/6F6H0A9Gsxc Scare-3: Window Slammer, 1/2 minute – Price:$10   http://youtu.be/P2Bg4JH4MJg Scare-4: Skeleton Zombies!, 3 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$35   http://youtu.be/9NUBpZBuiZI Scare-5: Spider Lab, 3 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$45   http://youtu.be/l-dqFwef3AQ Scare-6: Underworld, 4 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$45   http://youtu.be/DsI5qkc9gdw Scare-7: Spectre, 55 seconds (Loopable) – Price:$20   http://youtu.be/1u-TqHsLQcI Scare-8: Zombie Slammer, 1 minute (Loopable) – Price:$25   Scare-9: Mansion Parlour 2, 8 1/2 minutes (Loopable) – Price:$45 http://youtu.be/jUEr3cLoc1U Scare-10: Gorewall, 3 minutes (Loopable) –...

Sybil the Clairvoyant...

About five years ago Mr. Chicken created a Madame Leota prop for his yard haunt.  It turned out fantastic and I’ve wanted to build my own ever since (yeah, I know, I’m a procrastinator).  Well, things have just gotten a little bit easier for me because Mr. Chicken has just taken care of a big portion of it for me, and boy does it look good.     Sybil the Clairvoyant is a new video projection effect kit offered by Mr. Chicken that includes the video as well as the head form you’ll need to get started.  The dvd includes two versions of the video projection, one which is just the head, the other includes the head and some eerie ghosts floating above Sybil for added effect.  The kits cost $55.00 plus $10.00 for shipping. I must admit, when I checked it out I figured I wouldn’t like it because, let’s face it, Madame Leota is a pretty tough benchmark to beat, but boy was I wrong.  Mr. Chicken has done a great job here, this video looks and sounds great, but what really makes it work is that it’s completely fresh content. Nobody’s ever seen Sybil before and I can guarantee you it’ll be more than just a head turner at your haunt.  Don’t get me wrong, I still plan on making a Madame Leota (one of these days), but until then, it’s really nice to have Sybil the Clairvoyant as an...

Pepper’s Ghost: Behind the Scenes...

There’s nothing better than a good Pepper’s Ghost effect, and there’s few things harder to find than a good Pepper’s Ghost tutorial.  I’ve watched several really shoddy videos describing the effect, but the one that Robert Schuch created provides a pretty straightforward explanation even though it’s designed for use with miniatures.  It’s a really simple effect to create, but doing it on a large scale can prove to be tricky due to the need for the large reflective surface.     For a little additional insight, take a look at the video below of Rolly Crump explaining the Pepper’s Ghost effect courtesy of the Walt Disney Family Museum, it’s definitely worth a watch.  ...

Kindred Moon Productions 2013 Additions...

Kindred Moon Productions has added eight new DVD’s for 2013 to their Haunted Halloween Projection Series.  At $34.99 each, these DVD’s can be projected onto a window, a wall, a screen, or even used on a video screen or television to create a picture effect.                  ...

Mr. Chicken’s Haunted Tombstones...

If you’re a fan of projection effects then you should definitely check out Mr. Chicken’s Haunted Tombstones.  All you’ll need is the projector of your choice and a piece of styrofoam to carve your blank tombstone.  Oh, and of course, you’ll need to purchase the video files for the Haunted Tombstone Projections. You can purchase either the short tombstone or the taller tombstone, or as a set to be projected side by side.  The download includes four video files allowing for standard definition or high definition playback in either portrait or landscape orientations, all in .MP4 format. It’s a pretty easy effect to pull off, especially considering the tombstone that you carve for it will be custom sized to the projection, and at $25 apiece ($50 for the set), you can’t go wrong.        ...

Spectral Illusions 2013 Additions...

The crew over at Spectral Illusions is at it again adding four new video effects to their lineup for 2013.  These four great new videos are priced at an affordable $20 to $30 apiece and are offered in both high definition (1920×1080) and standard definition  (720×480) formats as QuickTime movies. Intended for use with a projector, flat panel monitor, or with a scrim or reflective surface for a great Pepper’s Ghost effect, they’re a welcome addition to an already great lineup of videos.      ...

Hi-Rez Designs Visual FX...

Hi-Rez Designs offer some really high end visual effects for your haunting pleasure.  Their collections range in complexity from simple projections like the sky effects, bugs, and ghosts DVD’s     to more intricate video window effects that can trigger pneumatic valves, lighting, smoke / fog machines, and more with their Hi-Rez Relay Decoder.     They’ve even got a Paranormal Portraits series which offers the Dueling Portraits DVD, paying homage to Disney’s Haunted Mansion.     All of their effects are great looking and would add an incredibly immersive element to any haunt.  The DVD’s range in price from $39.95 to $89.95 individually, and they do offer package sets of some of their collections. All Hi-Rez Designs Visual FX DVD products are restricted to non-profit home haunt & personal use only, and are protected by all federal copyright laws.  Commercial use licenses are available for use of Hi-Rez Designs Visual FX DVD’s as part of a pro / paid haunted...

Spectral Illusions

Spectral Illusions offers some really great looking digital downloads that would look great in any haunt.  These great videos can be used with a flat panel monitor and a frame for a picture effect, or with a scrim or reflective surface for a great Pepper’s Ghost effect.  The videos loop seamlessly so you don’t have to worry about gaps in playback.  With four resolutions available for download at an affordable price of between $20-$25 each, you cannot go wrong with these effects.            ...

VexFX – Ghost Steps...

Fans of the Walt Disney World Haunted Mansion are no doubt familiar with the ghostly footprints effect that is projected early on in the ride in the M.C. Escher style room with the upside down stairways.  Since approximately 2010 I’ve seen the good folks over at HalloweenForum.com hashing out various ways to achieve this effect, but it appears that VexFX have actually made it a reality.  With the Ghost Steps routine it is now possible for home haunters to project a set of ghostly footprints in a pre-programmed path of their choice that actually dissolve after a few seconds.  You can download the flash based app for offline use, or navigate to their site and create your Ghost Steps on the fly.  You can change the size, color, rotation and style of footprint as well as move and rotate the projection surface to get it completely accurate to the surface you’re projecting onto.  This software is too cool to pass up, and is a visual delight....

Fairvale Funeral Parlor...

  Last week I was reminded of an album that I overlooked last year, Fairvale Funeral Parlor by Shadow’s Symphony, and the timing of this could not have been any better.  It’s now going on seven days straight with overcast skies and rain where I live, and there’s seven more in the forecast.  I cannot think of a better soundtrack to accompany this miserable stretch than Fairvale Funeral Parlor.  With 21 tracks of ominous and creepy melodies that tell the tale of a deserted funeral parlor, this album is everything you could ever want if you find beauty in the darker side of things.  This eerie offering could easily be incorporated into any home haunt. It’s available via digital download from Amazon and the iTunes store as well as direct from the Shadow’s Symphony Facebook store.  Whether you plan on using this in your haunt, or just listening to it while you sit on the couch watching the rain come down, this album is the perfect soundtrack for any haunter’s life....

2012 Home Haunter DVD Collection...

The 2012 Home Haunter DVD Collection is available for pre-order.  This year’s set offers 4 DVD’s filled with 61 haunts.  The DVD set is priced at $20 if you pre-order now (not sure when this deal will end), and if you were a contributor to the DVD this year you’ll get an additional 25% discount making it just $15.00 (An additional $4.00 will be added to help cover Postage and PayPal costs. International orders are listed at $10 more to cover the higher shipping). Appearing on the 2012 DVD’s: DISK #1 Name Haunt Location Heidi & Donnie Rauber Jr. 2nd Street Cemetery Covington, LA Joe Belinksky 67 Scary Springs Drive Richmond Hill, Ontario Canada Matthew Allen Allen Asylum Florida Greg & Jamie Larkin Ashburn Haunt Ashburn, VA Dave Bates Bates Haunt Utah LadyDracul AKA Corinne BS Crypt Kamloops B.C. Canada Brad Goodspeed The Butcher of Prvincetown Haunted House Scarborough, Ontario, Canada Melissa Watts Camp Slaughter Pensacola, FL Jim Slanker Canyon Trail Cemetery Carol Stream, IL Tamara Gogin CarnEvil Spencer & Debra Carter Casa Fear Broomfield, CO Thomas Chance Chance Haunted Ride Lafayette, LA Robert Gannon Cirque de Samhain Columbia Manor Castro Valley, CA “Creepy” Chris Bartram Creepy Nights on Calamo Sprinfield, VA DISK #2 Name Haunt Location Mike Yazumbek Dark Shadows Orland Hills, IL im and Tina Reuwsaat Darkwing Manor and Morguetorium Medford, OR Jeff & Chris Davis Davis Graveyard Milwaukie, OR Michael Braun Deadwood Cemetery Gurnee, IL P.J. Kerti DemBones Cemetery Hollywood, FL Wayne M LaQuet Diggers Haunted Yard Mascoutah, IL Chris Arnott Dunnett’s Dark Lair Barrie, Ontario Canada Dan Blume Evil On Everest Lombard, IL Gregory Wallace Fear on Firm Stance Loveland, OH David Hurst Grimm-Hurst Manor East Point, GA Halloween Haunt Brampton Ontario Canada Robyn Balabanov Halloween Horror Delta Delta, Canada...

ImaginEERIEing Digital Puppets...

  ImaginEERIEing offers some really cool digital puppetry software that, when done correctly, can add tons of fun to your haunt.  The original iteration of this was the “Mirror” routine was developed in 2004 and they have since increased their lineup of puppets.   The puppets are simply computer programs which display spooky characters on the screen and allow the user to control them with a keyboard, a microphone, or a prerecorded audio routine.  When the the monitor is placed behind the facade of a mirror it allows for quite an impressive illusion.  Add some real time interaction with the crowd and it’s even better!  The original Mirror routine is free to download, while the others are priced at a modest $15 per routine.       – Free       – $15       – $15       – $15       – $15    ...

AtmosFEARfx

AtmosFEARfx deliver some of the best Halloween themed video effects I’ve ever seen.  It’s easy to incorporate them into your haunt, halloween party, or just projected onto the garage to scare the neighborhood kids.  With 9 dvds as well as 3 iOS apps there’s plenty of eerie effects to choose from:   DVD: Ghostly Apparitions ($39.99) Jack o Lantern Jamboree ($39.99) Tricks and Treats ($39.99) Zombie Invasion! ($39.99) Unliving Portraits ($39.99) Creepy Crawlies 2 ($39.99) Blood Walls ($39.99) Shades of Evil ($39.99) Triple Thrill Pack ($39.99) Just connect a dvd player to a projector, television or monitor and let the fun begin.   The iOS effects are available via digital download on the itunes store.  You’ll need an iOS enabled device (iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch, etc) as well as a projector or monitor. iOS: Creepy Spiders ($4.99) Flames From Hell ($4.99) Unliving Portraits ($4.99)  ...