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For some time now, I have been fascinated with Steampunk. If you don't already know, Steampunk is a kind of alternate history/alternate reality that imagines a past, present, and future where the information age and the industrial age began simultaneously. As the name implies, computers are steam powered and mechanical. Ray guns, time machines, aviation goggles, and a number of other Jules Verne / H.G.Wells type things are standard.

Well, I thought about making Steampunk jack-o-lanterns. ...

Eyes, eyes, eyes. Why do so many prop builders focus on making perfect eyes? Well, it's the first thing ToTs look at to determine if it's a fake monster or a live actor. You could at least fool them for a few seconds if the eyes look real. For most scares... that's all the time you need

Okay, here goes the tut... get your wine out. ...

Haunt is about illusion. We plan our layout, our lighting, sounds, etc. to create an atmosphere that seems to be more menacing than it is. We use hot glue, PVC, and paper mache to create the illusion of things that simply cannot exist.



Stage magic is about illusion too. The magician puts the audience in a position of "seeing" what is simply not true. Why, then, do I see so few references to magic type illusions in haunts?


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Castle of Terra has been using a computer to serve as central command for the control over the pneumatic props in it. Over the years there have been many questions and answers on how this is done. Thought I'd put up a general tutorial on how to use a computer, software and DMX signaling to run your haunt. This is no way comprehensive and you should always read the manual that comes with the software and hardware you'll buy. They should be the go-to... not this tutorial. A nerd, I am not
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Yeah, yeah...I know. Another old tutorial. But, I have an excuse! Been working on two big projects. One was the Demon Horse that needs to wait until it can be pictured in it's native habitat (graveyard). That'll be a tutorial nearer Halloween. The other project is new ChromaDepth 3D panels and those tutorials were made last year. So... you get an old tutorial again but now it's shiny and cleaned up


Here's how to transform the 'Haunted Hedge' prop you can buy at the store (that ...