Thread: Home haunting and FX

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I had a conversation the other day regarding FX and home haunters, Based on the lack of interest I recieve on my favorite home haunting forum regarding FX, I am under the impression that home haunters are not ready to make the leap into the next step in home haunting. which blows my mind due to the fact that homehaunters are the most dedicated haunters in the world! we do it for the love of the scare, not for profit. I cannot figure out why so many haunters are soooooooo afraid of stepping up the game and utilize the best scare in avaiable, In your face xtreme fx to compliment your haunts and complete the illusion!
Now the person I was having a conversation with believes that home haunter ARE READY for FX, I guess the question is Haunters, Whats it going to take to get you to step away from using cheap generic chinese masks, and commit to FX to better your Haunts?
come on people throw me some feedback on this.......

For me I don't like masks.
True they are convienent, just put it on and go.
No makeup to clean off and you don't have to take the time to apply the makeup.
But how many masks, just like the one you are wearing, are others wearing too.

I prefer to be origional and have something different from everyone else.
You can customize your makeup to your haunt and your own personality.
The variables with makeup are endless, unlike a mask.

I have seen your work and still am amazed by it, it looks so real.
I wish I could do it myself, thats why I ordered your new dvd.

But I'm wondering if people are intimaded by it all.
They see fx work, like yours, and think "I'll never be that good" and simply give up without trying.

Or there might be other reasons, like.
What makeup to buy, there are so many on the market, which one do I get.
The cost involved.
The time to apply it.
The technique involved in applying the makeup so it looks real.

These are some of the things I've heard from people in the haunt we put on here in my area.

What do you mean by 'FX?, Im sure you cant mean 'FX' as the vernacular for Special Effects.....

Well said Strange.. BB, what dont you get? the No 1 reason your average Mr. Joe Haunter doesnt go FX is $$. With my haunt for '07 the wife and I went into shock when we tallied up Pirates '07, and Pirates '08 will equally numb us, but then we're not the norm. The norm here cant afford a DMX Pro, 1000w+ Fogger, DLP projector, Skulltronics skellys or Elec chair. Dropping $150 for a 2"x3" metal box (DMXPro)? Just aint gonna happen.

The norm here MAKE their props.. buying a can of UV paint or wiper motors for props is tough for some, thats why they wait till the week B4 the Great Night to buy their bluckys cheap.

Dedicated, yes,! Inspired, yes! Able to spend $$ for big FX, mostly no.

Think of the Field Of Dreams quote..

If you make it cheap.. they will buy..

I really don't understand the context here, an 'Effect' (FX?) is just about anything, a fogger is an effect, a light is an effect, sound is an effect, UV paint is an effect, even a prop animated or not is an effect...... is there an elite category of effects here?, when is something just a prop and when does it become an 'FX'?

btw dont use DMX pro at $150 use open DMX at $60, the latter is VSA compatible

Thanx for the feedback strange1, Its true FX can be scary, BUT we all started somewhere, Its funny that I just purchased the very first appliance that I ever wore. looking back I remember how very intimidated I was back at that purchase, BUT once I got into it.... there was never a turning back point. I started doing my own makeup after paying a "MAKEUP ARTIST" to do mine and knowing that if given the chance I could do better....... now down the road, I am out there speaking at shows and having seminars to take some of the sting out of it for homehaunters...... ITS NOT That HARD!

Three things hold most home haunter back from using advanced Fx - time, money and skill. We have one or two but rarely all three. I am two to three years away from focasing on makeup.

My road map has been year 1 - static props (tombstones and yard budies), year 2 motorized props (FGC), year 3 pneumatics (homemade - washer machine valves and irigation pipes) year 4 facades and sets, year 5 pneumatic (store bought cylinders and selinoids), year 6 theam coodination(tie 7-8 years worth of stuff together), year 7 this year will be controllers (prop1 or things like that).

I would love to get away from the cheap masks I use on my props and myself, I just don't seem to have enough time do focus on more than one New thing each year.

(here comes the shameless request)

Bodybagging - you have a both at transworld right? If you were to send me an invite I propably could be talked into buying a couple hundred dollar of stuff from you and change my focus for this year. I'm just saying.....

Wow amazing finally feedback, when I refer to FX Im referring to FX makeup moreso than anything else, because as a homehaunter for years, trust me I know all about building my props rather than buying them from a vendor.

As a member on Halloweenforum for about 5 years now, I assumed that people knew I would be speaking about FX makeup, OOPs, forgive my assumptions........
On that note...... Thanx for all the feedback! I was a lil bummed by lack of feedback regarding anything of late regarding FX makeup.........

LOL UNK, how about once I recieve my booth info, I send you a evite and not hold you to buying anything that you dont need from us.
SEE THIS IS THE FEEDBACK THAT I NEEDED. I just wanted to see where everyone stood regarding FX makeup and what was standing between homehaunters and Pro FX. AND for the record, trust me when I say that ALOT of PRO haunts need to step up with some Xtreme FX makeup as well.

CapnJack's comments were right on target based on my observations of current forum members. My advice to you BB is to learn to know your customers and build a marketing approach that meets them where they are. In some cases it will be just giving them ideas so when they are ready in terms of the development of their haunt, as well as being financially ready, they will return. Some people will never be interested in your product because they like the process of learning and developing new techniques on their own; that is what makes this hobby interesting to many people.

If you are looking for feeback these would be my recommendations:

Never assume anyone knows what you are selling. Clearly describe your products.

Know your customer and the customers needs (this changes depending on who you are speaking to and more importantly, who you are "listening" to)

Don't use hard-sell tactics; it's a no-win proposition If the product is good and matches the customers needs it should sell itself and your customer will come back. Hard-sell them something they can't afford or aren't ready to use causes buyers remorse and you will lose them as a customer "and" any potential referrals they would have made.