Thread: How to make a 12 yr old really scary?

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I have been brainstorming for quite a while on this, and I was wondering if anyone had any ideas. I need to make my son GENUINELY scary. We did a very good job last year and need to up the ante this year. Last year after begging him for months I convinced him to wear a cheap baby doll mask I modified slightly... and man was he creepy! The problem is that he doesn't want to do the same thing this year. I love halloween and my son and am willing to drop considerable time, effort, and money into it. We will be in our friends yard haunt mixed in with static and a couple moving props. I think he's leaning towards a mask of some sort. He likes gore (which doesnt always equate to scary). His mom likes cheap. I like deep psychologically rooted creepy-nes. Any ideas?

What is the haunt like? Something that fits in would give him the easiest startle scares. More fun scaring people makes up for a lack of gore.

But, gore is not all bad, either, and can be fairly cheap. A flesh peeling zombie can be fairly simple to do with some liquid latex, but can take some time to apply. Appliances are also a better alternative to pull over masks for added realism, but again take a little time to apply.

Some easy effects can be home made appliances as well. My son had lots of fun as a headhunter, for instance.



He also had a lot of scares as a scarecrow.



I think the key to both, however, is fitting in with the environment.

Let him run free in the mall with someone's credit card?

If he's about the right size and height, an older Damian from The Omen sequels? Gage from Pet Sematery? Just zombie-esque enough to creep people out without being a full-on Romero zombie.

We have thought seriously about prosthetics.. But it looks like I might already be applying and helping with 4 ppls makeup that day.. and he hasn't really liked any of the pieces i've showed him from cfx, reel fx, etc. The environment will be a mix and match of halloween mostly. There will be two witches (one in a "pilgrim" dress and the other with a hooded cloak) handing out candy on a porch populated with an obscene amount of scary baby dolls. The sidewalk leading to the porch will have a live scarecrow on one side and my son on the other. Zombie is plan B for me (i was a zombie last year). He was damien (and occasionally wore a monster mask) when was 7 or so. I will post some pics soon. He is great at blending and scaring. Thank you for the input!

Heck, why not dress him up as something that is guaranteed to scare adults: The IRS agent!!

Really any government agent would work. How about someone from the FDA or Health Inspection Department? Have him covered in "blood and guts" and use some sort of scary line from a demented doctor movie.

dora the explorer. scares the crap outta me.



if you have some spare time and some red paint or latex you can make him a demon.

My son is the same age....like you I make the kid's costumes and you are right it is a boy thing he always wants to be something gory. A few years ago he was a zombie business man, then a zombie groom and last year an insane doctor, who killed a patient (played by his sister). This costume turned out well because he looked sinister and frenzied, much scarier than the previous zombie costumes. . .gory is not always scary.

I was trying to convince him to go as Sammy (one of my favourite horror film characters), but it was a no go....this year he wants to be a mummie or something. Let us know what you come up with!

maybe a creepy cemetary statue, with some white out or black out contacts contacts? Kind of like the weeping angels, have a fake statue posed with him, and when the ToTs aren't looking have him move?
http://creepy-eyes.deviantart.com/ar...me-3-124658898
http://www.flickr.com/photos/weingartdude/3745610053/

Dr.Who's "Don't Blink" episode with very creepy weeping angels


or maybe the ivy man? a shrub costume with a planter he could stand in right? great for surprise factor...

great concept with the statue but id advise against the contacts. Maybe paint his eyelids and let him open them when someone gets near. Sclearia, black out, lenses blind the wearer. actors and actresses wearing them either memorize their steps or they have an assistant to guide them.

Originally Posted by jokersall

great concept with the statue but id advise against the contacts. Maybe paint his eyelids and let him open them when someone gets near. Sclearia, black out, lenses blind the wearer. actors and actresses wearing them either memorize their steps or they have an assistant to guide them.

I was worried about the contacts a bit because I know they're expensive and don't fit everyone. Plus I know a lot of people have issues with contacts. I actually painted my eyelids for halloween once. The effect worked pretty well.

http://www.halloweenforum.com/member...ir-evening.jpg