Thread: Help: Trick'r Treat Styled Ghosts

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I rewatched Trick'r Treat around Christmas as inspiration for my paranormal investigation themed haunt. Specifically, I watched it for the opening sequence. The yard features these fantastic, gigantic ghosts.



Easy enough to design from the sheet up, right? And though there is a pretty clear shot of how these monstrosities are stuck to the ground, I cannot for the life of me figure out how to adapt it for home use.



It's a tripod kind-of structure leading to the main support post. However, in my area, without fail, if I build a prop with a structure like this, the wind will knock it down or rip it to shreds throughout the night. My instinct is to just sink those legs into the ground and be done with it. However, I had to secure some 2x4s into the ground for a different kind of prop last year and swore I would never, ever need to use a post-digger for Halloween decorations again.

So what are some options for keeping this kind of ghost securely on the ground? I will, at most, build one that large. The others will be considerably smaller. I'm going to be draping a lot of extra fabric over the support structure to better mask the base and will be building up little tableaus around each ghost to hide the rest, so the size of the base or number of legs is not an issue.

The other question regards this fantastic shot.



Notice how bright the light is underneath the sheet? I want that. I want that so bad in all different colors to reflect the scene each ghost is in. I'm guessing they did it with a whole bunch of flood or can lights aimed right underneath.

I'm trying to cut down on the number of cables I have to run through the yard this year. Anyway to get that kind of effect with an LED set-up? How?

The sooner I can work these details out, the sooner I can start sculpting the human characters for the haunt so they actually look like expressive people, not amorphous blobs.

First issue...the supports. You will likely need to use PVC pipe over rebar pounded into the ground for the main post with tripod pieces attached for stability.

2nd issue, the colors...I think I would get colored cellophane to put under the sheets OR light them up with clip on LEDs like these http://www.jackstoolshed.com/p-76-su...r-choices.aspx

Many of us bought a gazillion of these last fall. awesome little lights for the cheap price

I agree with the pvc over rebar.I had a skelly on cornstalks pictures are in album.It was around 10 feet high it never moved and we had some hard winds.None of my props blew over with this method.For the lights you can also go with a light that is made for pumpkins.I really don't know if they are sold anywhere anymore.But you use to could buy the changing colored ones.You could also do a batt operated strobe to be little they put out some light.I also agree with the little leds those lights are amazing.

To check, I pound the rebar into the ground, then slide the PVC over the rebar, then tie the tripod to the PVC. Sounds easy enough.

I'll have to play around with the cellophane idea. Those clip on LEDs look great. I found out about them too late to get them in time for Halloween last year then lost the link.

Actually, it might be easier to tie ropes around the pvc and then to stakes in the ground, like anchoring a tent if that makes sense. I had to do that with a 7 ft grim reaper 2 years ago. Or you could make a X out of 2 x 4s, drill holes and pound in railroad stakes. Cover the base w leaves and voila. I think that's how Terra does her headstones for stability and security.

I watched this movie, and I was thinking of making some myself. Never did get around to it last year, maybe 2011

I loved this scene in Trick R Treat too. I love it when you have multiples of the same figure and no one is sure which one to keep their eyes on. I wanted to do a similar scene with maybe not so many figures and style them differently. My question is though, what are the advantages of going with a tripod base as opposed to more of a "cross" configuration for each one? I was planning on doing a cross or maybe even just 2 legs to the ground with PVC sleeved over rebar. Winds are a problem here too. I'm curious about your choice of base. Maybe I should be thinking about that as well.....???

I used fishing line to tie my skelly to the pvc.I didn't use a base just pounded the rebar into the ground.Put my pvc which was really snug infact it is still over the rebar.My prop was really light so it didn't move.
You could use pvc and fittings for the ghost body and cover them with a white sheet.You could get a variety of arm postions from the fittings.
If you do it post pictures it sounds like a cool project.

To secure things to the ground, I usually either use little eye hooks into the pvc and then fishing line down to tent stakes in the ground. Another way I do it is to screw in the support brakets for plumbing into the base of things, paint them black and then stick a tent spike through that into the ground. The fishing line works great and can't be seen but, if people are walking around the props you have to cordin them off because people will trip for sure.

I really think the PVC over the rebar is the way to go to be the most secure. I'm asking more about the style of the form underneath the drape that was suggested. Most things in our cemetery i.e. fence, tombstones, etc. are held by rebar/pvc and they don't ever move, not even in 50 mph gusts. I try to minimize the width of props in the yard because of the wind. Plus I think it would be more realistic with a narrower (i.e. 1 or 2 pvc pipes) than with a wider tripod style base. As long as the structure/frame under the drape/sheet is not too heavy, it should be supported easily.....Any thoughts?