realism

So are you doing anything to add realism to your haunt this year? If so add the items which will add realism to the thread.. We are adding a cockroach colony. We're actually breeding the roaches as food for a chameleon but they will be a nice addition to add creepiness to our display.

In years past, my haunt has consisted of basic black walls with a few rooms having 'Scene Setters' up to make it look like a kitchen, dining room, etc. which added some needed variety but still wasn’t super impressive. One of the things that always gets me about Pro Haunts is how realistic their...

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 ;)...

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but I've been slowly transferring my photo album tutorials to the blog here. I've fixed some broken pieces (picture links), put on a fresh coat of paint (better explanations) and added a few more goodies to them (videos). This next one was my very first tutorial...

Electrical transformers are accents you could use in a laboratory scene or electrical room at your haunt. You can make these using some funny things around your workshop. Hey, just like a mad doctor would :p For a quick rundown of how to put this together, please check this video out...

Steel I-beams are critical set pieces for an industrial/factory room in your haunt. Luckily, they are fairly simple to make using foam. Plus, they are just fun to have around the house. heheh. Here's a video of them scattered around the basement: Items Needed: (to make 6) One sheet...

Czech Hedgehogs are a military defensive barrier that are easy to replicate using 2x4's and one wood screw. Yeah! :D Use them plopped outside the haunt to add a fast military look or for the base of an elaborate display. Below, they are in a minefield/queue line: Here's a quick video...

Here's a fake old factory glass window (55" tall x 53" wide) that will add an industrial look to your haunt. You can easily change up the size to fit your needs. I used the basic idea from TDK421 and adapted it for a wall that has no window. Here's TDK421's awesome idea...

Here's a way to take the brand new prop you made with new materials and dirty it up so it looks like it's covered with years of grime. This also works great for everyday items you use in your haunt to help them blend in. Pictures that compliment the video: The amp on the left looked...

Here's how to take a raw Boogedy form from Fright Theatre and make him ALIVE! er...I mean DEAD! Purchase the raw version (with steel armature) of Boogedy from Fright Theatre. It comes with the built-in steel armature, foot plates, latex, webbing and chip brushes for $200 off their list...

Here's a quick and literally 'dirty' way to make some spider eggs sacs. If you want to see them in action, please check out my video showing the spider room: Materials needed: Chicken wire Poly batting Cheesecloth Fake spider webs Fake spiders (or real ones) Dried leaves...

So glad there was the time to make this just before Halloween. Was thinking if there was an impressive entrance to the haunt, it would help set the mood. Also, needed something to be obvious that this was the entrance to the garage haunt. This is a very large gate (8' x 6') so it is...

I tried my hand at making the Beloved Tombstone by somewhat using the instructions at Haunted Webby - Alice Tombstone. I got additional ideas from Kevin at Brewster's Yard haunt at Brewster Yard Haunt: New Props. From what I can gather, the Beloved Tombstone was created by...

This is my version of the weeping angel tombstone that I combined with DaveintheGrave's peeping tombstone. For directions on how to make Dave's Peeping mechanism, please go to the following awesome, terrific, easy-to-follow thread: Project 1 - Instructor Thread You can also make this just a...

Herman Secret has a great tutorial showing how to use stickers to block out part of a stone when you are spray painting it for aging: Easy Tombstones Because I had a very large area I had to do a few different things. This technique shows how to use latex paint put on by a stencil to block...

This is a two-part video series on how to make Halloween Tombstones: Following is an outline and pictures of the construction of this stone: Okay, let's start: Cut Foam: First off...ALWAYS WEAR A MASK WHEN CUTTING FOAM! The foam dust floats through the air and...

Part of series: Seven Layers of Scare: http://www.halloweenforum.com/blogs/terra/528-seven-layers-scare.html Detailed look at layer four of Seven Layers of Scare.... Accents Ok, we've decided on our Theme and Art Direction (Layer One). Decorated the Walls, Ceilings and Floors to fit...