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Hello Everyone!!!

Well after much debate I decided to continue on with my home haunt this year even though my son is off to college and we're empty nesters now. I just enjoy the season too much to go cold turkey and I think most of my neighbors like it too. So hopefully I can pull it off this year once again and that's why I'm looking for some story line help from you!

In years past I've done Zombies, Evil clowns, Bio Hazard Spill/Toxic waste monsters, more zombies and a camping theme. This year I'm thinking of telling the story of how my street got its name. As chance would have it I love on Rayburn drive. So Ray and Burn. Ray burns down things. Possibly his victims are out to get seek revenge. His family? Neighbors? Would they be ghosts? As long as it's not overly morbid (because arson isn't cool/cute or funny) I think I'm onto something new for my haunt.

Typically I sent tots on a guided tour around my yard/woods. The guides will introduce the story line and then stations will have skits that play out. At the end there is usually some big pay out with a good startle. I also try to include laughs along the way so it's an emotional rollercoaster. The only thing I REALLY had in mind for a playoff at the end of the haunt is for Ray to be taken out. Thinking of doing the head drop gag but unsure how that would merge with the story? Would some of my actors be carrying around swords, an axe...what? If you make it overly complicated it can ruin things but I like the idea of attaching the street name to the Halloween story and that is a GREAT visual that I think I can pull off.

Any plot lines that help would be appreciated. As far as effects go I'm going to try and use a lot of fog/smoke, red lights, orange lights, fake flames and possibly a garage heater that'll be blowing hot air at people at some point along the tour. If you have any suggestions on good fire effects that'll be awesome too. Safety is VERY important!!

Thanks!!!!
Zombcie

 

[UnOrthodOx]

So Ray and Burn. Ray burns down things. Possibly his victims are out to get seek revenge. His family? Neighbors? Would they be ghosts? As long as it's not overly morbid (because arson isn't cool/cute or funny) I think I'm onto something new for my haunt.

You could take it the other way...Ray was an accused witch and was burned at the stake, now he's come back for revenge! Keeps you out of the arson thing, and makes him into the boogie man, which makes the story line easier to tell. Since it's a guided tour, you could even have 2-3 guards with some of them being 'taken' by ray along the way. Finale could be Ray...burns...if you can get the fire effects down.

Aside from some pricey special effects rigs, though, I'm not sure how to rig up a good fire effect.

Maybe look into some flash paper/powder/cotton to make a good POOF! Ray just behind a firepit, hidden fog machine, blast lots of fog, toss the flash paper, and poof, Ray is gone?

 

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Thats an interesting idea Unorthodox. Thank you! Witches are the next big thing. Hmmmmm. What could the actors be doing though. His victims?

 

[LadySherry]

some actors could be fellow witches and doing rituals/spells
others could be witch hunters.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

some actors could be fellow witches and doing rituals/spells
others could be witch hunters.

Yeah, a whole coven bringing him back from the beyond! Some priests battling the evils. You could spin it more voodoo if you want to get away from the standard 'witch', even. Maybe some teens 'just messing around' accidentally bringing him back?

 

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I like where this is going. See, it's why I love this site!!!!!

OK-- so far possibly this for a story line.


* Tour begins and guide tells the story of how "Ray" was one of the local witches burnt at the stake for performing witchcraft.
*Kids around a campfire playing with a "Ray" Voodoo doll. Poking it and conjuring him back from the grave.
* ? unsure next skit
* Burnt corpses along the path.
*? unsure next skit
*? unsure next skit

*Creepy Lady appears wearing the "Head Drop" gag. Joins the Tots and walks with them for a bit acting creepy.
*Ray appears pulling creepy lady from group and seaking his revenge pretends to cut off her head using this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsL_JDtVbww

If you can think of any mid haunt skits that'll help build this new story line before the final payoff that would be great.

 

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A few of my scareactors weren't convinced the new "witch" story line is the way to go. I always want their input because if they own it, they put in a better performance . Not back to the drawing board mind you. Just need to find something that works for everyone without being overly creepy (AKA: arson).

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Did they have some suggestions?


Anyhow...ok, lets swing it an entirely different direction:
Ray Burns, monster hunter! Taking you on a monster hunt through the local legends? Could have LOTS of fun scenes everywhere of Ray battling various things along the trail. Could be taken morbid to humorous depending on how you want to go.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

"Michael Rayburn. ZOmbie hunter." Has this really classic cheesy zombie movie feel to it, don't it? Sounds like all your actors like the zombie/apocalypse theme and all to begin with, judging from your hustory.

Can swing that a number of ways from having Michael dispatch zombies in various sight gag ways, to being turned himself and being offed at the end.

 

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They did not have any alternative suggestions Unorthodox. Just said they likes the original idea of Ray having burnt his family better than he's a witch. Plus-- flames are hard to mimic well and I've never used flash powder! Your idea of turning him into a zombie or monster killer is a good one but over the years we actually have two tours going at one time so we'd need two main charaters. Hard to do. Usually my guides give a lot of the tour description and keep the crowd moving. I like the way your mind thinks though. You have great ideas!

 

[LadySherry]

if you go with the burning idea. You could do a BIG oven and have live peeps inside trying to get out with the flame/redness in the door window. or one actor loading the oven with bodies.
I have a twisted mind. sorry if I offend anyone.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

^someone did a fake house fire...crap...it's not something I saved a link to as it wasn't anything I was planning on. I bet you could make use of it though...I'll see if I can dig it up.

Terra also did a fake flame setup one year. IIRC, it was with an orange alarm type light reflecting on the wall. I think it was the first year she built Terra.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Here's the house fire: http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/99645-my-house-caught-fire.html

Ran into this while searching that:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/halloween-props/88571-fog-faux-fire.html

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Hm...Terra's effect was harder to track down...hey, it's only back to 2007...

Pictured here in the "throne" pic:

http://www.halloweenforum.com/general-halloween/65882-terra-queens-big-night.html

She described how it was done SOMEWHERE, but I'm striking out on that post...

 

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Before I posted this original message I had bumped into that window fire effect on the site and was blown away. I would love to do that in the window of my house so as people waited in line for the haunt, the whole "Fire" theme would be set in their mind. I actually have an old tree fort that is part of my tour. I could do something similar inside that. Just need to block off the big open door and use the windows only perhaps! See photo of fort from a few ears ago.

Because of my limited budget building anything huge like a fake oven is out of the question Lady Sherry but in the event I do a warped Hansel and Gretel or book theme some year. that would be great!

 

[LadySherry]

we made our oven out of cardboard and aluminum foil.used 1x2s for the frame

 

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I'll keep that in mind Lady Sherry. I had a great Freddy K figure when I first started decorating but someone stole the mask. Perhaps in the future I'll do regular movie characters instead of making up my own plot line.

 

[kakugori]

If you want something large, cheap and box shaped, go to a home improvement store and ask for an appliance box. Refrigerator, dishwasher, oven, sometimes doors or cabinets - ask what they have. Chances are that if somebody has bought one recently, they have the box in the back somewhere. Most of these are some really sturdy cardboard too.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Terra got back to me with a video of her effect, because she's awesome like that.

 

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That looks great!! Amazing what some good lighting will do!!!!