[Ghost of Spookie]

Yesterday I picked up the 2005 Gemmy full-size white haired guy Spirit Ball from ROSS DRESS FOR LESS ($19.99). We've been talking about it over in the General Halloween section under "First Halloween Item Sightings" link (more info there). They just started putting it out on the shelves. It's great BTW and comes with a remote and wireless microphone, also an A/C adapter. Can also be run on 6 AAs I think. Anyway I look at it as another type of Boris talking skull kind of prop. It also looks familiar. I thought Merv Griffin, but now I recognize him and think, Dr. Shivers! without the goggles on his head or body. I've been wanting to do a mad scientist lab and now think this will be perfect for it.

The doc may get a "dalek-like" body due to radiation exposure from a past experiment gone wrong. I'll take the head out of the crystal ball and implant him. I thought I could use the wireless mic (which works great BTW) and stay hidden in the shadows and have some fun with the ToTers that come to the lab.

I want to do a walkway from the lab that will be industrial looking, with pipes on the walls (PVC), and the area triggered by a motion sensor. A radiation steam pipe leak (fogger) will errupt setting off a flashing beacon and emergency evacuation message. Upon exiting you'll get your candy.

Love to hear any suggestions for the evil doctor or setting.

BTW I'm also planning a fish tank experiment gone awry (Twisted Ambience's Dead Sea Aquarium). Thought I might be able to use a real fish tank pump to bubble a column of water or two for effect. I bought a knife switch prop recently that I'm going to incorporate into a life-force chamber. I liked the video of it in action, and bought it during their 50% off clearance special.

I can't decide if I'll have enough time to finish this for this year or not. I loved OpenTrackRacer's lab project thread and got my inspiration from it.

Oh and I found these really cool vintage lightbulbs that I want to plan somehow into my lab. Love them.

 

[kittyvibe]

I just bought a couple of these, one to use as is and planned to mangle the other into something. After opening it up I realized, as you did, that this looks just like dr shivers' head. Im glad it didnt look like just an old guy hehe, especially since what he says sounds liek hes reading fortunes, its almost exactly what the gypsy spirit ball says.

After playing a bit with one head I now am inspired to go back and buy more to mod, just like your doing. Im glad you posted because its given me some ideas. Im not technical enough to literally hack the audio or anything but thought, well, I can rip his face off and put a new one on alright, and he has a mic, so I can hook him up to some prerecorded audio or talk thru him with my female voice. (like if I wanted to make he a she type of creature. ) Also, all the tales from the crypt stuff as of late (and me watching them recently) makes me want to get some crypt keeper audio and mask and make a sitting prop where he talks, my sister could be his hand actor, it might be cool.

Those of us who dont have any cool fortune tellers can make a booth to sit in and hand out candy while talking through the mic to make the spirit ball (in whatever you make it look like) move and speak. I thought these things and plan to go back tomorrow and hope theres still some spirit balls left. I know I left behind 3 total, so I have to plan what to use them for and where on earth to store them, lol.

I really like your idea and how you plan to set up. Im not familiar with dalek-like bodies but im thinking it must be gruesome, I think how you plan to use your setup is brilliant, I love it.

 

[MsMeeple]

One thing I might suggest is a transformation box. Very easy to make and it was a hit at our party with adults so I'm sure the kiddies will love it. Dont have a how to but did made a video using the pics:

Transformation Box

A witch from Canada also had some really cool props for her lab made from normal every day stuff. You might want to check out her photobucket as well.

Your plan sounds great!

MsM

 

[kittyvibe]

I cant get your videos to play, am I needing something? I sooo want to view :3

 

[Ghost of Spookie]

....I really like your idea and how you plan to set up. Im not familiar with dalek-like bodies but im thinking it must be gruesome, I think how you plan to use your setup is brilliant, I love it.

Here's a wikipedia link to the daleks. They were from The Dr. Who sci-fi series done in Britian but aired here in the U.S. Very sci-fi but picture a human head on top for my idea. They were "all machine" out to exterminate the humans. Anyways think of these guys on a Roomba.

Another example of my idea would be Commander Christopher Pike from Star Trek (old B&W episodes) Pike was more recently shown in the last movie done but I think they showed Pike in a mobile apparatus in the early shows.