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Category: Haunted House Tips

Moving a Haunt from Outside to Inside plus a FREE Place to List & Find Haunts

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 57:53 — 79.5MB)

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Find Haunted Houses & Haunted Attractions in Your AreaYou think to yourself….”Should I start an outdoor Haunted Trail where the atmosphere is already creepy?” or “Get a building where it’s nice and dry during those wet Octobers?” There are disadvantages and advantages of both. Ian Austin from Circle of Ash Haunted Attraction sits in the dungeon with us and explains the challenges he faced during his transition from moving his Haunted Attraction from outdoors to indoors. He also shares a new website he has developed for listing your Haunt and finding other Haunts around you.

In this audio interview, Ian Austin walks you through some tips if you are thinking about moving your Haunt from outdoors to indoors. Reasons why he might enjoy Haunting in the woods just a little bit more than being indoors.  And get the update on his NEW website (find haunts.com) for listing your Haunted House for FREE and find other Haunts around you. It works on your mobile phone too!

We also play some morbid music from Sam Hayne’s New CD “Spine Chillers”, MadCity Haunt opens up the Haunter’s Toolbox with his segment on easy ways to carve foam and make foam wall panels, and we announce rules on how to win one of Sam’s new CDs! (We are giving away 4 copies.)

Ian’s Haunt- The Circle of Ash Haunted House & Attraction is in Cedar Rapids, IA. Started in 2010, by Frightmare Forest Productions, Circle of Ash has grown to five events since 2012. The off-season shows are Scare Up Some Love for Valentine’s Day Weekend, and Monsters during the Independence Day Weekend. There are three different shows during the Halloween season, Lockdown, Halloween Homicide and our main attraction, Circle of Ash. Plus, The Journey’s End Coffin Ride.

 

Haunt Topic Links From this Episode:

 

 MONTHLY PRIZE GIVEAWAY: 4 SPINE CHILLER CDS FROM SAM HAYNES!

ENTER BEFORE SEPTEMBER 24TH, 2014.

SUBSCRIBE HERE TO ENTER THIS CONTEST

Buy Spine Chillers from Sam Haynes

LISTEN TO 3 FREE MUSIC TRACKS OF “SPINE CHILLERS” IN THIS EPISODE! 

Operating an Outdoor Haunted Attraction with Eric Lowther (A Haunter’s Hangout Exclusive)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 2:32:51 — 209.9MB)

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haunted overload Lee NH

Have you always wondered what it takes to run a successful Outdoor Haunted Attraction? Through the snow, rainy days,competing with larger Haunted Houses, and still make enough progress to open up the next year?

In this episode of HaunTopic Radio, we have permission from The Haunter’s Hangout (Live Hangouts on YouTube) to rebroadcast their entire interview with Eric Lowther from The Haunted Overload! Eric opens up about the troubles he has had over the years keeping his Haunt open. He gives some sound advice you need to know about keeping your Haunted Attraction successful. And Eric lets you in on the new massive wood sculpture he is working on….

Haunted Overload New HampshireThe crew from The Haunter’s Hangout and guest Haunters all get together on Thursday evenings to chat about all things Halloween, Haunted Houses, and Home/Yard Haunts. Most hangouts are 2 hours long. I tried editing it down to less than 2 hours but the humor and information in this audio is priceless! You can watch this video on YouTube by clicking here.

Haunt Links:

Special thanks to the crew at The Haunter’s Hangout for sharing this with us and you. And to Eric Lowther for inspiring us Haunters to Think BIG when it comes to building our next prop. You guys rock!

 

haunted overload new hampshire

 

 

Thanks again to our sponsors for June!

Listen to our podcast to hear the 4 winners who won….

(3) Rust Out Your Props with a kit from Brutal Rust.com

How To Rust Your Props

A 2-Pack Cd from SinfulAudio.com. 1-Sound Effects/1-Creepy Atmosphere Tracks

Haunted Atmosphere

For a chance to win next time you must be a member of The Haunter’s Toolbox.

Subscribe Here (it’s free)!

How To Run A Multi-Seasonal Haunted House with Kim’s Krypt

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:18:30 — 107.8MB)

Subscribe: Apple

Kims Krypt-Essex, MarylandDo multi-seasonal Haunted Attractions work? Can you actually open the doors of your Haunted House for Friday the 13th, Independence Day, St.Patrick’s Day, Valentine’s Day, or Christmas…and get people to show up? Kim Yates from Kim’s Krypt in Essex, Maryland does it. In this interview, you might just pick up a few ideas on how to incorporate your attraction into different holidays and learn something new about operating a successful Scare Attraction.

Kim’s Krypt is a 21 year old unique Haunted Attraction operated by the passionate Kim Yates. If her Haunt doesn’t make your hair stand up… her infectious energy will! Not only is she dedicated to Halloween and Haunting; she plays in a popular band, rents hearses, works a full-time job, collects horror stuff, and keeps Kim’s Krypt running smoothly all year long.

Once a Home Haunter, Kim knows all about the difficult transitions between decorating your house for Halloween and starting your own Pro-Haunt. We dive into topics such as Things You Need To Know Before You Start Your Own Haunt, Why She Would Still Be a Home Haunter If She Could, and How To Find Passionate Halloween Fans to Help With Your Haunt.

We also announce the prizes for the month of June (Enter Here), Rich Christensen tells you How To Build a Hot Wire Foam Carving Table, and we play some atmospheric tunes from Sinful Audio.com.

We hope you enjoy this episode and go visit our crazy friend Kim Yates at Kim’s Krypt Haunted Attraction!

 

Here are the links we chat about:

 

What do you think about seasonal Haunted Attractions? Leave a comment below.

 

Win One Of These 4 Prizes!

(3) Rust Out Your Props with a kit from Brutal Rust.com

How To Rust Your Props

A 2-Pack Cd from SinfulAudio.com. 1-Sound Effects/1-Creepy Atmosphere Tracks

 Haunted Atmosphere

+To Enter+ You must a member of our Haunter’s Toolbox. It’s FREE. Subscribe Here!

Recruiting Scare Actors for Your Haunt with Allen Hopps

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:16 — 74.5MB)

Subscribe: Apple

Haunted Attraction Scare Acting TrainingSo…you’ve spent numerous hours designing the Haunt. Gathered all of your construction friends to help you build the Haunt. Now it’s time to make your Haunted House come to life!

How do you find and persuade strangers and non-halloween friends into becoming an actor in your Haunt?

Allen Hopps, Founder of StiltBeast Studios and Show Director for Dark Hour Haunted House, shows you how to find and recruit scare actors for your Haunted House in this episode of HaunTopic Radio. Whether you’re a Home Haunter or Haunted Attraction owner, finding reliable warm bodies to pump energy through your Haunted Event can be a daunting task.

  • Where do you find people that want to be there every weekend through October?
  • What types of personalities do you look for when recruiting?
  • How do you know who to keep and who to let go?

We will answer these questions in this podcast episode and help guide you through the process of recruiting scare actors for your scare attraction or home haunt.

On a different topic, We would also like your feedback on the future of our Online Training for Haunters. Currently, we host online training classes for Haunt Owners and future Haunt Owners and want to know what topics you would like to learn about?

  • When it comes to being a Haunter (Home Haunter or Haunted Attraction Owner), what is your biggest struggle?

We also feel that there is a gap in the Haunt Community when it comes to finding information on The Haunted Attraction Business.

  • Would you benefit from an Online Community that was dedicated to making you a better Haunt Owner?

Please leave a comment below or CONTACT US with your suggestions and feedback.

 

Find Allen Hopps Here:

 

 

Thanks to our sponsors through the month of May! The winners are:

Ricky Heavner Wins…

A 10 second animated logo from High Tower Entertainment

 

high tower

The 5 Winners of

Copies of Sam Haynes New CD “Ghost Stories”-Listen Here

are

Paul Lancer Thomas

Btweezy414

Ducky66026

Charles Dustin Aurand

Ellen Lemberger

Sam Haynes Ghost Stories

You must be a member of our Haunter’s Toolbox Newsletter to qualify to win next month.

Subscribe for FREE here.

Wanting to start your own Haunted Attraction or Make Your Current Haunt Successful? Check out our online training video library:

Are you confused about where to start when it comes to operating your first Haunted Attraction? Are you a current Haunted House Owner that is looking for new ideas and techniques to carry your scare business to success? Then you have came to the right place!

Now you can learn from the professionals in the Haunt Industry without leaving your home. All of our classes are online and require no special equipment. You can even watch these training videos on your tablet, phone, or media device of your choice. Just find the recorded seminar that you like, go through the payment process, and start learning in the next few seconds.

 

Watch this sample video on what to expect in these training videos.

What You Need to Know Before You Go Into the Haunted House Business by Leonard Pickel

Leonard Pickel- How to Start a Haunted House Business

  • Why do most Haunted Attractions fail within the first 3 years?
  • Do you really have what it takes to succeed as a Professional Haunted House Owner
  • How much money should be spent on Marketing your Haunted House?
  • Where should you open your Haunted Attraction?
  • What codes should you be concerned with when designing your Haunt?
  • Save time by learning from Leonard’s years of experience and mistakes
  • Save money by learning the truth behind Haunt Ownership before you jump in
  • Will you make money your first year of operation?
  • and much, much more….

 

How To Recruit, Train, and Manage Haunted House Actors by Allen Hopps

Find More Haunted House Actor Training Tips in This Seminar

  • How to find actors, recruit them, and get them to stay all season
  • Training techniques & tricks to bring out the best in your actors
  • Save time by managing your scare acting team efficiently
  • When to hire and How to fire your employees
  • What kind of personalities make the best actors
  • Why actors are so vital in a Haunted House’s success
  • Proven acting strategies that will increase your actors realism
  • Bonus material about actor training and actor techniques
  • and much, much more…

 

Low-Cost Guerilla Marketing Ideas for New Haunt Owners by Gail Strumberger

  • Low Cost Haunted House MarketingLow-cost advertising ideas so you don’t have to blow your budget
  • How to get your community involved
  • Do hanging flyers & Ad Cards really attract customers?
  • Do you have a website yet? There are free options…
  • Increase your attendance by using Google’s platform
  • Use your Facebook page to sell ads and run contests
  • Cheap merchandising trick that may attract more customers
  • Vending. Sell your food & drink to keep the crowd satisfied
  • ..and much, much more.

 

Step By Step Haunted Attraction Design. Inside and Out. by Leonard Pickel

  • Advanced Haunted Attraction Design TrainingStep by step Haunted Attraction Design from concept to blueprint
  • Creative ideas to get you started
  • Design your own floor plan with free tools
  • Layout options for best scares and throughput
  • Codes and safety regulations explained
  • Using multi-element attractions for increased revenue
  • How you can switch up your theme without rebuilding
  • How much does it really cost to start a Haunted House
  • and much more….

 

How To Create a Back Story for Your Haunted House (and Use It In Marketing) Dana Martin

  • How to write a back story for your Haunted HouseLearn how to use the art of story telling in your Haunted Attraction
  • How creating a back story can actually save you money in advertising
  • How marketing your attraction just got a whole lot easier
  • Create a great theme that will keep your actors motivated
  • Easy to follow steps to write your own back story
  • Learn the most important things you need to know before designing your Haunt
  • Tips that will keep your actors coming back every season
  • Sample back stories you can use for inspiration

Training Packages Coming Soon…

Getting Down to Business with Your Haunt (The Business Plan) by Bart Butler

How to Design Your Haunted House Safely and Effectively by Dan Faupel