May 22 2012

What Nightmares Are Made Of…

What Nightmares Are Made Of...

What Nightmares Are Made Of...

Fright Room Productions is proud to present our all new web store appropriately titled What Nightmares Are Made Of…

We have planty of great new products for 2012. They are already selling out so act fact! We have decided to keep our new products seperate from the haunt work on this site. But rest assured, when you shop at What Nightmares Are Made Of… you will be getting the same great quality products you have come to expect from Fright Room Productions.

For 2012 we are introducing a new line of gore displays with everything from sliced open autopsy pigs to severd body parts on cutting boards. These items look painfully realistic and won’t disappoint!

We also do custom work so don’t hesitate to contact us with special orders or custom alterations to existing products.

Visit the store now!
www.WhatNightmaresAreMadeOf.com

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May 08 2012

National Haunters Convention 2012

Category: Conventions,Halloween Randomness,Haunted House,VendorsZombie "admin" Joe @ 11:27 pm

This past weekend I was heading to a business meeting with one of my vendor friends and conveniently it coincided with the National Haunters Convention. So I took a few hours to walk around and check out what they had to offer. The show, much like 2011, was not as large as I had hoped. This year it was moved into the larger Expo Center which allowed for more vendors and higher ceilings for bigger props. Unfortunately they didn’t really have more vendors and bigger props (although the larger space did allow for the two indoor haunts and the ScAir Structure sample). Still, it was good to catch up with some of the people I work with and other familiar faces from last year.

Here’s a quick rundown of highlights! Corresponding photos for each item are in the photo gallery at the bottom of this post.

  • Opening Ceremony: Co-owner Michael Bruner got married moments before they opened the doors. There’s nothing like zombies at your wedding :)
  • Classes: I had the privilege of participating in Allen Hopps’ class “Turning Your Actors Into A Team.” Allen who runs Stiltbeast Studios has been an inspiration of mine for a while now and I use many of his techniques in my haunt work. I was admittedly a bit of a gushing fan but he was still nice enough to take a photo with me. So cool! [Visit Stiltbeast Studios]
  • Haunted Handyman: This is the type of merchandise I wish they had more of. Pete makes all of this stuff on his own and they’re all unique air powered props. I know his items went over well in 2011 and it was good to see him return in 2012. [Visit Haunted Handyman]
  • Creepy Collection: These guys are known for their gory clowns and zombies and this year they did not disappoint! Unfortunately the air system was down so I couldn’t take a video of their animatronics but they still looked great without even being turned on! [Visit Creepy Collection Props]
  • Indoor Haunts: The Psycho Trail setup two mini haunts on the showroom floor. The first was “The Infected” which is a zombie themed wasteland. The layout was something new to me and it definitely inspired me to make some changes to my haunt this year! The second haunt was “Big Top Mayhem” which is a 3D Clown maze. I didn’t get to experience this one with live actors but I could appreciate the potential!
  • Specter Studios: This was one of my favorite booth from the show. I formed a great relationship with the owner Mark back in 2011 at this same show. I ended up using his zombie and clown costumes in my 2011 haunt and they were big hits! Although I wasn’t at the show for long, I’m happy I got to meet with him face to face again. I’m definitely looking forward to working more with the Specter Studios team in the future! [Visit Specter Studios]
  • All Scare: I first met the team from All Scare at the 2011 show and I was happy to see them return. The booth was larger this time and they had even more animatronics. I love the concept of the universal frame. [Visit All Scare]
  • ScAir Structures: I’ve heard so much about ScAir Structures but I had never had the chance to see one in person – until now! The material was a lot stronger than I expected and I could see actually using this in the future. I wish they had posted a rep from the company so I could ask questions and get to know them. It was basically just an empty setup that you could walk through and examine… [Visit ScAir Structures]
  • Here are the photos from the show. Enjoy!

    National Haunters Convention 2012

    Take a look at a few of the shots I took while browsing the showroom floor!

    19 Photos

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Mar 19 2012

Fright Room Productions 2011 Haunt Video

Category: Haunted House,Zombie RandomnessZombie "admin" Joe @ 7:45 pm

After a looooong wait, the video for Fright Room Productions’ 2011 haunted house video is here. It’s incredible to see how things have evolved from the first small scare haunt in 2006. Let’s hope for even bigger and better in 2012! (You can also follow Fright Room on Facebook!)

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Jul 20 2011

For The Love Of The Glove

Category: Halloween Randomness,Movies & Movie ReviewsZombie "admin" Joe @ 8:48 pm
Oblivion FX's Part 6 Glove

Oblivion FX's Part 6 Glove

It wasn’t too long ago that I was sitting back and enjoying the latest A Nightmare On Elm Street  documentary, appropriately titled Never Sleep Again. Mixed in with all of the great interviews and behind the scenes is a short 18 minute featurette called “For The Love Of The Glove.” It briefly covers the history of Freddy’s infamous glove and then touches on the people building replica gloves. I sat back in complete awe of how many people are out there completely in love with, well, the glove!

It was at this point that I broke out my collection of gloves and admired them for the amazing pieces of art work they are. The DVD featurette was great but there was just one little problem… it left me wanting more. Much more. So I made the decision to take it upon myself and create a website that will unofficially continue the featurette.

Fast forward a few weeks and I’m writing website code while surrounded by gloves from various builders. The glove building community really took to my idea and I really appreciate their support. I also received a large collection of gloves from a buddy of mine and I’ll be featuring them all on the site. The intention is to make this a one-stop spot for everything you could ever want to know about the glove. Part of the site will include a listing of all known builders and information on how you can order yourself a replica glove. I have other exclusives I cant mention just yet, but it’s going to be a glove enthusiast dream come true – pun definitely intended!

I realize this post would have been more appropriate if the website was done and ready, but I felt like posting it now. So here we are! The site has a small teaser animation and is worth checking out (I would like to think so since I created it!) It’ll be fully functional soon and I’ll be posting here so you won’t miss out! Sleep tight kiddies…

For The Love Of The Glove
http://www.fortheloveoftheglove.com

I also highly recommend the Never Sleep Again documentary I mentioned earlier. It’s a must-have DVD for any Nightmare fan.

Never Sleep Again
http://www.elmstreetlegacy.com

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Sep 03 2010

2008 Haunted House Stats

Category: Halloween Randomness,Haunted HouseZombie "admin" Joe @ 9:34 am

2008 Haunt - Torture Room

In 2008 I did something big… I setup a haunted house… A big haunted house… A 2,000 square foot haunted house to be exact… And it was good… Real good…

Of all my past productions, it’s the one that gets the most questions and comments. It’s the most photographed and documented project to date. People are impressed when I tell them I planned, designed, setup and executed everything for this haunt on my own – all after my 9-5 job. Don’t even get me started on the process of taking it all down!

I have and will continue to talk a lot about this haunt and the good times I had managing it. The countless guests that were frightened to enter are a testament to the hard work that went into it.

So in the spirit of the upcoming Halloween season, I bring you a list of stats for the project. I’ve had these stashed away since wrapping up production and I think it’s about time they see the light of day. Some item are funny, some are serious, but all are true…

2008 Haunted House Stats

  • Number of hooks used: Dozens
  • Number of pins used: Hundreds
  • Number of staples used: Thousands
  • Feet of blackout craft paper: Maybe I should count the paper cuts instead…
  • Number of black shower curtains from the dollar store: They know me by name…
  • Cost of creating this haunt: Hahahahahaha
  • Number of times I electrocuted myself: Twice (yes, really)
  • Number of times I fell off a ladder: Three… but no broken bones
  • Number of times I worked so late I started seeing things: Twice
  • Number of times I accidentally killed the lights and got freaked out and ran to safety in the nearby kitchen: Twice
  • Number of times I stapled myself: Three (It hurts worse than being electrocuted)
  • Number of hours I slept before opening day: One (5-6am.) I was up until 5am doing finishing touches
  • Number of live actors: It varied each showing but roughly seven
  • Number of children that cried: Zero. (Unlike 2007′s haunt, I didn’t allow children this year)

And that’s the 2008 Haunted House Stats List. I can only imagine what this year will bring…

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Aug 24 2010

Fright Room Productions Promo Video

Category: Halloween Randomness,Haunted HouseZombie "admin" Joe @ 10:11 am

I just wrapped up work on the first of several promo videos to help promote Fright Room Productions. Things are finally coming together and I’m happy with the results. The good news is there’s more on the way!

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Feb 05 2010

Skeleton Candelabra Halloween Prop

Category: Halloween Prop Reviews,Home DecorZombie "admin" Joe @ 5:27 pm

Skeleton Candelabra Here we have another old Halloween prop for which I don’t have a good deal of background info. As with all of my prop reviews, I appreciate any info you can share to help fill in the blanks.

Source Info: I got this prop from a friend, and I believe it was several years old. I don’t have an exact date or the original retail price. I suspect it was a Spirit Halloween prop, but don’t hold me to that…

Design: Lets start with the base – something you can’t actually see in the photos, but it’s made of thick heavy steel. It’s not tipping over any time soon! The latex “neck” of the skull covers this base and it does it well. Just watch when you place this prop on a table… the weight can be deceiving and the metal base will put a dent in a wood table.

The neck, head, and horns are nicely designed and painted. It all meshes well together and looks like one piece.

The actual candles are unfortunately nowhere near as sturdy as the quality base. All it would have taken was a better design for mounting the candle. Instead its just glued on, and this results in frequent trips to the garage for more super glue. But as long as the prop isn’t moved around too much you’ll be okay. The bulbs are replaceable and you can use standard lights or the more appropriate flicker bulbs.

Controls: This part is pretty simple and just what you would expect. Plug it in and turn the dial to ON or OFF. This is better than having it always on when plugged in. I like having options…

Final Thoughts: Overall this prop was made with good care and design. The candles are a bit sensitive so don’t let the kids near it. I would still suggest buying it.

Skeleton Candelabra - Photo Gallery

A few notes about the images. The yellowish line you see down the middle of the skulls face was glue that dripped down from the previous owner. I kinda like it!

You'll also notice one of the candles is crooked. This is not by design, but rather the glue not holding properly. This I don't like!

5 Photos

Rating: ★★★½☆
Pros: Attractive Design, On/Off Control, Quality Base
Cons: Fragile Candles
Best Uses: Home Haunt, Halloween Party
Bottom Line: Buy it if you can find it!

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Feb 03 2010

Chest Splitting Zombie Animated Prop

Category: Halloween Prop ReviewsZombie "admin" Joe @ 1:52 pm
Chest Splitting Zombie Animated Halloween Decoration

Chest Splitting Zombie

This one is an oldie but a goodie! The “Chest Splitting Zombie” may be one of the older Spirit Halloween products but it doesn’t disappoint!

Source Info: I was lucky enough to get this prop from a friend as a gift, but I understand it was released around 2006 or 2007 and the retail price was $200. That seems a bit steep but considering it’s age, that seems about right for the time. Spirit’s line of animated props was more limited and you paid a premium for something like this.

Design: The base of the prop could use a little work. It’s sturdy and heavy, which is a good thing, but it looks fake. In comparison to the rest of the prop design the base is a disappointment. Is he rising out of a volcano? Why are there several hands reaching up? It cheapens the look of the prop.

The body itself looks great! The color of the latex on the body parts don’t match perfectly, but that’s not a huge concern in the dark. The head/face looks good and the hairs hanging in front of his face are a nice touch!

The inside parts (that you see when he rips his chest open) look good but they did a poor job of hiding the foam stuffing. You’ll see this if you look at him from an angle. This could have been easily fixed with a little extra latex on the insides.

Animation: The animation is sound activated. I’ll never understand why motion activation is ever excluded from these animated props. Home haunters want that option – so give us that option. Even if it raises the final cost for the addition parts. That issue aside, the movement is great! Once he’s activated, he pulls his chest open to reveal a beating heart. At the same time he slowly kicks his head back (as if looking up at the sky) and lets out a scream. Unlike many other animated props, the movement here is very fluid – making this one of my favorite props.

Controls: Normally these props don’t provide you with many control options. It’s either on or off. This time time Spirit added a much appreciated volume control for the screaming sound effect. A home haunt can vary greatly in size and location, so having the ability to adjust the volume makes sense. My only question is why have they stopped including this feature?

Final Thoughts: This prop was innovative at the time of its release and it’s stood the test of time. You’ll be hard pressed to find one available for purchase and if you do, I suggest you go for it!

Chest Splitting Zombie Animated Prop - Photo Gallery

Here you'll find several photos of this guy in action. I also added some shots of the box. More photos are available upon request!

8 Photos

Rating: ★★★★☆
Pros: Attractive Body Design, Movement, Sound Effects
Cons: No Motion Sensor, Poorly Designed Base
Best Uses: Home Haunt
Bottom Line: Buy it if you can find it!

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Jan 29 2010

Life-Size Animated Michael Myers

Category: Halloween Prop ReviewsZombie "admin" Joe @ 10:28 pm
Michael Myers

Ready to Kill!

I knew the moment I saw this guy I would be buying him. I have many of the other products in this line (Freddy, Jason, Leatherface, etc) and I’ve always wanted Michael Myers to complete the collection.

Before I get into the review details, lets cover some of the basic info from Spirit’s site…

This is the Life-Size Animated Michael Myers (Item #01030071) which a Spirit Halloween exclusive product.  The retail price is $249.99.

Greet your guests with the face of true evil. Evil has a destiny and it is in your home with this Rob Zombie Halloween life-size Animated Michael Myers figure. Hear the Halloween movie theme and heavy breathing as his head turns and his eyes move from side to side in search of his next victim – could it be you? You’ll be breathless with fear when you see his knife-wielding arm move in your direction! This motion activated prop will astound and terrify even the bravest guests and fascinate horror film fans and Halloween buffs.

* The officially licensed life-size Animated Michael Myers from the Rob Zombie Halloween film is an authentically attired jumpsuit-clad figure with an incredibly detailed likeness. His face was sculpted by the famous FX make-up artist Wayne Toth and it captures every tortured detail.
* The motion-activated figure stands an imposing and full six feet tall and his eyes move while his head turns from side to side; he plays the Halloween movie theme and heavy breathing while performing menacing and spooky arm movements with his knife.
* For indoor use only.
* Uses standard household electric and includes a six ft. cord.

Looking Shabby!

Looking Shabby!

Ok, now it’s my turn!

Let me start off by saying this is a great prop but it still needs some work.

This guy is big and perfect for a home haunt. Some people may be turned off by the fact that its branded as a Rob Zombie Halloween 2 Myers and not the traditional white mask Myers. I would be happy to own either version so this wasn’t a problem for me. I was turned off by the typical base he’s attached to. Why can’t they come up with something better than a black base with a big purple button in the center How about putting the button in the back so its not too inconvenient to press but its out of sight. Not a big deal, but it seems like a simple and logical change.

I love the head. It really looks like a guy wearing a Myers mask. The hair looks much better in person compared to the online photos. His body needs a bit more stuffing to bulk him up a bit. He looks too scrawny when he comes out of the box – as seen in the photo to the left.

The body and head movement is great. It feels very random. He turns his body side to side, and he turns his head and eyes. He also raises his arm, but I was disappointed with this movement for two reasons. First, the up and down slashing of his arm looks very robotic. It’s too slow to come across as a threatening movement. I knew it would be like this from seeing the online video. The other bothersome aspect is the position in which he holds his knife. The knife points upward. It should be pointing downward as if he were stabbing someone. It just looks awkward. Now that I think about it, I might have been able to reverse the knife when I placed it in his hand. I’ll have to check when he comes out for Halloween 2010. One final complaint about the knife. I don’t know if this was a defect with my model or a problem with all the Myers out there, but getting the knife handle into his hand was difficult. The pre-cut holes didn’t line up nicely and it was a frustrating job to say the least! They should have done a better job cutting the holes or better yet, the knife handle should have come already placed in his hand. (The blade gets attached to the handle after assembly to keep it from getting damaged.)

I’m still really happy with this guy so I’ll end my review on a positive note. If you’re a Myers fan and you’re ok with the new Zombie version, this it a worthwhile buy. You’ll feel better about your purchase if you use a coupon code like I did. They’re sold out for now but I’m betting he’ll be back soon – and lets keep our fingers crossed for continued production of these life-size animated Halloween decorations!

Rating: ★★★★☆
Pros: Size, Attractive Design, Movement
Cons: Delicate, Knife Position, Typical Base
Best Uses: Home Haunt
Bottom Line: Buy it! (only after seeing in person or online video)

UPDATE: After writing this post, I came across another image of this prop (the above photos are direct from Spirit.)  I would have taken a photo of mine but he’s all packed up at the moment. I don’t have the photographers name but I remember I got it from the Halloween Forum (if you haven’t visited, I highly recommend it!) discussion on Gemmy/Spirit props and it was taken in a Spirit Halloween store.

Michael Myers Halloween Decoration

Michael Myers in the store!

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