Hello Everyone.   I want to share this with everyone as you may not think of working in a Haunted House as a place of opportunity, but for me, it has been!   As you may or may not know, I am Make-up Director and Chief Creepy Creator at a Local Haunt FRIGHTKINGDOM, here in New Hampshire.   I love to paint scary faces as well as work with SFX and prosthetics. Working with a group of 40 actors ages 16-50 has led me to meet people of all walks of life and has opened many doors.   Here are a just a few of the flowers that have blossomed from being at the Haunt...   1.  One young lady that scares at my Haunt is also in a production of Peter Pan.  Well she mentioned to me they have no makeup artist and would I consider helping.  WHAT!  Peter Pan, Wendy, Hook, Pirates, Fairies, Mermaids and Lost Boys... YES, I think I can help!!!   2. Another young lady also happens to attend Cosmetology school, and asked if I could come do a demo for her school showing different SFX.   So last night I demo'd the use of Rigid Collodian to make scars on the cheek, throat and wrists.  A broken nose pinned together using Wax.  Heather's gooey burn effect using tissue and hair gel ( good one Heather)!!! and a sliced up and stiched up design using only face paint.  I then painted tigers, butterflies, flowers and road rashes...   In return I passed out lots of cards and found a dozen beautiful young girls for models for upcoming bodypaintings I would like to do!  I was asked to come back next week and be a Judge for the schools Halloween Scary Makeup and Hair Contest.  How Fun!!!   3. Being at the Haunt brings in Celebrities, TV, News and Radio.   85,000 coupons for the Haunt were printed and passed out throughtout NH and MA, all have my company name on them as well as the other sponsors of this event. I have been interviewed on the Radio, and appeared in the papers, invited by local Fire and Police to work for fund raisers all which lead to more opportunities   So... if you havent thought of doing a Haunted House or thought you might not get anything out of it... think again!   I have an enormous group of models to paint each week, all willing and able to be in my chair, taking whatever I can imagine for them, and from this has grown great friendships and tons of SMILES.   So Marcela... I anxiouslty await this weeks Inspiration, and hope some of you may try a little scary in your neck of the woods!   Let's share our pictures and sources for opportunities so each of us can be SUCCESSFUL in our creative directions.   I am including some pictures of my Bloomare and Psycho Circus, but be warned they are horribly wonderful, and the scarier the clown, the better!!   enjoy...   Wycked Deidre








 

vlad.jpg
227K
Download











 

a_clown.jpg
132K
Download











 

gambler.jpg
119K
Download











 

j_clown chainsaw.jpg
163K
Download











 

hunger.jpg
158K
Download











 

t_clown.jpg
145K
Download











 

l_girl2.jpg
76K
Download











 

j_clown.jpg
118K
Download











 

e_greeter.jpg
96K
Download











 

head wound.jpg
154K
Download

hi Deidre.... thanks so much for sharing those awesome pictures. they are all great but my favourite is the j clown with chainsaw. i LOVE those eyebrows!!!! And thanks for sharing all the marketing opportunities. You are so right about the great opportunities and connections you can make in this setting. congrats and thanks again for sharing..... awesome, awesome, awesome!!! katie

Deidre: Thanks for the inspiration.  It was needed right now. I am the Makeup Director for our haunt...Fright Night Scream Park in Clovis, CA.  I love to work with special fx makeup and prosthetics...I even like to MAKE the prosthetics.  This is my first haunt...we have an outstanding haunt...and, so far, have enjoyed a tremendous response to it...we surpassed our competitor's opening attendance figures by doubling and tripling what they had.  In addition, we have some of the best props, best interaction, and freshest rooms/ideas.  Our actors are superb and have been trained by a local actor and a former Universal Studios Beetlejuice.  The few makeup artists we have (4, including myself) are the best makeup chicks around. Carmela, of Fresno Face Art, and my very good friend, is also one of our artists, and helps out once in awhile, as her schedule allows. And our owners, Maggie, Jim and Jeff, are the most wonderful people, I can't say enough nice things about them.  They are absolutely incredible.  So, our attraction is amazing...including th e makeup.   I am inspired by your post and your pics.  They are fabulous. Last week I posted a small rant on what I don't care for in regard to working at the Haunt.   Although I CAN work fast, I don't like to.  I can create masterpieces when given a little more time and don't like being rushed.  In the haunt world, you have to work fast AND put out an excellent design (unless you are Knott's Berry Farm and have the benefit of 30 makeup artists for 300 actors and all the airbrushes you need).   So, to keep things positive and optimistic, I have some questions that perhaps you can help me with, that will keep me focused and loving what I'm doing. First, let me say, that all of our people are volunteers.  They are wonderful.  Since this is the owner's first year, they are offering a small stipend for their managers , such as myself.  Only a half dozen people (out of about 100 people) will be paid this stipend.  Most of our actors are high school kids, many are 14-18 yrs of age (we have a few YOUNGER and a few OLDER, but not many).  Again, all volunteers.  Most are good kids, but I would venture to say 75% of them are from our continuation high school...the high school that teaches all the kids that have been thrown out of regular high school...behavior & disciplinary issues.  These particular kids take their parts seriously, but that's about it.  They show up when they feel like it, make a lot of noise and cause commotion, curse and talk inappropriately, fight amongst each other (like any high school) etc.  Having been a Personnel Mgr in a theme park, their behavior is exactly opposite of what I am accustomed to.  And sin ce they are volunteers, and our owners are super empathetic people, the environs are not conducive to strong disciplinary action.  Some of our makeup artists end up shouting at them incessantly, which is NOT how I roll, but hey, it's how they (the kids) act and it seems to be what they (the kids) respond to.  I find myself acting a bit like a drill sergeant at times, stern and firm, and all business.  I like to have fun, dance around and play with the actors.  When we have to get serious, and bitch,  and take the fun out of it, it really bums me out.  Egos are huge, too, with the actors.  They bicker and get all dramatic with each other, when their toes are stepped on in any way (like they are asked to change roles for the night, or change rooms, etc).  Which makes for tears, which makes for a re-do on the makeup.  I am not crazy about the teenage, hormonal drama.  One of the makeup artists is also what we call the Haunt Mom.  These kids literally drain this poor woman.  She loves it, but it drains the makeup department, too...I don't agree with dispensing OTC medication to kids without First Aid Training, I don't agree with us not having an EMT on duty, I don't agree with not having a Costume person on hand at all times so we don't have to leave Makeup to deal with costume problems.  And I don't agree with coddling anybody.  Yes, they are volunteers and yes, we may be at their mercy.  But do we have to be doormats?   and do we have to supply SO MUCH...like candy bars, full dinner, Red Bull energy drinks, and basically whatever the little shits ask for??  They are so, I don't know, en_title_d...and they seem to love the thought of asking for, and getting, everything they want, both at the Haunt and at home...it's the attitude, I guess...since they volunteer their services, we do owe them a lot, but it's hard when they are so demanding...I don't see the little old Pink Ladies or the CandyStripers at the hospital acting so demanding and en_title_d...a majority of these kids are just that...demanding, insolent, and downright rude. Never to me personally...but, just in general.  In fact, they all treat those of us in Makeup pretty well.  I think they are intimidated by the screaming makeup artists, but they love us, no doubt.  It's just the way they act with each other and with the Haunt, in general. Last Sunday night, though, one young man told me, You guys are so great to be here.  What would we do if we didn't have you makeup girls to do our makeup every night?  I wanted to hug and kiss that kid.  But, instead, I told the whole room what he just said and the makeup girls all turned around and told him, and everyone else, how great they all were and a big THANK YOU for his props.  It made our night. I digress (as usual). What do we do to get them there at their appointed times and not when they feel like getting there?? How do you deal with the anal-retentive factor that all actors seem to have (which I thought I had BAD until working this Haunt and found MANY who are far worse)?  The ones who tell you that you missed a spot ?  And by a spot , I mean a spot of blood, it's that small...lol...sometimes you can't even see what they are talking about.   How do you deal with other Makeup artists that don't seem to understand that less is better and they shouldn't go through a whole cake of white in 2 days? How do we deal with Makeup artists that come and go?  (There this week, gone the next)  We've had a few that thought they would like it and then bailed.   How do I get our Haunt to invest in their OWN airbrush and quit relying on me and mine?  They see the advantages, but I don't see them making any strides towards getting more while I'm so freely using mine...(trying to get the job done and be a nice person isn't getting me another airbrush, darn it...) What type of items sell best at a Haunt?  By that I mean, what are the best sources of revenue generation other than ticket sales? In your opinion, should each makeup artist do their own actors, or should they be distributed as they appear? Any ideas for a good bottle to use for spray blood?  Every spray bottle we use seems to send a drill-like spray, not a good wide spray...we use Bloody Mary blood. To support your post, everything you say is true.  And although the owners are super-nice and have given my business the opportunity to make money by selling whatever we want (other than what they already sell...nachos, pizza, soda, water, and tee shirts) without a percentage to them...I don't see my business name on the print media, nor did I ask for that to be done...guess I should have ...they asked me to cross-promote on their website and I need to gently remind them that they have not put my website up yet on theirs (they offered to do it several times)...I have received some good press, including an interview.  And the friends I have made are so fabulous, it's just been an incredible experience.  We will soon be having our Carpi Awards Ceremony and Party...the Carpi Awards will be our Oscars...named after the Carpithian Family, where Fright Night was born...check us out at www.frightnightscreampark.com.  It will be fun, fun, fun. Of course, I encourage everyone to try and be involved in a Haunt.  It's a blast.  The work that goes into the production of one is phenomenal and a tremendous learning opportunity.  And if you have the benefit of wonderful owners, actors, and volunteers, as we do, it makes it even more incredible.  Being part of this team has been immeasurable in terms of friendship, learning, skills being developed and honed, and just keeping busy (for an early, semi-retired chick like me, it's perfect).  Not to mention how it has tried my patience and my patience has never faltered.  For some reason, with kids, I am extremely patient (adults are another matter )  But, as with any kids, it's definitely been tried...  It's been amazing so far and we still have 10 days to go!  Your post has reminded me that FNSP (our Haunt) and everyone involved has given me so much to be thankful for.  It reeled me back in to the positive world...not that I left, but I was gettin' kinda bitchy with my thoughts...lol I will attach some of my pics, but I have to resize them first.  I have posted some early pics (done during August & September) on my website. Thanks again, Deidre.  Hope to meet you at one of the Haunt Conventions I am sure to attend now! Laurie California Face & Body Art www.cafbart.com Fright Night Scream Park www.frightnightscreampark.com 559 326 7199 - Hide quoted text -- Show quoted text - 

Any ideas for a good bottle to use for spray blood?  Every spray bottle we use seems to send a drill-like spray, not a good wide spray...we use Bloody Mary blood. Not really.  I set up a spray booth like area, with garbage bags on the floor and walls where they could get blooded! I like to spatter the blood on them rather than spray but we have a few bottles that are used.  I think its trial and error. Remember all in all the season is short and its a time for FUN. Do it because you WANT to not because you have to. When its not fun anymore - its time for a change. I look forward to seeing your pics!!!! Happy Haunting! Deidre