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Events

ScareLA 2015 Cosplay Music Video

ScareLA 2015 Cosplay Music Video

ScareLA 2015 took place August 8th and 9th at the Pasadena Convention Center. Ghouls, Ghosts, Monsters, and thousands of Halloween-loving attendees came together to celebrate all things spooky. With nearly 170 vendors, 5 on-site mini-haunts, 50+ hours of classes, and top-notch panels and presentations, there was no shortage of interesting things to do and see.

In addition to all the official programming, the attendees themselves added to the atmosphere by dressing in creative and detailed costumes. Horror cosplay ran rampant both days of the event .

Youtubers Nerd Reactor came out and created a fun music video of some attendees singing along to Galantis’ “Peanut Butter Jelly”. With nearly 4,000 views, this fun video captures a fraction of the amazing cosplayers that turned out for ScareLA.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Missing in the Mansion” Short Film

“Missing in the Mansion” Short Film

In 2012, two filmmakers, Josh Daws & Jeremiah Daws secretly filmed a short in one of Disneyland’s most iconic attractions – The Haunted Mansion. Using the found footage style, Missing in the Mansion  told the story of three friends who mysteriously disappeared after riding The Haunted Mansion.

Watching this short is fascinating because it is often very hard to tell just how they managed to hide what they were doing from Disney cast members. It is inspiring to see how two people with a vision, made their dream a reality in this great little exercise in filmmaking. They blended actual park footage with sets, costumed actors, and green screen.

Here’s the film:

So, how did they do it? The Daws brothers also made a great behind-the-scenes video showing the extensive work that went into making ghosts, stunts, and a replica Doombuggy.

The Daws brothers are certainly talented filmmakers and I look forward to seeing what they come up with next!

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Operator” Short Film

“Operator” Short Film

Work can be tough. Every day Bob goes to his job, works alone in a windowless room, and completes menial tasks until the day is over. Today, he tries to maintain his routine as his employers implement a few changes to the workplace – resulting in power failures, loud noises, and a mysterious parasitic creature that threatens Bob’s life and family.

Operator is a stop-motion animated short by filmmaker Sam Barnett. Influenced by cordyceps mushrooms (the same inspiration for the monster in The Last of Us) and ideologies used by cults and oppressive regimes, Barnett created this short as a critique on corporate bureaucracy and the conflict between efficiency/profit and human rights.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“One in the Oven” Short Horror Film

“One in the Oven” Short Horror Film

I am a little reluctant to call One in the Oven a true short film due to its use of only voice-over and one short looping shot, but something about this simple video is quite chilling.

While watching a loop of footage of an innocuous-looking kitchen, a woman begins to tell the story of a mysterious crime that occurred years earlier. As the story continues, the viewer begins to just wait for the moment the connection between the video and audio is revealed.

Although there is little payoff, the creepy atmosphere and tension this just-over-two-minute short creates is worth the watch. I also appreciate the blandness of the description, which to me makes the video all the more chilling:

“In cooking, the conventional oven is a kitchen appliance and is used for roasting and heating. Food normally cooked in this manner includes meat, casseroles and baked goods such as bread, cake and other desserts.”

theLittleFears Youtube Channel has a bunch of these type videos, but this one is certainly my favorite. Check them out and let me know your favorites.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“T is for Tightrope” Short Film

“T is for Tightrope” Short Film

When the original ABCs of Death was created, Drafthouse Films approached 25 brilliant horror directors to create short films about death all based on letters of the alphabet. For the 26th spot, Drafthouse announced a competition – filmmakers around the world could submit their best works for the letter “T” and one would make it into the finished film.

The eventual winner was T is for Toilet but many of the other submissions were brilliant in their own way.

T is for Tightrope (by filmmaker L.M. Harter) concerns the stressed relationship between a tightrope walker and her former lover. Arguing while performing their high-wire routine – The Dueling Darlings – any missteps can have deadly consequences.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“Skypemare” Short Film

“Skypemare” Short Film

Skypemare (2013) is a short film by John Fitzpatrick. Screened at Screamfest, Shriekfest, and a few other festivals, this is a well-made little slasher film with a fun little payoff at the end.

The Plot: Alison is alone on Halloween night, chatting with her best friend Jenna over Skype. Suddenly something horrific happens to Jenna, leaving Alison watching on in terror, and fearing that she will be next.

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Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Attractions Destinations News

Hyde Bio-Activated Maze Kickstarter

Hyde Bio-Activated Maze Kickstarter

Growing up in Western New York, the haunted houses I remember were mostly nice sets with actors popping out to give us a fright at various points. Over the years, the haunted attraction industry has grown and matured, bringing more immersive experiences and detailed story lines. We now have experiences like Knott’s Scary Farms’ “Trapped” where you are stuck in a room until you can solve a puzzle or complete a challenge to get out, or “Delusion: Haunted Play” where guests must interact with actors as they see a strange tale of magic & mystery unfold around them.

Slingshot, a British company that designs real world games about things like surviving a zombie apocalypse, has created a Kickstarter for their most ambitious game ever – Hyde. Hyde will be the world’s first bio-activated maze game. Using bio-sensors that connect to a cell phone via bluetooth, player data is sent to a server that monitors the players to vary the difficulty level of challenges based on things like heart rate or breathing.

This game isn’t just about the technology, the developers have also whipped up an intriguing  storyline to build tension and keep the participants engaged.

Imagine this: You have volunteered for a clinical trial with the “Jekyll Corporation”. You are fitted with wearable tech, given the sample “drug”, and let loose in the maze to test the results. At first things are easy and fun – you unlock doors and solve puzzles – but soon the unintended side-effects of the drug become apparent. As you make your way further into the maze the challenges become more difficult, leading you into a completely different world of laboratories, operational facilities, and behind the scenes areas where Hyde begins to chase you. This is the world of Hyde. Sounds fun, doesn’t it?

With this Kickstarter campaign, we now have the chance to push the limits of interactive experiences in a positive way (none of that ridiculous torture porn “Extreme” haunted house stuff). Ending on Friday, July 17th, 2015 at 4:31 PM PDT, this Kickstarter hopes to raise $78,047 towards the project. Help out and donate what you can to support the future of the haunted attraction industry.

The Hyde Kickstarter Campaign can be found here.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Film Friday Movies

“The Lady and the Reaper” Short Film

“The Lady and the Reaper” Short Film

The Lady and the Reaper (2009) is an animated film by Spanish filmmaker Javier Recio Garcia. A Goya Award Winner and Academy Award Nominee, this short is a beautifully morbid tale about an old woman caught in the battle between a determined grim reaper and an overzealous doctor. The film’s comic take on death as well as a jazzy score by Sergio de la Puente, make this an enjoyable watch.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Movies

The Thing’s Practical Effects

The Thing’s Practical Effects

John Carpenter’s  The Thing (1982) is lauded as a horror masterpiece – utilizing terrifying creature effects and a well-paced plot to keep audiences at the edge of their seats. For the few of you who have lived under a horror-free rock for the past few decades, the plot is this: Scientists in the Antarctic are confronted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of the people that it kills.

Now in this article, we’re not talking about that Thing, I am talking about the other thing, The Thing – the prequel. In a confusing title choice, 2011 gave us a prequel to The Thing called, well, The Thing. Although many had high hopes for the film, the final result was a bit of a letdown.

One of the major aspects creating the film’s hype was that director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr. insisted upon using practical effects for the various alien transformations. With the trend towards (often cheesy) digital effects in horror, fans were excited this wide release film would return to real effects.

Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. was hired to create the animatronics, latex costumes, and other practical effects for the film. Their hard work is showcased in this video which chronicles their products from pre-production to their final incarnations on set:

Want another 15 minutes of slides detailing their work?

How about on-set footage of the Edvard-Adam Thing?

Awesome, right? Even with a poor script the movie should have been salvageable just because of these cool effects. I know just watching the above videos has caused me to sleep with a nightlight (and a flamethrower) for the past few nights.

Well, in the post-production process, the studio decided that computer-generated images would be used to “enhance” these practical special effects. Enhancements in and of themselves are not particularly egregious mistakes (in fact, when used in moderation they can truly work in tandem with practical effects), but entirely replacing certain animatronics with digital effects certainly was.

Of course, there are many reasons filmmakers use digital effects and CGI, and many times it is the only option to tell the story they are trying to tell – it just isn’t cost effective to build actual cars that turn into giant robots for Transformers . It is, however, a shame that many of Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc. creations were hid behind CGI and that some were completely removed from the finished film.

At least ADI released their behind-the-scenes videos, so everyone can appreciate their work – and have a few extra alien-related nightmares.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »
Categories
Music

Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie

Living Dead Girl – Rob Zombie

Rob Zombie’s Living Dead Girl is a must-have on every hard-core Halloween Soundtrack. It has a pulsing beat, edgy instruments, and clips & references from old horror movies.

The opening line – “Who is this irresistible creature who has an insatiable love for the dead?” –  is from the trailer for Lady Frankenstein (a 1971 Italian horror film) and the opening musical cue is from Wes Craven’s The Last House on the Left. Later in the song, the words “What are you thinking about?/The same thing you are” are clips from Daughters of Darkness (a 1971 Belgian vampire film).

Zombie uses his knowledge and (seemingly) love for vintage horror to frame this rock song  as a perfect tune for horror-lovers. Even the music video for this film references other old films – using a visual style of sepia tones, title cards, and exaggerated expressions  that harkens back to The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari and other silent horror classics.

Halloween Drawings

Day 27 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Draw a Halloween Picture. My artistic talents reside in photography, film, and papercraft. That, however, does not stop me from picking up a

Read More »

Learn a Halloween Song

Day 26 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge: Learn to Play a Halloween Song. I have been playing the piano since I was a little girl. I love to try new songs

Read More »

Spooky Artists

Day 25 of the #Emilys100DaysOfHalloween challenge is: Support a Horror Artisan. With AI slop flooding the world, now more than ever it is important to celebrate the creativity and beauty

Read More »