Haunt Weekly

This week on Haunt Weekly we're doing a topic that, for us, has been a LOOOOOONG time coming: Aphantasia in haunting.What is aphantasia? It's the inability to form pictures in your mind.Where most of the population can picture a beautiful beach or a country cottage, people with aphantasia see only words, letters or numbers.Though this was originally discovered in the 1880s, it's been getting a great deal of attention irecent years as more people have woken up to the idea that not everyone sees things the same way in their mind.So what does aphantasia mean for our industry? How can we better serve customers with it and, perhaps most importantly, work with oher creatives who have it? We brought in our girlfriend and and partner Elli, who is one of the few with aphantasia, to answer these questions and more.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersBackground Info on AphantasiaAphantasia in Haunt CustomersWorking with People with AphantasiaConclusionsAll in all, this is an episode

This week on Haunt Weekly, it's another episode divisible by four so that means it's time to do THE NEWS!However, we're in the slow season for haunted attraction news. This past month covers all of the holidays and, to be frank, not a lot has been going on. Still, there are a lot of updates worth reporting including a new licensed escape game, one haunt closing its doors and lots of conference news.All in all, it may be a quiet time, but this is still an episode you do not want to miss!This Week's Episode includes:IntroConference RemindersOfficial Saw Escape Room OpensBlake's Orchard and Cider Mill to Open Year-RoundJohnston Barn in Half Moon Bay ClosesHAuNTcon Plans to Double in Size Next YearChattacon Moves to a More Intimate LocationBBC Examines Why Horror is So ProfitableTrick or Treat Studios Releases 2018 CatalogLots of Halloween (The Movie) NewsSlow season or not, this is still one jam packed episode! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube

HAuNTcon 2018 is in the books and we were there for the entire event and then some.So, what happened then? That's what this episode is about, it's our full recap of HAuNTcon 2018 as we look at everything from the classes we attended to the show room floor (both of them).HAuNTcon was a beast of a show there's a lot to say so, be warned that this episode does go a bit long but believe me when I say it's an episode you do not want to miss!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersHAuNTcon BasicsThursday's Get TogetherFriday's EventsSatturday's EventsSunday's EventsAftermathAll in all, this episode is a long one, but it's also a packed one!Reminder: Help us Support Ween Dream! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

Boy howdy has this movie caused some controversy in the haunt community. Just hours after it hit Netflix people were talking about it left and right in various haunter groups on Facebook and we found ourselves getting multiple requests to cover it.So, cover it we will.But while we share many of the same concerns other haunters have about the film, we also wanted to try and hone in on some of the things the film got right and some of the good it has done the industryWith that in mind, there's a lot of ground to cover with this film and we also have a lot of groundwork to lay before HAuNTcon. So this is one jam-packed episode that you do not want to miss!This Week's Episode Includes: IntroUpdates on Us at HAuNTconPre-HAuNTcon Meetup at Bar Mon CherHaunt Widows Facebook Group Created by ElliWeen Dream Donations for Crystal's BirthdayConference RemindersEdit Explanation and Background InfoWhat We Didn't Like About ItWhat We Did Like About ItFinal Thoughts on the Movie and McKamey ManorAll in a

HAPPY NEW YEAR!We are back once again, Crystal is adequately recovered from her surgery and we are back to talk about a... video game? That's right we spent a good part of our time off catching up on some video games and one of the ones we played is Layers of Fear, a horror-themed walking simulator with some intersting ideas with regards to storytelling and layout/design.Is it worth checking out if you're a haunt? Absolutely, especially since it's just $5 on Steam through the fourth! But, even if you aren't interested in video games, this episode has a lot of great conversation about haunt design and story telling, making this an episode you do not want to miss!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroUpdate on CrystalHAuNTcon ReminderConference RemindersWhy We Are Talking About This GameWhat We LikedWhat We Didn't LikeWhat Can Haunters LearnWhy Every Haunter Should Play This Game (Despite Its Flaws)Hope you enjoy this week's episode and we will see you guys next Monday! Get in Tou

First thing is first everyone, Merry Christmas!While we here at Haunt Weekly certainly haven't been nice enough to justify a visit from Santa (Krampus maybe) we're still giving out gifts this year and that includes an all-new episode of Haunt Weekly.Best of all, since it's another episode divisible by four, that means it's time to do the news. And a lof of news there is. Some of it's good, some of it's bad, some of it's sad and some of it is just plain weird. Any way the news blows,we have you covered.To that end, this week's episode includes:IntroReminder to Come See Us at HAuNTCon!Conference RemindersChainsaw-Weilding Clown Injures Teen in Mexican HauntAnother Clown Faces Sexual Assault ChargesIn Germany, Real Tombstones Used in HauntAnime Creates Haunted Attraction for Theme ParkTexas Haunt Expands into Hosting ConcertsMusem Creates Inverse Escape Room ConceptHigh Schoolers Help Wildfire Victims with Haunt"Zombie Nativity Scene" Heads Into Final YearAll of

Every year around this time, we take a break from the haunted attraction stuff and, instead, discuss some of our favorite Christmas horror themes. Turns out, when you get down to it, Christmas (and the other winter holidays) is a pretty messed up holiday in a lot of places.So we're continuing that tradition again this year with another slate of Christmas traditions that seem more like they belong on Halloween. Want to keep witches at bay? Burn evil spirits alive? We've got you covered.So kick back and learn more about the horror-themed Christmas traditions the world over!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersMistletoeChandles in the WindowDoor FlingingHiding Your BroomsCarolingMari LwydBurning DevilsDon't Eat Santa's CookiesElf on the ShelfAll in all, this is an episode you do not want to miss and, most likely, one best enjoyed with some eggnog! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're celebrating the release of The Disaster Artist by asking a question that we haven't actually asked before: "Can a haunt be so bad it's good?"We talk about films this way all of the time with The Room, the film The Disaster Artist is based on, being an oft-cited example. But, if it can happen in films, can it happen in haunts? The answer, as far as we can determine, is no. However, that's because the way we judge haunts is different than fims and that makes it almost impossibe for a haunt to be both bad and entertaining.Still, we take a deep dive into the subject here. This week's episode includes:IntroConference RemindersHow the Conversation BeginsOur History with bad FilmsCan a Haunt Be So Bad It's Good?The Argument for NoThe Argument for YesConclusionsAll in all, if you're a fan of bad movies (or bad haunts) this is definitely an episode you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeekl

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're doing things a bit differently. Rather than talking about haunted attractions we're talking about our fair city, New Orleans.Since many of you are coming down here for HAuNTcon, we wanted to do our part to make sure that you have the knowledge and info to be safe, have a good time and maybe know a few off-the-beaten path places that you can check out.So, if you're planning a trip to NOLA, hopefully some of these suggestions will give you a leg up on finding things to see or visit while you're here. Also, we are still going to make ourselves available one evening for drinks on our side of the river along with an admittedly brief tour of our haunt (All 600 sq ft of it). But on that note, for those of you planning your trip to New Orleans, here's what we are advising you do to stay safe and have fun!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroConference RemindersGeneral New Orleans Safety TipsThoughts on the Locations HAuNTcon is VisitingSuggestions for Other

Episode 100, as most of you remember, was our blowout celebration episode where we definitely did NOT talk about any news. Episode 104 is where the hangover sets in. Now we have to get through two months, the two busines months, of haunt news in one go.So, that's exactly what we're going to try and do (and probably fail miserably in the process). So, with that in mind, let's take a look at what is in this week's episode:IntroRemembering Jerry Lesperance (Please consider donating to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention here) Jonathan will Be Speaking at HAuNTcon... TwiceConference RemindersHaunt Sued for Negligence Over RapePolice Called After Haunter Scares Pedestrians and CyclistsMaryland Haunt Canceled Due to Fire Code ViolationsUniversal's Monster Cafe Finishes Renovations and ReopensNBCUniversal is Killing Off ChillerWhy Haunted Houses Win Most of Their LawsuitsNew York Post Says Halloween Should Be Just For KidsTeen Uses Haunt To Raise Money for American Cancer SocietyC

Starting any haunted attraction is a daunting challenge. Starting a professional one is much, much more so.However, when Jamie Lee Sullivan and Rickie Haines set out to make their own pro haunt, they didn't even have experience with a home haunt. Though they had been involved with haunted attractions for decades, they had never actually built a haunt in their lives. So how did they make the jump from avid actors and helpers to proud haunt owners? That's exactly what this episode is about.It's a long, harrowing tale that involves research, planning, luck, an insane amount of work and at least one injury of note.So how did they pull it all together? That's what we find out in this interview with the minds behind the Den of Fear! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

Haunting is hard. It's hard work, it's a hard business and it's hard creatively. Because of that, we sometimes turn to crutches and lean on things that, maybe, are more out of laziness and lack of ideas than what is actually best.So, in this episode we're taking a look at just some of those crutches, the things we lean on when we're out of ideas but need to fill a room (or 20). This Week's Episode Includes:IntroductionRenFest StoryConference RemindersChainsawsStrobe LightsFogDrop PanelsTechnologyCommon SayingsHaunt MarketingConclusionsTo be clear, these aren't bad scares, but they are getting overused and are signs that maybe, just maybe, we're taking the easy way out...All in all, this is a trip down the stuff we do because it's easy lane so join us for the ride as this is one episode you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're taking it a bit easy. It's been a long, wonderful season so we need to take a moment to relax, reflect and talk about the season that's just finished.And what a season it was. Record numbers, amazing scares and hours of security camera footage to pour over. We've got a LOT left to do but we can't help but take a minute and reflect.So, reflect we shall!However, this isn't all just about reminiscing, we've also got conference reminders and some podcast news to go over.This Week's Episode Includes:IntoEpisode 100 Thanks and RecapPodcast NewsConference RemindersAll About Our SeasonAlso, as mentioned in this week's podcast, here is our 360 video from our haunt this year. It's a bit dark because of the nature of the video, but it gives you an idea of what we do. We'll have more pictures coming shortly! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!Hope everyone's season is going well and that you're having a safe, scary and (if relevant) profitable October. The big night is just ahead but, for us, this is also a major milestone as we release episode 100 of Haunt Weekly!Due to the time of year and the fact we, like everyone else, is at our busiest, we decided to keep things low key, we're talking about what Halloween and haunting means to us.To make things special though, it's our first ever lve episode as we record this in front of the world, taking questions and interacting with listeners as we go.So join us on this journey as we talk about what Halloween means to us and answer some of your quesitons along the way. If there's interest, we may do more live recordings in the future so let us know what you think!In the meantime, take a moment to Follow us on Twitter, Like us on Facebook and Subscribe to us on YouTube! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWee

This week on Haunt Weekly, we're wrapping up conversation about our Atlanta trip by looking at some of the lessons we learned from it.Many of these lessons come not from anything specific to Atlanta, but rather, from visiting 9 haunts over 4 nights (including 7 haunts in 2 nights). When you do that, you start to see some paterns that you might miss when you go to just one or two a night.Beyond that, we also have some news on the upcoming episode 100, which will be a LIVE edition of the podcast. You'll be able to listen in and (hopefully) ask questions on our YouTube Channel, so subscribe today and be sure to enable notifications so you'll get an alert.Othewise, tune in 5 PM ET on Sunday Oct. 29 for a LIVE recording of the show!Beyond that, here's a look at what's in this week's show!IntroNews About Episode 100News About Our Upcoming Walkthrough VideoConference RemindersLesson 1: Vary Your ScaresLesson 2: Whole Room ImmersionLesson 3: White Out Mazes EverywhereLesson 4: Doubling D

We are back! We have returned from the exotic locale of Atlanta and, along the way, managed to take in 9 different haunted attractions including seven in two nights. While we really didn't want to make this a "review" episode of Haunt Weekly, it's kind of hard to talk about the trip without it being at least review-like. So, we're going to break down the haunts we visited, our thoughts on them and tell some stories of the general insanity of this trip.It was a packed one that much is for sure!This Week's Episode Includes:Conference RemindersNightmare at 3008NetherworldParanoiaFolkloreContainmentNightmare's GateFreaks of FearCamp Blood13 StoriesWrap UpAll in all, this is one episode you do NOT want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

Hope everyone is having a great season and that your haunts are operating as smoothly and as briskly as you like. For us as home haunters, this part of the month is the time where we head out and visit literally all of the haunts we can. However, we noticed something: It's getting to be a pretty expensive hobby.With that in mind we had to ask ourselves a simple question: Are haunts getting too expensive?Since we didn't have the answer to that we decided to turn to someone much smarter than us in this field, Mr. Adam Drendel of HauntedIllinois.com. Adam is one of the premiere experts on haunted attactions in the Chicago area and a man who visits up to 40 haunts per year.With an open wallet and a LOT of data about haunt pricing, Adam has a lot of useful things to say about haunt pricing and the trend of more and more expensive haunts. Be sure to Like us on Facebook, Follow us on Twitter and Subscribe to us on YouTube! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @Haun

This week on Haunt Weekly, it's another episode divisble by four and that means it's time to do THE NEWS!If your season hasn't already started it's likely coming up very soon. Either way, this is definitely the busy season for the industry and that's also true for the news about the industry.However, a lot of this week's news isn't all that happy. While we are hearing great reports of high ticket sales and interest in haunted attractions this year, we're also generating a lot of not-so-pleasant headlines about questionable billboards, props and other things widely seen as offensive.So, with a mixed heart we dive on in to look at these stories and much, much more.This Week's Episode Includes:IntroSubscribe to Out Our YouTube ChannelWe Are Heading to Atlanta!Conference RemindersNC Haunt Sees Controversial Billboards Come DownHanging Dummy Prop Sparks OutrageLas Vegas Haunt Causes Controversy with Sepsis ThemeCabot Yard Haunt Returns After Controversial SeasonHong Kon

As haunters, we like to build things and the things we don't build we usually have a "source" or a "guy" we'd rather buy from.However, that doesn't mean it isn't fun to traipse through the Halloween section at Walmart or swing by your nearest Spirit store at least a couple of times per season. In this episode, we take a look at Halloween retail and what we've noticed roaming around the various stores in our area this year. The goal: To find where you can go shop to find some cool things you can use in your haunt (or atleast get more in the mood for the season!)This Week's Episode Includes:Conference RemindersHalloween Retail MythsSome Caveats With Our RecommendationsSpiritWalmartTargetK-MartHome DepotLowe'sBig Lots@HomeConclusionsWhether you are a haunter or just love Halloween, this is an episode you do not want to miss! Get in Touch and Follow Us!Facebook: @HauntWeeklyTwitter: @HauntWeeklyYouTube: @HauntWeeklyEmail: info@hauntweekly.com

Japes Palles is one of the busiest men in haunting, and that's saying something.Not only is he a new father but, even as haunt season is ramping up, he is taking on not one but two new projects, both of them epic in their scale and what they can do for area haunts.The first is a new Facebook group that aims to help haunts and actors pair up. Haunts and actors alike sign up, haunts post what they need and actors step up to fill roles. Easy, but complex at the same time.The second is a three-night haunted attraction tour entitled the Lost Souls Haunted Bus Tour. This is not only the fastest way to see some of the Chicago area's haunts, but also the cheapest as it includes transportation and, most impotantly, beer.So join us as we sit down again with Japes to discuss these efforts and much more!This Week's Episode Includes:IntroductionFreelance Haunters GroupLost Souls Haunted Bus TourAll in all, this is an episode you definitely do not want to miss! Special Guest: Japes Palles.Get in Touch and Fo