HauntWorld Hot News

There’s lots of news to speak of, but first let us start off with the acknowledgement of two haunters who recently passed away:

Dennis Kingslover of Kansas City, Missouri fell to his death inside his own haunted house on July 25, 2005. Dennis is survived by his wife Amy and four children. In addition to owning Catacombs Haunted House, Dennis was also the majority owner of Stagefright Animation Company, which closed several years back. Dennis will be remembered as one most well liked haunted house owners in the business. Dennis constantly spent time on haunted house forums posting under ‘DEK’ helping haunters from around the globe. Dennis had planned to run for mayor of Kansas City the following year. Catacombs opened this past season and had one of their best seasons ever. DEK, we’ll miss ya!

James D. Schulte of Saint Louis, Missouri passed away at the early age of 48 on January 17, 2006. Jim had been in and out of the haunted house business over the past 20 years. His start came at Thayre Ashton’s Mansion, then Lemp Brewery Haunted House, Crazy Razor, London after Midnight and many more. Jim had also worked in the film industry, writing, directing and editing motion pictures. Being from the same home town, Jim was a personal friend of mine. He was funny and a very cool guy to hang out with. We’ll miss you, James Dean Schulte.

What happened to Wayne Toth of Ex-Mortis? He will again miss the upcoming TransWorld Halloween and Party Show. So here is an update from Wayne himself…

Ex Mortis has been involved in several projects over the last year in between creating some of the most realistic Halloween props available.

After completing the special effects makeup for Rob Zombie's 2005 film "The Devil's Rejects", Ex Mortis owner, Wayne Toth, designed and sculpted a four foot tall, greater than life-sized bronze memorial statue for friend and punk rock legend Johnny Ramone.

Wayne and crew's other recent projects have included large scale stage props for Horror Rock legends Alice Cooper and Glenn Danzig, manufacturing promotional props for the major video game GUN, and most recently decorating a huge tour announcement party for the band Korn at Hollywood Forever Cemetery, right next to where the Johnny Ramone statue stands.

Next up for Wayne and Ex Mortis is creating the visual stage elements for Rob Zombie's 2006 spring tour stage show, the second complete stage show the company has created for Zombie, and then on into the 2006 Halloween season!

For photos of some of these projects visit www.ART-F-X.com, the visual /special effects branch of Ex Mortis, and www.ExMortis.com for the complete line of Halloween props and effects.

Rodney Geffert of Ohio has launched www.hauntedhouseauction.com and plans on a massive live auction this summer. The auction will feature several animations, props and more. The Auction itself will be organized by Norton.

Kelly Collins and Anita “Neena” Robinson of Midwest Haunters Convention have tied the knot in a gothic style wedding. Congratulations to both Kelly and Neena!

Jekyll and Hyde Club in New York City recently created the ultimate promotional limo. Owner, D.R. Finely, hired Lifeformations to design and build the promotional vehicle for the famous restaurant. The limo has several animated characters inside the limo that talk to guests, sound effects and a custom paint job. Learn more about Jekyll and Hyde Club at www.eerie.com.

Check This Out: There’s a haunted house which offers guests a disclaimer to inform that strong language and light touching will occur after midnight. http://www.lansdalejaycees.org/3_Projects/Haunted_house/hauntedhouse.htm

It states the show after midnight is targeted for ages 17 and up, but does not state that it is “limited to” ages 17 and up. How do you feel about this? Go to the Hauntworld Forums and discuss it http://hauntworld.com/phpbb/index.php

During the Month of October, the keyword ‘Halloween’ was the #1 most searched keyword and ‘Halloween Costumes’ was #11. To put that into perspective ‘NFL’ was ranked second. The keyword ‘Haunted House’ wasn’t in the top 50 for whatever reason. The haunted house industry needs to start seeing the bigger picture…Working as a group, we can accomplish a lot of positive things and working against each other we can accomplish nothing. IAHA recently announced it would launch the first ever National Public Relations Campaign aimed at landing our industry stories in national publications. The board of IAHA voted to fund up to $25,000 and an additional $10,000 will be raised by Larry Kirchner and Ben Armstrong through donations. Larry Kirchner and Ben Armstrong chair this endeavor on behalf of IAHA and are happy to report they’re close to hiring a national PR firm for the industry. Support this effort and join IAHA today by going to www.hauntedhouseassociation.org.

Speaking of Publicity, the so-called industry website www.hauntedattraction.com promoted a very negative message all throughout the Halloween season on ‘Leonard’s Blog”. The ‘Leonard’s Blog’ which is featured on the FRONT CENTER PAGE of the website had this title…“ Halloween is NOT Second Only to Christmas in Total Retail Sales!” A story about Holiday spending came across the newswire and claimed Halloween was one of the lowest retail holidays. Haunted Attraction must have thought a title like ‘Halloween is NOT Second Only to Christmas in Total Retail Sales!” was something you should put on the front page of the website the entire month of October! How does this help promote the hard work and risk haunters take each October? How does this support those in this industry that Haunted Attraction relies on to stay in business? Maybe next year they’ll feature a story about a haunted house that closes down, loses their life savings and can no longer subscribe to their magazine.

Note to Haunted Attraction : Your business relies on the Halloween industry growing and thriving and to promote FRONT and CENTER a negative idea about our industry is just stupid. Just because you don’t actually own and operate your own haunted house or Halloween retail outlet doesn’t mean you should promote negative stories FRONT and CENTER for the rest of us who do! Your magazine and your tradeshow depend on our industry growing and flourising, and we need all the help we can get. Not that you would know, but its getting harder to find locations, harder to market haunts and harder to stay in business. If you actually were doing it rather than talking about it, you too would know. Please help our industry out next year with positive stories about this industry on the FRONT and CENTER page of your website.

Additionally, there have been several other newswire stories that said just the opposite of your headline. From what we understand, Halloween is STILL the 2 nd largest spending holiday when ALL factors are added into the mix from haunted houses to costumes, parties, yard décor, etc. (not just the major retailers intake).

Speaking of Leonard , he launched a new website www.leonardpickel.com and within his own biography the following claim is made: “Called the Godfather of the haunted attraction industry”. Last time I checked a ‘Godfather’ of anything is someone who is commonly credited with the creation of something. For example, Albert Einstein is considered the ‘Godfather’ of the Atomic Bomb, as it was his theories that created the Atomic Bomb. The first haunted houses were staples at nearly every amusement park. When Disneyland was first envisioned, it was to have a Haunted Mansion. The first haunted house video was produced by Dr. John, and the second by John Denely and Rich Hanf. The first haunted house book was written by Phil Morris. The first haunted house websites were www.HauntedAmerica.com and www.Hauntworld.com. We also believe the first national haunted house publication was produced by TransWorld Exhibits many years ago. Lastly, you would think any ‘Godfather’ would at least be nationally known for his World Class haunted house. Whoops last we heard he doesn’t have one!

There is no ‘Godfather’ of the haunted house industry. Yet, if there were, we would sooner give that credit to Walt Disney for making a haunted house an acceptable form of amusement to millions and millions. By referring to yourself as the ‘Godfather’ of this industry, you’re making the most arrogant, self-serving claim in haunting history. At the same time, you’re pushing your nose in the air above all the people who are actually doing it rather than just talking about it.

Just our opinion! Do you have a different opinion? Send a letter to the editor and we’ll print it. Or go to the Hauntworld Forums http://hauntworld.com/phpbb/index.php, and we’ll discuss it.

The Board of IAHA received a letter from the following advocate group claiming haunted houses are being insensitive to people with mental illness. Here is the letter.

To the Board of Directors of The International Association of Haunted Attractions:

We would like you to consider the fact that every year across the country you are promoting stigma toward people with mental illness.  In many of the attractions sponsored by The International Association of Haunted Attractions, people with mental illness are portrayed as criminals that are to be feared. 

This kind of event only adds to the myths that people with mental illness are criminals and want to hurt people.  It is simply not true.

The Board of Directors of The Northern Illinois Alliance on Metal Illness would like you to know we all have many friends and loved ones with mental illnesses and they greatly enrich our lives.  (We are an affiliate of The National Alliance on Mental Illness.)

We would appreciate your help in fighting stigma against people with mental illness.  After all, mental illnesses are biological brain disorders.  In other words, they are physical illnesses.  Would you put an attraction in one of your events about children with cancer or people dying from heart disease?  Likely not.  We respectfully ask that you stop using people with mental illness in your attractions.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Patsy Boyd PO Box 6971 Rockford , IL 61109 PBoyd1@aol.com

Dear Patsy Boyd: I am editor of this magazine as well as a haunted house owner myself, and I find great offense in your accusations. My offensiveness to your letter stems from both business and personal. Last season, I employed a hard-working, young adult man with a mental illness, AND I have a brother-in-law with Down syndrome too. If there is a haunted house out there that lends validity to your statements, then be specific and state that haunted house(s) in your letter, but do NOT make claims against the industry as a whole. It’s unfair. I’ve toured many haunted houses in my 17 years in the business, and I have yet to find the atrocities you mention in your letter. We can’t help you unless you’re specific; we won’t help you if you generalize our industry.

Ross Karpelman of The House of Shock in New Orleans, LA was wiped out. “This year is a total loss for us. We will not open at all this year” said Ross Karpelman. Ross lost his home and his haunted house this season. Ross went on to say “It is with a heavy heart that I write to you. Hurricane Katrina has totally turned my life and those of my family and friends into utter turmoil. I have lost my house entirely. My house was near the levee that broke and had at least 12 feet of water in it. We are now in Katy, TX. waiting for word that we can return to New Orleans. The fact of the matter is this: Whenever we are allowed back in, there will be nothing left for me to come back home to”. Contact Ross through his website at www.houseofshock.com.

Chuck Williams has launched a new site http://www.chuckwilliamsfanclub.com/.

Hauntworld.com announced the purchase of another haunt directory. The site www.hauntedhouses.us was purchased back in August. HauntedHouses.us finished the 2005 season as the third highest rated haunt directory on the entire web. Hauntworld.com and Hauntedhouse.com finished one and two and Hauntedillinois.com and Findhauntedhouses.com rounded out the top five. Hauntworld.com and HauntedHouse.com had similar web traffic during the month of October. Shown below is a chart of traffic ranks between the two websites that shows HauntedHouse.com early in the season leading but Hauntworld.com has the highest peak traffic rank overall.

 

 

Some may be wondering, how did Hauntworld.com rank vs. HauntedAttraction.com. Well feast your eyes…

 

2006 Midwest Haunters Convention Announced! The Midwest Haunters Convention ( MHC) will return to Columbus , Ohio on July 14-16, 2006 at the downtown Hyatt Regency.  This unique convention weekend, sponsored by Scareparts, offers basic to advanced workshops for the professional haunters as well as the home haunter for $79. 

    

The MHC will offer seminars, networking, demonstrations, vendors, shopping and social events with the finest in the haunt industry!  Training will range from basic to advanced and offer information on everything related to haunts, safety, tips and techniques from a mix of instructors ranging from professionals to home haunter.  Attendees will range from haunted attraction operators to actors, makeup artists, scene builders as well as enthusiasts and others.

 

The 2006 MHC will offer additional intensive training workshops before and after the convention.  The workshops will include:

• Face Art and FX by the Wolfe Brothers (1-3 days)

• Airbrush Body Art by Pashur (1 day)

• Complete Creative Character Building (1 day) Hosted by Shutter Productions and Screamline Studios

• The Business of Haunting (1 day) Hosted by Tim and Anne Marie Gavinski from the Darkness-Wisconsin

• Queue Line Magic by Chris Handa/Castle Blood (1/2 day)

 

Where else can you take classes on special effects makeup techniques, acting styles, set design, marketing and so much more?!  This is THE Show in the Midwest for Haunters.   

 

Social events will include the return of Monster Makeup Wars and the Ms. Midwest Scary Pageant, special receptions and tours. The MHC will feature themed items for sale in an auction that will be held on Sunday, July 16.  Shop for unique things and some great bargains!

 

For additional details, and to sign up for email updates visit www.MidwestHauntersConvention.com

Ironstock Is At It Again.  It may be hard to beat an all time attendance record set in 2005 of over 500 haunt enthusiasts from all around the United States, Canada, and overseas.  But with the outpouring of interest there’s been in the past few months, the staff and crew of Ironstock is bracing for an even larger fun-filled and information-packed weekend.  The 2006 Ironstock schedule is filled with a variety of seminars, demos, and on-going hands on tutorials that will capture the interest of all haunters from the novice to the seasoned pro.  While most of these classes will be led by some of the most well known and respected names in the haunt industry, we have the distinct pleasure of introducing a couple of new comers that will be giving our group an entirely new slant on things.  The event kicks off Friday evening with the Meet & Greet at the Ramada Inn at 5:00 P.M.  Promptly at 6:30, we will travel to nearby Owensboro, Kentucky for an inside look at Slaughter on Second Street.  In addition to sitting in on the ongoing demos and seminars, you can leisurely stroll through Vendor’s Alley and take advantage of some of the diverse offerings that you may have only seen on the web. Other events include Costume Ball, Pine Box Derby and much more. For more information visit their website at http://www.theironkingdom.com/Ironstock/.

In case you haven’t visited Hauntworld.com lately, we’ve added several new tools to help your haunted business such as the Hauntworld Blog, Haunted House Photos, New Message Boards, Updated Yellow Pages, and a very important safety section with tons of free articles and information. The new Hauntworld Blog will keep haunters updated on everything haunted with articles and photos. Our new blog also allows the users to post their view and comments on each subject within the blog. The new haunted house photo section allows you to post photos of your haunted houses and much more. Log onto www.HauntWorld.com today for all the frightful fun

The most important development on the Hauntworld Network is the upgrade to our haunted house directory (www.findhauntedhouses.com). Why you ask? Last season Hauntworld.com launched the most sophisticated haunted house directory in the history of our industry. Our directory allowed the haunt owners to create their own profiles and listings and modify them as needed without assistance from a moderator. In other words, you could create a listing, then come back the next day or the next week and log into your account and change the information. Well only one year later we’re expanding on that technology with all new upgrades to our system. Now you can create a mini-website of sorts without even knowing anything about the internet.

The all new directory allows the user to upload their logo, photographs, video and audio in addition to everything else. The system also allows haunt customers to come back to our system and leave a review/rating of a recent haunt they attended. The goal is to achieve maximum education to the consumer to make a purchase decision. In other words, we want the guests to view your page to walk away knowing they do or don’t want to patron your business.

Lastly the site has a link back system to validate your listing. In other words, if you don’t link back our site, your listing will not be validated. This feature is very cool, because the more hits back your site sends our system, the higher your listing ranks. For example, if your site sends back 100 direct hits and the next highest sends 98 your site will be listed first within the listing section. Cool huh?

Please Note: Due to all the new features on Hauntworld.com, prior listings will be erased. This means you will need to re-submit your attraction from scratch and create a new account. You can start creating a new account beginning in late March. Keep checking for the re-launch of www.findhauntedhouses.com.

Well folks we’re out until next time! Do you have hot news? Please visit www.HauntWorld.com and email us your hot news. Until then, Happy Haunting!