Screamworks Pictures...

[steve]

Terror in Orlando is a failure before it even opens.

They have been advertising their being open for several months, and as I walk up to their "location" right smack in the middle of I drive, what do I find.... not people working their asses off to get it open for the spring break tourists, but an empty looking room in a strip mall, next to a chinese food joint, with some blueprints on the floor, and a permit in the window for "haunted dreams".

Thats it.

That is Terror in Orlando.

Now Ive also noticed that if they ever DO open, one of the "haunts" will be called Mayhem Manor... Strange Coincidence? I think not.

[Infoamtek]

Mr Hanf.

Apparently you misread what I said. I am NOT in anybody's corner in this. I am saying we should discuss the issues in a professional, mature manner and not engage in ad hominum attacks and name calling. Simple enough.

Now including everybody else!

This whole LK's vs LP's camps of infighting haunters is a load of nonsense. LISTEN UP!!! While you squabble and fight each other, there is a REAL ENEMY out there who will get rid of all but the big corporate haunts. This enemy is the state and local legislatures out there who are slowly legislating and regulating haunts out of business for "their own safety" and to fill their coffers with lots of fees. Look at what's happening in PA. You need to be licensed to run a haunt. How many local townships and counties have reinterpreted the code, now requiring haunt walls to be made of "inherently fireproof" materials? That means no flame retardent treated wood, just drywall with metal studs or metal walls only. How much longer will it be until the regulatory fees for opening a haunted attraction will run into the tens of thousands of dollars? You don't think it will happen. Get your heads out of the sand, it's already happening.

You want to stop this?

First, stop the infighting. ALL this does is divert precious time away from what really needs to be done. You don't have to be friends but at least be civil opponents, respecting each others opinions and work. After all, we are all Halloween and Haunted House fanatics with a common purpose. Scaring the crap out of the customers.
Secondly, start self policing. Folks, so far every haunt I've been to outside the state of California (and even some inside) have engaged in unsafe, if not even DANGEROUS practices. This has got to stop! "I didn't know" and "I coudn't afford to do that" are not acceptable answers. KNOW THE RULES! IAHA has made a good start with it's safety program. I hope they can keep it going, it's needed. You have to make sure your haunt is as safe as you can make it with only the illusion of danger. Get together with the other haunters/haunt owners in your area and help each other out in trying to make haunts safe. Safety is everybody's business.

I have more to say, but I'm going to step down from my soapbox now.

[Spookyfinder]

"I can't afford that".... is a VERY ACCEPTABLE answer. If haunts/IAHA are wanting other haunts to be safer, they need to do something to help.

I don't run a haunt or anything but I do run a small business; and I know first hand that money needs to be spent in the "important" areas of business. This means that another aspect won't get as much attention as one...

If a haunt puts EVERYTHING into scenic design and advertising... then fireproofing may be little if none done at all!

That's just the way it is! -Tyler

[Nightmaretony]

It is ismply sad fact today that the business end and the basics really does get overlooked inteh business of haunting.

One example i can make is Transworld Vegas several years ago, the seminars.

The makeup and prop making seminars were filled to overflowing.

I attended one seminar by Dennis Gorg, on marketing and promotions. Figure 5 party store owners and 3 haunters.

Pretty valuable, I figure I got 8 pages of notes and learned of untapped opportunities with charitabl tie ins I had presently available.



John said it best, IAHA has plenty of information towards safety from the safety guide to the JBCorn books. Membership is less than the cost of a single prop and the dividends of information and safety. When you think safety in your inherent design, it is MUCH cheaper and easier to design safety in in the first place instead of as a hasty retrofit after the fire and state marshalls crack down.

[Infoamtek]

If you can't afford to run a haunt safely, you can't afford to run a haunt. Period!

[beardedbil]

That's a great line about safety and i honestly agree with it, however its just not the case... People will run haunts that are unsafe and it will take either huge policing or many more accidents/deaths until unsafe haunts are no longer allowed to operate.

For instance there are about 3 haunts in my local area who use black plastic, unsafe wiring, and effects because its clear they can not afford anything else. And your perfectly correct, if they cant afford to be safe they shouldn't be able to open. However, the funniest thing is they are all government run... What i mean by this is they are all run by either townships or chamber of commerce, or the like. Because of this no fire marshall comes through their attraction, no one checks out if it is safe, it is just assumed they will be safe, which they never are.

Again because there are so many differences in state and local laws and how they are enforced, there will always be unsafe haunts operating and will continue to do so until either all haunts are shut down or something happens like permitting to make it so expensive to run one, that the unsafe ones just cant open monetary wise.

[Jim Warfield]

You could have an entirely foam-padded haunt, yet people could still get terribly hurt when chased, they run, fall down on top of one another breaking bones by hitting other people's bones.

[lurker]

Foam-padded haunt! Is that fire retardant foam?


I agree with Alan. I'd like to read an article or post by the owners of Screamworks on why they think they lost their ass in Atlanta.

[Jim Warfield]

As Red Cross, they maybe never saw it coming or even now knows what hit them?
Sort of like the man or woman ignorant of their spouse running around on them, they are usually the LAST to know.

[drfrightner]

In the case of Screamworks it was not safe... even if 99% of the attraction was safe, that doesn't make it safe it 1% wasn't safe. There was clearly some really dumb things done inside this haunt...

The two boards laying down in the middle of a room, with a 2 inch ledge for people to trip on was NOT safe. I talked to some guys from Netherworld who went there in September and that flat out said they tripped on those boards. So thats NOT safe.

The scene with the cellar doors with chains on the floor is NOT safe...if poeple can get their foot caught up in the chain, and or trip on these things on the floor thats NOT SAFE! Its really kinda stupid to think its somehow scary, while at the same time safe. It was neither!

For the msot part Screamworks was safe, most of the scenes didn't have hardly any props, so it would have been hard to trip over anything, or whatever. Its only a few things that where not safe... but those few things are serious accidents waiting to happen.

It wasn't like they're something you might overlook, its something I bet their own actors nearly tripped on nightly. You just can't things like this sitting in the middle of rooms for people to trip on.

I WILL SAY THE #! WAY PEOPLE GET HURT is tripping and falling!

Avoid ANYTHING that could cause someone to trip, fall, twist an anke, or whatever.

Larry

[SomeThingInTheIce]

Larry, you are right about the number 1 way to get hurt is by triping or a fall. I read somewhere, it may have been on this board, not sure. That insurance is higher for haunted trails because of the uneven ground being a tripping hazard.

[Matt Marich]

Kudos to the the LK vs. LP vs. RH Celebrity Deathmatch. Hmmm.,, an animated clay match, that sounds cool!

Anyway, to the point, when we opened Bedlam Manor here in Phoenix we were required to have a contractor license for upgrades to our building. In all we expended an additional $ 35,000.00 in unseen charges just to get opened. By the book, no slipping by with these turds but we wre the safest haunted house complete with high tek flourescent back-up lighting that exceeded the lumens rating. We had an electrical engineer submit plans to get us opened, four plan reviews later. Our emegency annunciator was 5k alone! We had to hire a licensed architect, six reviews later. We had to have disability ramps in steel and poured $ 4,000.00 worth of concrete to make the floor level exits to code. We had exterior battery back-up lighting to illuminate all exits and ramps. Upgrade permit fees were
$ 6,000.00, event operation fees were $ 5,000.00, Architect fees $ 3,500.00 Electrical Engineer $ 3,000.00. NY Fire sheild $ 4,000.00, and Electricians were $ 21,000.00.
Just think, we haven't included a snappy effect from Scarefactory yet or advertise. But damn we were safe!

[drfrightner]

A clay celeb death match ... how about myself and Rich in tag team battle... in the other corner would be Leonard and ummmm... can't think of anyone but I'm sure he can find a partner. LOL

That would be funny for sure!

Let me say something here for the record, my beef with him isn't personal, its simply that I feel he pretends to be something he't not, for the purpose of making money for himself, while at the same time the only person who suffers are those who end up with bad advice.

When you go through Screamworks it was safe on one hand and not so safe on the other... some of the things inside just where not safe.


I will say Matt, that you're NOT alone in what you spent to make your haunt safe. I got stuck big time my first year with Darkness, they even made me put in a fence around the property, and tear down exterior stuff otherwise the building itself wouldn't pass some violations.

The first year is always the hardest no doubt... I think when I first built darkness we spent about 60,000.00 to pass inspection, and when we moved the darkness they stuck it to us twice as hard. I got so upset I had to call the head of the building division and nearly threaten a lawsuit.

It can get out of hand... there is only so much you can take before you lose it. I do think there are people out there who really don't want these attractions to open and then most are happy to work with you.

Its really a crap shoot!

But you have a safe haunt and thats all thats important!!!

You should be happy to know everytime you open your haunt is safe... good for you!

Larry

[TheTalentedMrL]

You've got to be kidding me. This was auctioned off?....NO Comment.

[screamsofnight]

hmmmmm.. doesent look like the best thought out place. I like the comments!