What are they paying you? Are they paying scale for an actor? For an extra? Probably not. But, if they are, do what they say. That's real good money for a haunt.
Or are they paying you as little as they legally can?
Or are you a volunteer?
Haunt acting isn't a high profile job. Most haunt actors are a motley crew of people who like the idea of haunting. They're not paid great(sometimes not paid at all). They do this for the love of it. Treating your actors like chattel will get you a crew of cowed, timid actors constantly more concerned with offending their boss than they are of scaring the customers. Demanding professional level acting from them--while not paying for that level of acting is a fools game.
That said, haunt actors are easily replaced. They're people who like haunting and there are far more of them than there are openings at a haunt.
Haunts work best when owners work with their actors, encouraging and inspiring them. This creates a crew that feels part of the haunt, that wants to be part of the haunt, part of the family. On my big haunt tour I met a volunteer haunter who bought a silicone mask for over $500 because he thought it would add to his effect in a haunt that doesn't pay him(it did, he was great). He did it because he loved his job.
That's the attitude you want. And you'll never get it if you actors can't speak up because they've got the wrong color card.
Teach, encourage and inspire first--then deal with problems as they arise. Treating everyone as a problem right out of the gate only guarantees that you'll have a lot of problems.
Or are they paying you as little as they legally can?
Or are you a volunteer?
Haunt acting isn't a high profile job. Most haunt actors are a motley crew of people who like the idea of haunting. They're not paid great(sometimes not paid at all). They do this for the love of it. Treating your actors like chattel will get you a crew of cowed, timid actors constantly more concerned with offending their boss than they are of scaring the customers. Demanding professional level acting from them--while not paying for that level of acting is a fools game.
That said, haunt actors are easily replaced. They're people who like haunting and there are far more of them than there are openings at a haunt.
Haunts work best when owners work with their actors, encouraging and inspiring them. This creates a crew that feels part of the haunt, that wants to be part of the haunt, part of the family. On my big haunt tour I met a volunteer haunter who bought a silicone mask for over $500 because he thought it would add to his effect in a haunt that doesn't pay him(it did, he was great). He did it because he loved his job.
That's the attitude you want. And you'll never get it if you actors can't speak up because they've got the wrong color card.
Teach, encourage and inspire first--then deal with problems as they arise. Treating everyone as a problem right out of the gate only guarantees that you'll have a lot of problems.
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