Haunt Show Events

[Gore Galore]

Shane,

That statement means alot.

And if you can get behind this then everyone can.
It really is about everyone dropping the politics, negativlty, and trying to take this seriously for a moment.
It is funny to hear me talk about taking things seriously. I take my business seriously but anyone who knows me knows I certainly don't take myself seriously.
I digress.

THIS show just like the HHVA has grown out of nothing.
And what has made HHVA as successful as it has been already is the fact that all the vendors use their own specific expertise to make it move forward. Everyone contributes. When someone sees a problem they point it out, and then they work to fix it.

And this show has to be the same way.
The only way this show will succeed is if the organizers, buyers, and vendors use their own special skills to help make it happen. We always wanted our own show, but not for long if we don't make it work.

Several people have offered up assistance and that is how it has to happen.
It requires effort. No one is going to hand this to us and it will just work. We have to take lessons from all the failings we have endured and figure out the ways to make it successful.

And I will tell you Several vendors such as Myself. Tim Turner, and Mark Mcdonough and many others suggested individuals for Transworld to poll to make the determination of location.
And the idea was to select non partisan objective individuals who crossed the spectrum of high budget to low budget haunts. And everything in between.

But you are right, Transworld has not listened before. But they knew if they didn't listen we would have gone to a different show producer just like the Halloween section, and their buyer groups.
What they might not realize is how close that fact actually was.
That is exactly how they lost the entire Halloween section to Houston. Not listened It cost them an entire market. And I am sorry to say they will never get that back.
So, there most certainly is some desperation here. And I am also sorry to say we saw it on their faces in all the meetings we had with them.

Just imagine, They flew the entire executive staff to MHC at one days notice to have the meeting with us. That has to tell you something.

So, with all that said.
Just drop the negativity and back this show with everything you've got.
And that will help guarantee its success.
And please don't hesitate to make suggestions we can forward to transworld.
That is what is going to make it work.

[graystone]

Kevin,

Let me also add that with Tim helping you I am sure everything will be ok. Nothing aginst Mark but I have never talked with him so I can't comment on him although if you and Tim say hes good then thats all I need. Again if there is something I can do to help you guys on a buyers end let me know. Kevintthere is one thing I would like to see come out of this show. I would like to see a meeting place maybe a banquet room or something ( I will be glad to pay the rental on this room myself) also I want to be apart of it, but anyway I want us haunters and you vendors to get in the same room and talk about some industry issues. We can type here all day but one can't really express how they feel about things over the net. So will one of you guys Kevin? Tim? work with me on this? I think we need to get in a room sit down talk!!!! Shane

[Gore Galore]

How does this sound?
We have talked about having a round table discussion. Many tables in one room. Each table with different topics.
All discussions will have a moderator who keeps the discussion on topic and records the minutes for each table. That way we don't loose any of the information discussed.
You just go around the room and pick the topic you want to join in on.
Maybe we have 2 tables for open discussion or have yet to be determined topics.

For some of these things to happen we need more that one or 2 people to say ok. we need several people say we should do this.

[graystone]

Hummmmm Kevin

Thats not what I had in mind because no one will know what the other table is talking about. We can do that here. What I plan on doing is inviting any vendor and buyer to attend. And have a question and answer with a table made up of vendors and a table made up of buyers. Face to face question to answer. So everyone knows the answer to the question addressed in public. I can handle it when it gets closer I will ask you if you want to attend and some other vendors. Shane

[Spookyfinder]

Kevin,

I like your idea, and I think it would work... just, maybe could set it up so that every few minutes the tables MUST rotate! Like musical tables... that way, everybody gets a chance to discuss all the given topics and the people taking minutes will have LOADS of info from everybody that participated. -Tyler

[Greg Chrise]

I would have to suggest that if there are Any seminars or demonstrations during the show floor hours, it is limited to only vendors that have paid for a booth. To further elaorate on their wares and products. Not how to market or ponder the cosmos and the future.

At Hauntcon, I had no trouble filling a room with 150 people and give a seminar. This for a Sunday afternoon was probably a majority of the remaining attendance.

In general, the topics of discussion in the seminars were not as professional or as Industry related as other kinds of trade shows I have attended.

For example if Gore Galore has a booth, it is the Gore Galore Fashion show and videos of effects not brought to the show or otherwise easy to communicate an available service. In otherwords a timed elaboration opportunity rather than something completely different than what the show is devoted to, who has invested to be there and why they are there.

No introduction to anything except booth people. And in some instances the times show location is not at a seperate room or cooridor, it is at the booth, yet it is on a program. Not just when ever you happen by. Each passer by has to get the full drift of what is being offered in 3 seconds passing. Perhaps half an hour opportunity to a mass of people rather than each occurance being one on one.

In a group, some buyers might feel less pressured to hear what is being offered and fully realize they need the product but, just being hit one by one is more like saying hello to intimidate shop lifters at a retail store.

There might not have been anything wrong with the HauntCon experience for the attendees but clearly the vendors were in competition time wise with something being offered for free. There could have been a section on the show floor centered that was for vendor demos and presentations. See a seminar with a guy reading his pre written script very badly that has a few months involved in the idea of being somebody or see someone that has been building something for 15 years and is every day good at this.

I have gone hundreds of miles ot of my way and paid to get into conventions where some master of a product is there, sponsored by the people who make the product. And you can try and buy the product right there.

Not wander around and hope you like something and maybe order it next year. Once you look at 4,000 items how do you make a choice? How do you know how had someone worked on something or that there is skill in it's final finish.

Meanwhile some round table guy who might not have a haunted house, did not invest in a booth, said haunting may suck this year because of gas prices.

It is so much easier to control if it never happens.

[Greg Chrise]

Other rules should be if you didn't sign the check that bought the booth, don't talk to the cameras. Ya know all these creations are developed by a lots of sitting around drinking thinking crap up!

If the general press comes in, here is a list of who specifically to talk to, that will give you excellent coverage of the event. Who's handling that?

Also, there is the opportunity to put our own press in there rather than relying on just the volunteering of fans and their cameras recording all the drinking pictures. Have someone putting pro Utube videos out of all the speals. Viral communication of the industry as well as additional coverage of the products available. This way the world sees the investment and serious nature, the information is made available in a professional manner.

At present that is all there are of any event are people's personal accounts of licking each other's heads and using skull funnels to drink in hotel rooms. These days having 20 good videos on Utube is better than telling housewives and the unemployed about you on Good morning America. No need to spend $65,000 if you have the content happening all in one place.

I would go a little further and suggest that no loser organization gets a free booth and meeting rooms.

[Greg Chrise]

Yes, unless new good content it created, all you have are unlabeled pictures of a trade show, not knowing who the vendor is because you expected some kid with a camera to do it for you for free and it will be out there for years and years. Or another bunch of fans recorded the drinking and costumes only.

Quite frankly out here in the trenches there is still some wonderment by the general public of why you even need to have a convention about stringing black plastic and strategically picking out masks at Walmart. It doesn't matter how much has really been invested. People stopped caring years ago and it is all a big circle of haunts and vendors defining the feel of the industy, or not. So far it has been more of the not defining anything.

Maybe it is time to evolve a little.

[Haunted Illinois]

How does this sound?
We have talked about having a round table discussion. Many tables in one room. Each table with different topics.
All discussions will have a moderator who keeps the discussion on topic and records the minutes for each table. That way we don't loose any of the information discussed.
You just go around the room and pick the topic you want to join in on.
Maybe we have 2 tables for open discussion or have yet to be determined topics.

For some of these things to happen we need more that one or 2 people to say ok. we need several people say we should do this.

That sounds like a good idea, but I’m not sure how people would keep track of which topics are being discussed at which tables. Perhaps that wouldn’t be a problem if you assigned specific topics to numbered tables, then print out a schedule, so people would know where to go and when, to discuss things they were interested in.

Kevin,

I like your idea, and I think it would work... just, maybe could set it up so that every few minutes the tables MUST rotate! Like musical tables... that way, everybody gets a chance to discuss all the given topics and the people taking minutes will have LOADS of info from everybody that participated. -Tyler

That might work out ok, but the potential problem that I see is the discussion losing momentum each time there is a rotation. There would probably be a lot of redundancy in the discussions, where the new group would re-hash several points that the previous group already brought up. Also, let’s say that someone from the first group brought up an interesting idea and the moderator of the group mentioned it to the next group to foster further discussion. That’s great, but unfortunately the guy who original thought of the idea wouldn’t be at the table (because of the rotation), to respond to any feedback provided by the second group. Having worked in “Corporate America” for several years, I’ve found that it’s usually more productive to have a single meeting with all of the key players, instead of multiple smaller meetings.

[Gore Galore]

Shane,
Again I can talk to the board about it.
I still also like the round table discussions.
Maybe both can happen.
I will look into it asap.
I am sure IAHA, HHA, and HHVA can sponsor one or all and make it happen.

thanks for the comment Tyler.

Greg,
Excellent contribution.
You always have alot to offer.

Presenting video on Youtube and in a professional manner. CHECK
Product Demo in booths. CHECK or in a center location at specific time slot.
I like this idea alot.
I know that Studiotek used to do this alot and thought it was an excellent way to communication with a wide audience.

[Haunted Illinois]

Other rules should be if you didn't sign the check that bought the booth, don't talk to the cameras. Ya know all these creations are developed by a lots of sitting around drinking thinking crap up!

If the general press comes in, here is a list of who specifically to talk to, that will give you excellent coverage of the event. Who's handling that?

Good point, Greg. I think we all learned that the hard way by the Scarefactory’s recent unfortunate media incident. For the sake of their very own reputations, vendors need to be very cognizant of who from their organization is talking to the Press and what they are saying.

Also, there is the opportunity to put our own press in there rather than relying on just the volunteering of fans and their cameras recording all the drinking pictures. Have someone putting pro Utube videos out of all the speals.

I think people in the industry are starting to realize this. I’ve seen vendors like Gore-Galore, Spookywoods FX, Scarefactory, Abracadaver Productions and others link YouTube videos of their products on their websites. It’s definitely a more effective way of advertising when you can see a prop in action, instead of just seeing a picture of it.

At present that is all there are of any event are people's personal accounts of licking each other's heads and using skull funnels to drink in hotel rooms.. .. Yes, unless new good content it created, all you have are unlabeled pictures of a trade show, not knowing who the vendor is because you expected some kid with a camera to do it for you for free and it will be out there for years and years. Or another bunch of fans recorded the drinking and costumes only.

I’ll have to say that you don’t have a very positive outlook on the current state of online picture galleries of Haunt-related conventions. While I must admit that I have seen a picture or two of “people's personal accounts of licking each other's heads”, I think that is more the exception than the rule. You make it sound like there isn’t a picture gallery out there that features Haunt products.

I do, however, agree with your point of people posting “unlabeled pictures of a trade show, not knowing who the vendor is”. It definitely would be more useful to a potential customer to know what company made a product he/she saw in an online gallery. Perhaps people have just been spoiled by PhotoBucket and other hosting sites where you blindly upload mass amounts of photographs in a matter of minutes? Maybe people don’t have, or want to take the time to label their pictures? Or maybe they don’t remember which company is associated with each picture?

Also, you’re implying that labeled picture galleries of Industry events don’t exist. Well, believe me, they do. As an example, check out picture galleries 2 through 6, in my 2008 Transworld Overview:

http://www.hauntedillinois.com/2008transworldpicts2.php

Nearly every picture of a product is labeled with the name of the vendor that made it. If you click on the picture, not only do you see the name of the company, but I have a link to their website, as well.

I understand that these unlabeled galleries aren’t AS useful, but they DO have value. They give the general public, as well as Haunters who can’t make it to these conventions, a view of what is currently available in the Haunt Industry. I think that someone who couldn’t attend would be happy to see pictures posted online. After all, it’s better than nothing.

Perhaps these online galleries will encourage more people to attend future conventions and trade shows, so they can see all these great products first-hand.

As for the nature of the pictures that are posted, I personally try to keep the “head licking” pictures to a minimum and promote the vendors’ products & the Industry in general.

Regardless of the existance of a few questionable pictures out there, for the most part, I think these picture galleries are a positive thing for the Industry.

[Greg Chrise]

I do appreciate any photos and fully understand how much ime and effort has gone into posting anything. My point is that if a specific compensated media group (even if it was those that have participated already) the results would be of a far greater contribution.

For example, at HauntCon the two times I have been in Texas gatherings, there is an elaborate set up to record the seminars. I fear their total compensation is to later whore out the production for $15 a video. I'm saying turn the cameras onto the show floor not the seminars. Not the hotel antics.

The consumer electronics show begins with 200 media people trying to get in the gate as it has a more general appeal for TV. What are the new gadgets and appliances that will be available for your home or business?

Haunted houses may not get generic appeal like that so it must be created. And paid for so that the drudgery of all the posting, labeling and quality of equipment is there. So a pretask of what we are trying to show has been formulated. Not ust as a service to those who didn't bother to show up. As a media available content discussing how great haunted houses are.

Even for those that did bother to show up, the fatigue of traveling and the confrontation of so many things to obsorb product wise, it would be future reference and a review of products they did see but may have over looked. This is a second chance at an order.

Just like you see a spot on the morning talk shows about the new game boy, this industry should be showing how cool everything is.

Just like as a small child, they had on camera the un skinned animatronics that would be the haunted mansion and the pirates of the caribean ride. Everyone looked at those Sunday afternoon propoganda shorts and said I have to go see what Walt has done. More so, there have been for the last 30 years people that have been inspired by those things to build haunted houses. Just doing some content with a little bit of lenght would inspire those already having an event and those wanting to have an event one day to reach to a certain level. The general public would be inspired to see what is in their town and begin traveling no matter the cost to see what that haunted house has.

Otherwise it is just a secret event that only a few know about. It makes no difference is some haunt out there is getting by with a black plywood habitrail. In fact it IS the entire economy of acceptance. If the haunts are making money they can buy stuff. If the customers see investment they will keep growing in numbers.

Quite frankly the economy is now such that it takes more than making an announcement or going about things in the same old manner. If there isn't some buzz, seizing of opportunities missed in the past, it could all be something that fades away. Does everyone have their next job picked out?

[Greg Chrise]

A media group would be a team of people that knows this stuff, not just hired off of Wall street. A group of people that are intouch with the products that individually have the websites and talent to get the information out there. Like 5 different talents rather than one 7 minute spot.

But, there is something involved besides they are doing it for getting 50 subscribers to this secret information. More than they are allowed into the show un molested. If dollar figures are being thrown around like $65,000 for the big haunts to get noticed, why not spend $5,000 on how the industry works hard as a whole.

You see the behind the scenes of most modern movies, it is just as interesting as the movie sometimes. Well, to come up with those special features, the movie producers had third unit documantary groups wandering around making it look great. It is all the communication of how to keep abreast of how great haunted houses are becoming, why you should buy any of this stuff, why you should pay a ticket at a haunt.

Additionally not everyone even in the industry can take of from the day job and send money to travel. That money lost, and spent would better be spent directly with some vendor from afar and the information has been presented in a manner that translates into more sales. Contacts from further away and sales from the median houses that really struggle to do it all.

[Greg Chrise]

It could very easily NOT be just Gore Galore trail blazing on Utube, the entire event builds a signature of who are all of these people. Not look what I stumbled onto or only found out about because I check into a specific forum.

And yes, unfortunately we are in the age of free information that someone had to spend money and time and real work to get it out there. No one is buying $265 for so so seminars so that was all wasted. It costs money to make the DVDs and posting on other people's servers is free. Getting the products out there available for free. No loss on thousands of fliers and catalogs. No someone spending $4 on postage to send me their junk brochures.

Yes, we want it all for free and someone else to spend the money to do it. But, the real purpose shouldn't be try to get there by having the carrot of "the Introduction of haunted houses and marketing and transmission repair" It becomes here are the products you need in the new millenium.

And it isn't all about Larry but his site is already set up for lots of this and he has done just as I'm suggesting and poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into this property that could benefit everyone and actually make a bigger market. So sure Larry is very interested and it certainly isn't about showing off the darkness for one nights wages.

It's like all of this stuff is in place but no one is taking advantage of it. It doesn't mean we need yet another site, another organization or to wait for 3 years for an existing organization to research what people want. It is all as simple as everyone contributing to self promotion to a degree. Even if it means $100 a vendor to be on the service or $50 for every attendee affluent enough to be able to go there and still write out a check.

I will have no quams about explaining why my attraction is a loser event, quite simply in this area they are about 1/10th as popular as one might be up north. So this lessens my ability to outlay serious cash in a seasonal business that has a limited return. Frankly I have already hurt myself financially and it is totally from putting money into the haunted house instead of my regular business. I'm not going down the tubes or anything but, I'm questioning why was I so stupid to have done that. Why is it not working. What could be better.

My customers have never heard of Transworld or HauntCon or most of the vendors yet they have had an event since 1983. How is this possible? Those that are out and about are wasting money trying to figure out what is all this about and why should they be excited?

I make my rounds and hear we aren't going to this or that because it costs so much and we don't know why it serves any purpose. Monitarily everyone is going through all of these motions as it might lead to something some day.

Yes, I have commented on how I don't necessarily like the licking of heads. It might be more that I'm not able to go to all of these events and have 5 vactions a year paid for by selling 25 DVDs at each place. I don't undersand the great need for very large flopping pnuematically actuated latex, because I can't afford something that cost $2500 a pop even if I can understand why it costs that much. And know how hard someone had to work to make that. I know that $2500 is infact just working for a tough kind of living keeping the faith that someday this will all be something.

All I'm saying is it is time to make it all into something. A whole bunch of individuals on the edge trying to make pro headway or some background organization that doesn't just make a buyers guide. It pretty much brodacasts the products of today across the planet. Even the haunts that have gone years with out a single prop will have to listen to their customers and get some. They will have been able to justify getting some because customers came by to see if they had this stuff.

[Haunted Illinois]

I do appreciate any photos and fully understand how much ime and effort has gone into posting anything. My point is that if a specific compensated media group (even if it was those that have participated already) the results would be of a far greater contribution.

Good point. When it comes to the largest trade show in the Industry, there should be some sort of “media group” covering the event, so that it gets more National attention.

Until that happens, I guess I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, regardless of how worthless some people think it is. LOL.