tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237798142024-03-08T14:23:53.838-05:00ScareFXThe official blog for ScareFX.com: A site for Halloween Home Haunts, Yard Haunts, and Haunting Information, Techniques, and ResourcesScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-60771132731766194162012-09-02T11:33:00.001-04:002012-09-02T11:40:52.219-04:00ScareFX Animated Spiders MechanismI've had a number of emails asking how I animated the spiders in our <a href="http://scarefx.com/project_spider_victim.html">Spinning Spider Web Victim scene</a>. I've put together a short video of the setup. Check it out in the link below.
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<a href="http://scarefx.com/project_spider_victim_3.html"><img border="0" height="281" width="500" src="http://scarefx.com/images/scarefx_video_animated_spiders_mechanism-500.jpg" /></a>
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ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-57529082204935988722010-11-01T14:56:00.002-04:002010-11-01T15:04:03.208-04:00Halloween 2010 - Another Successful YearA close to perfect year weather wise. A wind kicked up about mid-way through Trick 'r Treating, which of course killed the fog effects but otherwise everything went great. We gave a few scares and everyone left with a full-sized Hershey bar. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.scarefx.com/images/ScareFX_Halloween_2010-Front_Yard.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 327px;" src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/ScareFX_Halloween_2010-Front_Yard_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-6376620715697197002010-10-21T14:07:00.002-04:002010-10-21T14:14:21.104-04:00Sleepy Hollow Scarecrow HeadCarved a Funkin this morning. Think I might have cut myself. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/funkin_sleepy_hollow_2010.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 375px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/funkin_sleepy_hollow_2010_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-24569568647930926512010-08-30T17:18:00.002-04:002010-08-30T17:29:13.863-04:00Distressing the Animated Coffin TopI had a question about creating the texture on the <a href="http://scarefx.blogspot.com/2010/08/inside-animated-creepy-coffin.html">Animated Creepy Coffin</a>. Since I used soft cedar fence boards for that prop, it was pretty easy to use a rasp bit on my electric drill to distress the wood. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/rasp_bit_lg.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/rasp_bit_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />No special technique was used. Just go at it until it looks like you want it to look.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/distressed_coffin_top_lg.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/distressed_coffin_top_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-20292497378161392402010-08-25T20:26:00.005-04:002010-08-25T21:09:31.204-04:00Inside the Animated Creepy Coffin<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/creepy_coffin.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 213px; height: 600px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/creepy_coffin.jpg" border="0" alt=""></a><br />Many of you have seen the <a href="http://scarefx.blogspot.com/2006/10/animated-creepy-coffin.html">Animated Creepy Coffin</a> I made for Halloween 2006. I never got around to doing a proper how-to for that coffin.<br /><br />However, I've had several questions about the mechanism used in the prop so I dug up several old images of the internal mechanics.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_bottom_hinge.jpg"><img style="margin:10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_bottom_hinge.jpg" border="0" alt=""></a><br /><br />The bottom of the front of the coffin lid is attached with a couple of hinges.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_wiper_motor.jpg"><img style="margin:10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_wiper_motor.jpg" border="0" alt=""></a><br /><br />A wiper motor with a crank arm powers the coffin lid at the top.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_clevis_pin.jpg"><img style="margin:10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 333px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/coffin_mechanism_clevis_pin.jpg" border="0" alt=""></a><br /><br />A clevis pin and a couple of brackets attach the crank arm to the top of the coffin lid.ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-85338319999038219582010-08-23T12:41:00.003-04:002010-08-23T12:51:04.193-04:00Giant SkullLike many others this year I could not pass up getting one of the giant skulls from our local Costco. The sound is lame and I really don't like the LED eyes but I think I can use this skull as part of an huge imposing creature for Halloween this year.<br /><br /><a href="http://scarefx.com/images/giant_skull_2010.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 753px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/giant_skull_2010_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-41299486886601251392010-08-22T19:16:00.004-04:002010-08-22T19:26:50.638-04:00Fall Is On The WayThere are certain indicators of the impending return of the Halloween season. One is when our local Costco begins stocking my favorite seasonal brew. Happy camper here. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://scarefx.com/images/Sam_Adams_Octoberfest.jpg"><img src="http://scarefx.com/images/Sam_Adams_Octoberfest_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-75311021083997285072010-06-23T12:29:00.003-04:002010-06-23T13:13:23.920-04:00Trick 'r Treat Scene 2009<a href="http://www.scarefx.com/images/trick-r-treat_scene_2009.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 332px;" src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/trick-r-treat_scene_2009_sm.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />As I mentioned in a previous post, our Trick 'r Treat scene was one of the few we were able to get set up during the very rainy Halloween 2009. Unfortunately, the rain let loose again before I could get many good night photos. The photograph above is one of the few that I managed to take with the Nikon D90. I think the sheet draped scarecrow and the fence worked pretty well.ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-14424193732866582802009-11-16T07:33:00.003-05:002009-11-16T08:33:54.899-05:00Black Eyed PumpkinI keep our old jack-o'-lantern's around after Halloween and watch them as they decompose and return to the soil. This year a mold has turned the eyes of this jac black.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/blackeyed_pumpkin_sm.jpg" alt="" border="0" />ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-84232170738259193852009-11-11T17:47:00.002-05:002009-11-11T17:52:14.475-05:00Trick 'r Treat Sam Prop 2009I continue to get questions and comments about our <a href="http://scarefx.blogspot.com/2007/10/trick-r-treat-sam.html">Trick 'r Treat Sam prop</a> that we made a couple of years ago. I'm glad the movie finally came out so more people will learn what it's about.<br /><br />Our Trick 'r Treat scene was one of the few we were able to get set up during the very rainy Halloween 2009. Unfortunately, the rain let loose again before I could get any good night photos. But here is a picture of Sam right before we put him out that evening.<br /><br /><img src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/Trick-%27r-Treat-Sam-2009.jpg" alt="" border="0" /><br /><br />Sam was quite a simple Halloween prop to make. Here's a short description of what I used.<br /><br />For the base, I built a PVC pipe armature based on the estimates of this calculator (<a href="http://www.zombietronix.com/calculator_biped.php">http://www.zombietronix.com/calculator_biped.php</a>).<br /><br />For the hands, I used $6 Don Post severed hands purchased at Spirit Halloween that are slit at the wrist and fitted to a piece of PVC connected to the frame. A couple of pieces of burlap were used as "fingerless gloves" over the hands.<br /><br />For the head, I used a Styrofoam wig head covered in burlap stitched up the center with button eyes and manila rope around the neck.<br /><br />The pajamas were cut out of two pieces of orange craft felt purchased at JoAnn fabrics. It was cut to be larger than frame size so it would be baggy. Those two pieces were sewn together along each side. I used some poly fill inside the pajamas to give him some body bulk.<br /><br />The candy bag was purchased at Big Lots a couple of years ago. It has a bloody hand that can be dangled on the outside or left inside the bag. The stick candy was carved from a circle of wood and a wooden dowel and painted to match the one in the movie.ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-2177662111453692882009-10-22T20:12:00.002-04:002009-10-22T20:21:42.827-04:00A pre-Halloween photoI always like to take a night shot or two before Halloween to see how things are looking. It's not quite right yet but we still have few days to go. <br /><br />This was picture was taken with a very old Canon Digital Rebel (1st gen). Need to see how things will look with the Nikon D90. <br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.scarefx.com/images/pre-halloween_2009.jpg"><img style="width: 500px; height: 389px;" src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/pre-halloween_2009.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-34520754718916756202009-10-16T11:18:00.004-04:002009-10-16T11:45:57.738-04:00Trick 'r Treat [Blu-ray] (2008)If you didn't get the Blu-ray addition of Trick 'r Treat, you're missing some good special features. The commentary by Dougherty, Burns, Wilkins and Pipes was great and really told the story behind the movie. The "Trick 'r Treat: The Lore and Legends of Halloween" was excellent as well.<br /><br />It's also nice to have a digital copy that will play on our computer. Although a DRM-free version would have been better.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002LMSWNC?ie=UTF8&tag=scacom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002LMSWNC"><img style="width: 500px; height: 490px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/trick_r_treat_dvd.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=scacom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002LMSWNC" alt="" style="border: medium none ! important; margin: 0px ! important;" border="0" height="1" width="1" /><br /><br />Hopefully this year more people will recognize my Trick 'r Treat scene and appreciate my <a href="http://scarefx.blogspot.com/2007/10/trick-r-treat-sam.html">Sam prop that I made TWO years ago</a>.<br /><br /><img src="http://scarefx.com/images/sam_inside.jpg" alt="" border="0" />ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-89346538385336842192009-10-13T13:29:00.003-04:002009-10-13T13:36:14.556-04:00ScareFX Wiper Motor Rocker Project DescriptionQuite a few haunters have asked about the inner workings of the <a href="http://scarefx.blogspot.com/2009/10/scarefx-rockin-granny-2009.html">Rockin' Granny Halloween prop</a>.<br /><br />I've put together a <a href="http://scarefx.com/rocker/">project description on the ScareFX web site</a>.<br /><br />I also posted a video of the "undressed" prop in action.<br /><br /><object height="295" width="480"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/zxyMX-VJgao&hl=en&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/zxyMX-VJgao&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="295" width="480"></embed></object>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-47183788957011975032009-10-08T23:25:00.003-04:002009-10-08T23:37:12.030-04:00ScareFX Rockin' Granny 2009Here's our latest Halloween prop made with a wiper motor. She'll be part of a new scene this year. It's a misdirection prop created to set up the scare.<br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/SquGvHcmX3s&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/SquGvHcmX3s&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-7525776297179897712009-10-04T18:45:00.003-04:002009-10-04T19:00:12.521-04:00Maggot Buffet MaskWe received our newest mask yesterday. That was just in time for our adding it to our latest prop. The mask was made by Bump In The Night Productions and was purchased from Grim Reapers. It's called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KV3DGU?ie=UTF8&tag=scacom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KV3DGU">Maggot Buffet</a>.<img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=scacom-20&l=as2&o=1&a=B002KV3DGU" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002KV3DGU?ie=UTF8&tag=scacom-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B002KV3DGU"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 753px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/maggot_buffet.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-30884003119360015292009-09-16T17:16:00.004-04:002009-09-16T17:24:04.631-04:00Spinning Spider Web Night Video ClipI posted a short video clip of our spinning spider web victim prop on Halloween Night 2008.<br /><div><br /></div><div><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/MXaxGI7YU04&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/MXaxGI7YU04&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object></div><br /><div>You can check out a how-to for the project on the ScareFX web site.<br /></div><div><a href="http://www.scarefx.com/project_spider_victim.html">http://www.scarefx.com/project_spider_victim.html</a></div>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-61048372127206819312009-03-28T16:01:00.002-04:002009-03-28T16:08:13.425-04:00Zombie Crossing Sign 2008If you have not played around with <a href="http://www.befunky.com/">befunky.com</a> for adding effects to your images, go and check at that free service. I uploaded a picture of our "Zombie Crossing" sign from last year and this was the result.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.scarefx.com/images/zombie_crossing_sign_2008.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 364px; height: 449px;" src="http://www.scarefx.com/images/zombie_crossing_sign_2008.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-82431071942421256402009-03-24T20:57:00.002-04:002009-03-24T21:00:08.325-04:00Flaming Pumpkin Clip 2008<p>This is a short video clip of the flaming pumpkin I made last year. It's just a foam pumpkin from Micheal's with a silk flame. It was modeled to look like the one in the unreleased horror anthology, Trick 'r Treat, written and directed by Michael Dougherty.</p><br /><br /><object width="498" height="307" data="http://blip.tv/play/AfThJpWIfw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"><param name="src" value="http://blip.tv/play/AfThJpWIfw" /><param name="allowfullscreen" value="true" /></object>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-26751010215297112002009-02-27T12:48:00.002-05:002009-02-27T12:51:54.486-05:00Images BrokenI moved one of my sites recently to a new server. Unfortunately that move has broken many of the image links on this blog. I'll be going through the posts and relinking the images.ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-47027873136589295322008-12-07T12:52:00.004-05:002009-09-22T11:51:36.714-04:00Dusting of Snow on Rotting PumpkinWe got our first bit of snow last night.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/dusting_of_snow_on_rotting_pumpkin.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 384px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/dusting_of_snow_on_rotting_pumpkin.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-83601529420204561322008-10-25T10:59:00.003-04:002009-02-27T12:53:09.080-05:00Porch SkellyThis shot was hand-held at 1/60 second - f/5.6 - ISO: 3200.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/images/porch_skelly.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px; height: 753px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/porch_skelly.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-2957897441823464582008-10-18T23:55:00.012-04:002009-02-27T19:09:36.323-05:00ScareFX Ghost 2008Tonight we have our ghost flying in the upstairs window. I shot a short clip with a Nikon D90 in video mode. The low light capability of that camera is quite impressive.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://scarefx.com/images/ghost_in_the_window.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/ghost_in_the_window.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br /><center><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/cD8rmqlYBZw&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/cD8rmqlYBZw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></center><br /><br />The still shot had the following EXIF metadata:<br /><br />Size:2.9MB 10/18/2008 11:35:30 PM<br />Dimensions: 4288 x 2848 pixels<br />Camera make NIKON CORPORATION<br />Camera model NIKON D90<br />Camera Date 2008:10:18 23:35:30<br />Resolution 4288 x 2848<br />Flash Not Used<br />Focal length 105.0mm<br />Exposure time 0.067s (1/15)<br />Aperture f/5.6<br />ISO 3200<br />Metering Mode Matrix<br />Exposure Shutter Priority <br /><br />I can't believe how sharp a hand held shot with a 105mm lens can be at 1/15 of a second exposure.ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-56911949794738154422008-10-11T23:16:00.005-04:002009-02-27T12:55:54.943-05:00Some Boney DudeSome boney guy is sitting on my front porch in my rocking chair. I'm going to need him to move on before Halloween. <br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/images/boney_dude.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/boney_dude.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-5348893482988819752008-10-11T23:05:00.004-04:002009-02-27T12:53:32.461-05:00Porch FrameworkFor the past couple of years I've put up a framework to that makes putting together my Halloween porch scenes much easier. The framework is made of simple 2" x 2" pine boards attached at the corners with metal bracing brackets and anchored on the bottom with angle brackets.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/images/porch_framework.jpg"><img style="cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 500px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/porch_framework.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23779814.post-55076139104405342012008-10-10T12:34:00.004-04:002009-02-27T12:54:01.715-05:00Rotten Realty<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://64.226.23.133/woodycarr/scarefx/images/rotten_realty.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 500px;" src="http://scarefx.com/images/rotten_realty.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><p>I'm sure my neighbors looked twice at the realty sign in front of my house.</p>ScareFXhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02271464304390904905noreply@blogger.com1