Tis the season for everything and anything spooky. The air chills, the leaves change, and it starts getting darker sooner. Throughout the entire month of October, horror movies are blasted on every channel and the box office is full of horror and psychological thrillers. If you’re a fan of things spooky, you’ve probably been to a haunted attraction. But have you ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes?
I have been working at a haunted attraction for the past three years. And let me tell you, it’s nothing like you expect. We don’t just show up in October and do the same things every year; we are constantly building and expanding on our four attractions, which takes about 90 minutes to complete altogether. So much planning and effort goes into making visitors experience as fun and entertaining as possible.
As actors, we start training over the summer. That’s right- we’re thinking about how to scare the pants off you almost all year round. We typically have three sessions over the summer, about three hours long for each one. During this time we work on acting skills and character development, and form stronger bonds with our haunt family. This seems like such a weird thing to say, but if you’re not close to those you’re working with, especially in an acting setting, it can cause more chaos than what is already going on. We may be a part-time job, but we are with each other in close quarters until the wee hours of the morning. Have drama? Your night is going to get really awkward really fast.
Once September hits, our new season officially begins. Mid- September, we meet for orientation. If you plan on working anywhere within the haunt that year- makeup, costume, loading wagons, acting- this is mandatory. From there, the waiting begins. Our draft day happens later in the week, and we find out where we will be for the next seven weekends.
And thus begins Hell Week. If you’ve ever been in any form of production before, you understand Hell Week. This is tech and dress week- be there or be square. Not only do we learn how to fulfill our role, people can be shifted around from position to position based on how the week is going. It’s the week we hunker down and prepare for the nights to come. It’s basically the week you finalize your contract to sell your soul to your haunt for the month of October.
During actual, open nights, actors start preparing at least an hour before you as a guest even drive into the parking lot. Each actor has a different call time to be there based on what attraction they are in, and if you as an actor are not fifteen minutes early, you are fifteen minutes late. From there, they are carted into costume, dressed, and then herded into makeup, where they are bloodied, coated in grease paint and latex, and coated in fake dirt. From there, actors either walk or are driven to their scene via golf cart to prepare for the night. They set up their scene, place props where they need to be, and hide their bags which contain haunt necessities- water, snacks, several forms of pain medication for any occasion, and throat drops- lots and lots of throat drops. As the first wagon comes through, spirits are high.
As a guest, you may think it’s an easy job. You’re just acting, after all. Let me tell you, it is some of the most strenuous work I have ever done in my entire life. We are there in all forms of weather. Raining? Hope you have black rainboots. Snowing? Better have gloves and thermal gear. Mid-to-high sixties? Find a way to keep cool. Even though you may think it is too wet and rainy to stand in line and go through a haunt, many others think differently. We are there from opening until the last wagon goes through. This means that our energy at last wagon, which can show up anywhere between midnight and 4 am, must be the same as it is for first wagon at approximately 6:30. Comfort is a luxury that we don’t have as actors. You’re hiding in bushes, standing on a hard box, or possibly even hanging from chains. Coat yourself in IcyHot, because unless you are dying, you are showing up to work the next day.
Because we get run down so easily with lack of sleep, illness can run rampant through the attractions. We shove our pockets with what we hope will be enough tissues for the night, make thermoses of tea, and pray we don’t lose are voice too badly during the night. It is hard work, and every year we lose approximately half of the acting staff we start with. Some can’t do the hours, some have weak immune systems, and some just realize this is NOT what they thought they signed up for. This means some actors are learning a different position almost every night.
As for stress- let’s go back to the makeup portion. This is my first year as a makeup artist at our attraction. My horrid immune system cannot physically deal with the grueling hours required as an actor, but I love the Haunt Life. Just like acting, you probably thing makeup is easy, right?
WRONG. We have approximately three hours to get approximately two hundred actors prepared for the night. We need to make the makeup flawless in ten to fifteen minutes. That’s right, ten to fifteen minutes. That means applying a prosthetic, painting the face and prosthetic, contouring, powdering, adding details, and coating an actor in blood faster than most girls can finish their entire makeup routine. It is absolute chaos from the moment the first actor walks in until the last actor sits in your chair. Oh, and those prosthetics I mentioned? They can take five to ten minutes to dry, even with the help of a dryer- and you can’t paint until that sucker is dry. These pieces have to be able to handle rain, snow, sweat and heavy movement. Want to skimp on latex? That sucker’s not going to last an hour. Oh, and have fun painting a heavy sweater as a clown- the paint is water activated. I have seen actors sweat makeup off as fast as I was applying it before. Is it mid-season and you have never done the look needed for the actor sitting in front of you? You’re about to learn.
Still think working at a haunt is easy? Working isn’t even a job- it’s a lifestyle. Our social lives go out the window for the entire month of October. So before you decide to show up drunk and start catcalling the actors (yes, it has happened. Even to zombies.), you might want to think about the hard work that goes into what you are about to experience. So bundle up, keep your hands and feet in the wagon, and enjoy the ride. And if you scare easily, you might want to bring a change of underwear.