The Actor

I have been producing haunted houses since 1979. No matter how creative I think I am; I am never prepared for what my actors will do with my creation. Sometimes they improve upon my work and make me look good. More likely than not they make me look foolish and trash carefully prepared scenes.

No matter actors age they must be treated like children. In reality, they are children. The power an individual obtains when they become someone else is nothing less than absolute. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. As a haunt's creator, it is easy to be wrapped up in your favorite room and enjoy plying your annual trade upon hapless victims (customers). I am no different. However, may I offer a change? I do my thing on the slow nights and for a short time on the busy ones. Then I step back and become the creative director. I monitor all scenes, travel through the attraction as a customer, constantly give direction and make DAMN sure all my talent know that I am watching them.

OK, as the creative director I have already trained all my actors and technicians. I have explained each individual's duties and any variations that are allowed. I have explained what to do in the event of an emergency, how to handle customers that really should have gone to Boo at the Zoo (not only children) and how to notify internal security about rowdy customers. I have left no stone unturned.

HA!!! Well, all of you that believe that, I have some invisible paint for sale, just $99 per pint. I have identified the problem. After all these years one would think I might have learned something. It is the power of the mask and even elaborate make-up can have a similar effect. Once a persons true identity is concealed, they can and often do become God like, "I can do no wrong" "…and if by chance I do, no one will know its me, he he he " I had a friend relate an incident to me.

All his actors wear masks in his attraction. A select few decided to grope attractive females. The first time a female complained he shut the attraction down, brought all his actors out and the female easily selected her attacker, who was fired. An actor in the select group learned from this. The next time he traded masks with another actor, who promptly turned him in when the victim pointed his way. Again the select actor group learned. This time the culprit brings a mask to wear for groping and a mask to wear when in review. Eventually this actor was caught and fired.

I am an x-Marine and in fairly good shape. I explain to my actors that if I ever see them touch a customer, the least of their problems is going to jail, because a trip to the hospital will take precedence. I do not count reflex response. That is when a customer is so scared that they lash out and accidentally make contact with one or more of my actors: or when an actor gets carried away, looses balance or missteps and bumps into a customer.

It is important to note that masks do more than give actors' power, they also give certain customers' power. Because an actor will do things he/she never thought possible, a customer may do the same. An actor in a mask is no longer human, has no identity and as such will become a target. Certain customer types will hit masked actors. Especially those that stand still like dummies. The customer will say " Hey, I thought it was a dummy, I didn't know it was a person" Which of course is a lie, the customer was looking for an out. His goal was to hit an actor and get away with it.

Increased security has no effect on this problem. The solution is simple. Starting in 1992 I began to limit the use of masks and for the most part masks were used on dummies. I did not go to elaborate make-up. Instead I created scenes for people. My technique is more complicated than can be explained here, but I am playing with your mind and senses (Excited Senses Article) from the time you enter to the time you exit. Alfred Hitchcock is my style. I use limited make-up to enhance a face, like a touch of red, for blood, a light base of white, black and even appliances. The actors' face is visible and the person recognizable.

What I have added more than makes up for any perceived loss. The most important addition is eye contact and next facial expressions. Actor training is more intense and not anyone can perform in my haunt. Customers comment on how my actors make eye contact, look at them. I train my actors to look at the customers, to use their eyes and facial muscles to convey meaning. I Entertain, previous article. You are safest in rooms with my actors, not that they don't nail more than half the customers, the real scares come in the corridors between rooms.

More planning is necessary. Your room/scene scripts become complicated to the point of simplicity. What? Yes, the scenes are so simple that it is now possible for your actors to become bored even quicker than before. After all, they have to do the same thing over and over and over and… I offer several variations for the actors to work with and I have a reward system for actors to work their way up the privileged scene ladder. The actors that have been with me the longest get first choice. Once you have proven your worth I design a scene for you.

Next Week, Safety

Mad Hatter

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