Halloween Cam Update
August 8th, 2010 by John Wolfe
Shy of about three days, the Halloween Webcam has been focused on my garden every night for the last month. Though I originally planned to keep it there until Halloween, I’ve decided to move the feed back to the workshop again. I’m making the move for a couple of reasons: one being that I’ve had some requests to show my prop work in real time, and another being that my camera doesn’t seem too happy staying focused on the garden for ten hours straight.
The webcam actually tends to have a few hiccups when I work it that hard, so I’ve decided to give it a little vacation. After getting some rest, it should be up and running in the shop by the 20th of August. I’ll post a reminder update on the 20th for anyone interested in checking it out that evening.
The image in this post was lovingly inspired by Autumnforest and Goldie. Both recently accused me of being a tease when it comes to showing prop progress, so I had to prove they’re right by including a teaser photo of the Angel of Death. After all, the first step is admitting you have a problem: My name is John and I’m a prop tease. 
Though I’m going for a very emaciated look this time and his shroud will cover the majority of his head and body, there’s still a lot of mache work to be done. But, I honestly feel I do my best work as I know I’m getting closer to a deadline. Whenever there’s the slightest hint of fall in the air, I start kicking my prop work into high gear.
August 8th, 2010 at 6:50 pm
Dear John;
your Angel od Death looks very appropriate for your Halloween garden. I can imagine on Halloween night with three webcams up adding a scary shine ,candle light glare showing the whitness of skeleton and Angels jawbone in place (if you plan it there from the beginning),ghosts weeping, you’ll have perfect All Hallows Eve as a result of your efforts.
August 8th, 2010 at 7:02 pm
John;
I would so love to work on my evil baby dolls alongside you as you work on the angel of death. I’m curious, do you listen to Nox Arcana and the like when you work? I always have to have creepy music or the movie “Halloween” with its creepy music playing in the background. I would love to have a workshop that I could keep up all year. Instead, I end up spreading the dolls and headstones out on the kitchen island. I’m completely unconventional, but hey it’s my hobby. Thanks for the peep show.
August 8th, 2010 at 10:01 pm
YeeeeeeeeeeePeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
YeeeeeeeeeeePeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!
This is FANTASTIC news John and I can’t wait until your workshop cam is back online. I absolutely love to watch you work so I am beyond delighted to hear your about to start it up soon. If I’m not mistaken, are you starting the workshop cam sooner this year than last year? If yes then THANK YOU for doing so. I realize this year makes the second year you’ve done this but there’s already something that feels like it’s part of the harvest rituals to watch you work on your webcam. You really do set the Halloween mood John, year round, of course, but especially towards the end of summer. Plus our days are getting shorter now, have you noticed? It’s darker out sooner now and I’m all excited inside just anticipating the full on feelings and emotions that come with fall.
In addition I wanted to thank you for the garden cam last month. It’s been very cool to just chill out in your garden and hear your cats meow once in a while in the back ground. I appreciate the effort that went into that and I enjoyed every minute of it.
Congratulations sweetie, you’ve finally admitted you are a prop tease
It’s a good thing though…..gotta keep some mystery about you and what you do. I love the photo, by the way!!! It’s perfectly dark where he’s at and, as you know about me, I’m a huge fan of cloaks that are over sized. It’s a wonderful creepy photo and a different one from the rest of the bunch you have in the gallery. You’ve got a way with the camera John, then again you’ve got a way with everything you do my friend.
Looking forward to Aug 20!!
August 8th, 2010 at 11:39 pm
Echo,
Thank you so much. I don’t believe you’ve commented before, so I’d like to welcome you to Season of Shadows. I’m definitely hoping for a great night. Halloween’s on a Sunday this year, so it may be somewhat of a quieter night. The Angel won’t actually be displayed in the garden, but he will be hovering over the cemetery I create. I wish I was going to have three cams running (maybe next year). For this Halloween, it’s going to be two webcams. One will be in the cemetery like last year and another will probably be trained on the front porch. Thanks so much for your comment and for visiting.
autumnforest,
Yeah, I have to have something going in the background while I work on props. It’s usually a variety consisting of Nox, Midnight Syndicate, and a lot of ambient music like raison d’etre. But lately I’ve been playing a ton of Sirius-XM’s Halloween station. I recorded about four hours of their Halloween Radio programming during October last year.
Their station plays a lot of old horror movie clips, interviews with Sirius-XM personalities talking about their favorite Halloween memories (I get a kick out of the memories Mary Ochino, aka Mary Knows Best, shares), Tales of the Frightened by Boris Karloff and a lot of ’60s “monster” rock. I practically have the entire four hours memorized!
Goldie,
I think I started the cam around the last two days of August last year, so it’ll be a little earlier this time. I have noticed the days getting shorter and our evenings are finally starting to cool down. In fact, this last week was the first time I haven’t had to wear a headband in the shop this summer.
Thanks, I’m glad you liked the cam when it was focusing on the garden and I’m glad my cats were entertaining, too!
Thanks for noticing he’s a little different looking. The main difference between him and the other groundbreakers is that the ribcage is going to remain hollow. It should give him a “nastier” look because all his skin is going to be shredded and it will also make his body quite a bit lighter for mounting on the frame. Glad you like the big cloak look! It’s all made from the same muslin material that’s on the wings. I’m still in the process of dyeing it to the right shade of gray, but couldn’t resist adding it to the body for a quick pic this morning.
I’m looking forward to it too! I’m also hoping Aug. 20th and beyond will keep you busy in the chat box on Season of Shadows and over at Justin bringing people back to SOS.
August 9th, 2010 at 12:03 am
I got your back John, that goes without saying. Whatever I can do to help you out is gladly my pleasure to do so. I’m looking forward to it as well, especially that I have more JTV experience under my belt. Plus I have a feeling Season of Shadows is about to get just a bit busier in those chat boxes so it will be nice to witness such a change first hand.
Oh I just found a wonderful 7 minute ghost clip on youtube. What impressed me the most were the still photos of the background images. If they are real and haven’t been photo shopped, then those pics are truly thee most outstanding photos of the paranormal I’ve ever seen. I’ll send it to your YT account so you can take a peak when you have time. Let me know, please, what you think after you seen them. I would love to hear your take on ‘em.
One more: my parents watched your latest garden update video and were extremely impressed that “anything grows out there in that dirt!!!” LoL….they thought your garden looked beautiful and also thought the turtle surprise was a nice touch from the Universe….or Mother Earth….lol, oh both knowing you!!! They both send their best wishes John and look forward to having their Halloween experience through you and the webcam. They got excited when I told them there might be two cams this year. Eeeeeeeeeeeeee. I can almost smell Halloween in the air
August 9th, 2010 at 12:42 pm
::doin’ the happy dance!!!!!!!!!!::
August 9th, 2010 at 1:55 pm
Goldie,
Thanks, my friend. Plus, I have a feeling all your mod experience will come in handy for another project I’ve been wanting to bring to the site for a while now. I look forward to checking out the ghost vid. And please thank your parents for their kind words about the garden and the cam and give them my best wishes, too.
Camile,
Thanks!
August 9th, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I wish I were as productive as you are. It is so hot here I can not stand to go outside to build my project for this year. (100+ and 90% humidity.) I have some Halloween school projects to do and they are coming along. Your angel of death looks great I cant wait to see it done and in all its horrific glory. You might have a slight hint of fall, but here it feels like it is very far off.
August 11th, 2010 at 9:50 pm
Thanks, Ethan. Much appreciated! I feel for you on the heat and humidity combo. We’ve been climbing into the mid 90s again, but thankfully we’re a very dry mid 90s with no humidity right now. I wish you the best with all your projects and hang in there, man. It’s gotta start cooling off eventually.