Halloween Haunt 2010 Video
November 21st, 2010 by John WolfeHope you enjoy the vid. It took a little longer to post this year because I was working out the means for how and where to shoot the intro portion. The introduction actually came from a scene I’ve wanted to create since I was around eight-years old. As a kid I always used to toy with ideas for different yard haunt scenarios and this particular idea stuck with me. It was very cool and a little surreal to finally have the opportunity to act it out many years later.
A HUGE thanks to Nox Arcana for allowing me to use their incredible tracks in this vid.
November 21st, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Our Darling John: I have one word to describe you on every single level possible that has ever existing in the mass Grand Universe over quattuordecillion of years—-LEGENDARY!!
I’m not even sure where to begin regarding this exceptional video you created. Out of all of your videos my dear, this one is a masterpiece and clearly you have an ENORMOUS talent and Creator given gift that runs quite deep through your blood and the very code of your DNA! As was, I had a fairly good idea on what your intro might be like but I did not expect the severe wave of intense emotions taking over my body once your video began.
With stories and videos such as this being told and brought forth by your mind, you are surely to have me begging for a nightlight and checking under the bed, twice, before I even think of closing my eyes. I can only hope and pray with the strongest intention that you are able to continue to produce such legendary original stories that has us, as the viewer/reader awaiting anxiously for yet looking over my shoulder constantly for a few days to come.
As soon as the video begins, I’m talking within the quick second of the video starting, I literally felt sucked in by great suspense and the wild mystery of why I was suddenly out in the middle of nowhere in the pitch black. I loved your use of slow movement while you were walking, clearly searching for just the right spot. I felt as though I was behind you being pulled by a rope or something and couldn’t get away!
At this point my body, physically was reacting to what I was viewing and I closed up my jacket more so, leaned far back in my chair and crossed my arms in protection. This astonishing intro truly did give me the feeling of being suddenly transported to a very dark and unsettling moment in time. I felt as though I couldn’t escape. The choice of tunes and music by the great and extremely talented Nox Arcana sends us even deeper into the abyss of the horror that is about to come and we are unable to do anything to stop it!
Your video is beyond my wildest imagination dear friend. It’s absolutely staggering. What’s even more astonishing is that someone who has NO professional film experience, including editing, sound, visual effects, directing and so forth can create this shocking phenomenal film. John, you always surprise me and your mind is unlike anything I’ve ever known before and I thank my stars above for finding you. You are an interesting creature my dear
The intro was perfect and staggered my mind. I adored the calm dig at first and then once on your hands and knees you dig more powerfully. Having the only illumination radiate from the old antique lanterns gave this the perfect touch of something I would see in the 1800′s. Though the scene is fast, I thought one of your many best moves was putting the camera down in the grave with the corpse. Again my darkest fears came true and I WAS THE ONE who was meant to be transported into this decayed corpse! That scene was very spooky. Didn’t you hear me moan in terror during the transformation? “Oh no….not this again, let me out!!!?
John I know you have much on your plate but please, please, please, whatever you do, please continue to make short spooky and ghostly videos. You have an enormous talent in this area and I would do anything to see more of it from you. I know you have much on your plate though with the SkinWalker but if you have any extra “cut” versions of this intro video footage I would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see it.
Your yard haunt was superior John and the shear size and presence of “The Angel of Death” was strikingly breathtaking. From the dark moments conjured by the mind of a tortured soul who has flown in to awake the dead, he was truly overwhelming and in a very good way. The Angel of Death was more than just the overseer, he was the commander and mastermind of all the painful tortured decaying bodies before him. You created one of the most organic and truly natural yard haunts I’ve ever seen and that includes from around here. One of the many things I admire about your work John is you always stay true to the ingredients of the earth and the honesty of how anything biological looks on this planet we call Earth. You’ve done that time and time again with your ground-breakers. By remaining with a more primitive look to your haunt you create an even deeper and twisted story from the creepy creations and scenes you make.
This video was just striking John and the sound of your voice at the 2:28 mark sent chills down my spine. You are a man, a soul of many many talents. Continue to flourish my dear friend and if you need any clones of Camile, be sure to let me know cause I’ll be certain to send some Goldie clones your way as well
This video is the most admirable, grotesque, enticing, fascinating work I’ve ever seen John amplified in the most tremendous ways, Congratulations my very dear friend!!!
November 21st, 2010 at 11:47 pm
Goldie,
Wow! Thank you! I’m immensely proud and touched to know the video brought forth such intensely favorable, yet somewhat spooked reactions within you. Though I was keeping you updated on the intro portion of the vid, I was still saving a few things up my sleeve so there would be some surprises when you watched.
Thanks so much for taking the time to share how each segment made you feel, too. To know the video was capable of drawing you in to the point you felt as if you were a part of the scenery is way cool! Speaking of that, I may have a spare nightlight sitting around you can use.
So much of the “keep you looking over your shoulder” element is made possible because of Nox’s wonderfully haunting tracks — they’re phenomenal artists of the dark.
I absolutely love making vids such as this and definitely want to continue creating more. Anything that brings forth imagination and creativity related to Halloween always gets my juices going. This year’s intro portion whet my appetite for adding additional footage to my Halloween videos. And while I may not do another video quite like this until Halloween 2011, I promise there will be more.
Was that the sound of your moan during that scene with the burlap being pulled back from within the grave? I thought I heard a little somethin’ somethin’.
I also have an idea for the additional cut footage from the intro portion. I’ll absolutely let you know about that when it’s ready.
Thanks so much for your great feedback, kind words and AWESOME comment, my friend!
November 22nd, 2010 at 10:59 am
WOW! This video is amazing and the music is perfect. You are very talented. The beginning was very spooky, I dug it! The only thing is, I didn’t get to see it in person. Two thumbs up from me…
November 22nd, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Julie,
Awesome! I’m glad you liked it. Thank you for watching and for your very kind comment.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:12 pm
What can I say?, Simply AMAZING!!! I think Goldie described it completely . Thank you for sharing this amazing piece art. Keep up the great work.
November 22nd, 2010 at 9:39 pm
As always, an incredible work of sheer ART! You have really outdone yourself, John! Not only that, but the opening was genius. You may have given me some twisted ideas for my YouTube channel next year!
Also, your haunt atmosphere is DEAD on (pun intended)! It’s almost “Classic Hallowe’en” meets “Undead West”, with a pinch of the Gothic for good measure. Can’t wait to see next year’s Skinwalker prop evolve. Good luck with next year, and… Happy (belated) Halloween!
November 23rd, 2010 at 5:05 am
Very cool. I love the opening. The music is great as always. The corpse looked wonderful. I wish I could have seen all of this first hand. You do great work.
November 23rd, 2010 at 9:41 am
ssflipo13,
Much appreciated. That’s very kind to know you think of the work I do as art. Thank you!
Damian,
Happy Halloween to you, too. That’s cool that it’s belated, since every day is Halloween for us anyway.
Thanks so much for your kind comments about the vid and the haunt. I truly appreciate it. Good luck to you, too, my friend. Hope your off-season prep is very productive and a ton of fun.
Ethan,
Thanks, man! So happy you enjoyed it. I was working hard on the vid for several days and hoping it wasn’t going to disappoint — glad it didn’t.
November 23rd, 2010 at 11:46 pm
that was fantastic…the music went perfectly with the art and the terrific display! and the opening scene was great…I wasn’t sure what was going to happen at first…I really, really liked this…a fun video and a brilliant haunt.
November 24th, 2010 at 7:24 pm
I took the liberty of posting your video to my Facebook page along with a link to your site. Here is what I said in that posting: “The one frustrating thing about being a ‘home haunter’ at Halloween is that usually we are too busy with our own haunts to get out and see anybody else’s work and often times the other haunters that we most admire may live thousands of miles away. Thank heaven for the interweb and the idea of shooting video of one’s haunt and sharing it! With that, I give you my personal favorite home haunt for 2010- Season Of Shadows. John is not a professional prop-maker, he is not a professional lighting designer, not a professional photographer or video producer, nor editor, director or anything of that kind but the masterful work he does always takes my breath away! ”
John, I hardly even know where to begin to talk about all the incredible elements you have going on here. When you are showing the graveyard and tracking up the stalk of corn then went *behind* it into that dark spot I literally thought to myself “I don’t want to go back there!” What I could see was so scary that to then be taken around behind it and into the dark?!? Who knows what could be lurking back there?!? Good gravy, you know how to work with people’s fear!
And then towards the end of the video when you are panning away from the house we get a momentary sense of relief like we are walking away from the house which is then shot down by the stills of the haunt up close again! It was as if you were saying “Oh, no, you’re not getting off that easy! You aren’t leaving yet! I’m not done messing with your mind yet!”
The intro sets the stage so perfectly! To feel like we have disturbed something that shouldn’t have been and then we see it coming alive in the graveyard, being conjured or brought to full life by the angel is just so far beyond creepy!! It’s divine!!
It is an amazing piece of work, John, and I feel like my words just don’t even do justice to it! Your haunt, your video, your stills, all your hard work just blows me away! And this video is like icing on the cake- it just makes the whole experience of seeing your haunt all that much better. Masterful, amazing, breath taking, all those things and so much more! It’s perfect!
November 26th, 2010 at 9:04 am
That was awesome! The angel of death prop turned out fantastic
November 26th, 2010 at 2:37 pm
Pam Morris,
Thank you so much. I’m very happy to hear you liked the vid and the haunt! It’s good to know the intro threw you for a curve at first too.
Camile,
That is sooooo kind! Thanks for you’re awesome gesture of posting the vid to your Facebook page, the tremendously generous and kind writeup you gave it and for the really sweet comment you left here at SOS. You’re too kind. Thank you!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the way I portrayed the haunt in the video. I wasn’t sure how any of the footage from Halloween night was going to turnout since it was already pretty late by the time I started filming the display and also because I was running on adrenaline only by that point.
And your feelings on the intro was sort of the mindset I tried to adopt as I was filming it. Though I know squat about acting, I still tried to use a sort of method version of acting by becoming a grave robber in my mind (to disturb something that shouldn’t have been) while working on that segment. It took about five hours to set up and shoot that three minute intro piece, so it was really important to maintain the ghastly feel throughout, both in the camera work and in my brief appearances in front of the camera since I wasn’t sure how much of the footage and which portions would make it into the vid.
Thanks again, Camile. Believe me, your words are amazing and they actually give me way too much credit.
I absolutely appreciate you and your wonderful comments and feedback.
JD,
Thank you so much!
November 28th, 2010 at 1:43 pm
LOVE your intro, John! Great job. You…are…good ! xox
November 28th, 2010 at 1:49 pm
Donna,
It’s great to hear from you! Thank you so much for watching and for your comment. You’re very kind.