# Ideas on what to display on tv during party!



## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

New to the forum and happy to be here!

My question is what are some good ideas on what to display on the tv during party for background ambience. I just installed a 65" flat screen framed with a chunky gothic picture frame above the fireplace. In the past we have put on classic horror films. Looking for ideas that have worked out well for you guys in the past. Somethings I thought might be fun is to display a slideshow of old creepy paintings or even better animated paintings that change over time. Any thoughts and also ways to pull it off would be great. 

Thank you, Aby


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

We r doing a pirate theme and I'm looking for videos of ships in storms to run on a loop.

What's your theme?


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

They do have a video avail. For purchase on the paintings, I just cant remember who sells it


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Found it

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_aTrYOqQGcU


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## Icepick (Nov 24, 2013)

Atmosfear FX unliving portraits

Also check YouTube for disney haunted mansion master gracey portrait. 
Thise are a couple I can think of off the top of my head.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

Love the unliving portraits, believe they would work well with my hue lighting.

No hard theme but invites have a psycho theme to them. Going to play the tempt fate game mid night and then play a halloween game show off the 
tv later in the evening. Girls against the guys calling individuals up to go head to head for each question with game buzzers in front of them. Going 
to show halloween inspired tv/movie clips and have contestants answer random questions ( ex.- show end of Halloween and then ask how many
shots did Dr. Loomis fire at Michael Myers ) should be alot of fun

Thank you for the input so far and any other fun ideas would be great


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

That sounds fun!!!

You could even do a video that shows clips relating to the trivia questions. Don't announce that the info is relevant but at game time it might make for some fun buzzer wars lol


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## ichasiris (Aug 8, 2014)

Last year when I had cable, I just put the TV on a channel that I knew would be playing scary movies, my friends enjoyed it because every so often we would get distracted and excited by a really good part, haha. This year I don't have an apartment with cable, but my boyfriend said something about looping scenes from Killer Klowns and IT since I am having a clown themed party.


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## ichasiris (Aug 8, 2014)

I'm now thinking that this year I should hook up my laptop to my TV and display my trivia questions via Power Point. Last year it was a little rough with all the people semi-drunk needing me to repeat questions several times, hahahaha.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

Thank you for all the great ideas and welcome to the forum Icha from one newbie to another !


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## KasEck (Oct 9, 2013)

I googled creepy family portraits and had them playing last year. it was a huge hit. It def had the creepy vibe and went along amazing with the party.


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## Edward (Sep 24, 2010)

We were able to buy, (at a great price) from MoviesUnlimited.com, DVD's of classic horror films, including "Nosfaratu" the great silent film that is considered one of the best all time horror movies. We used our powerpoint projector and a laptop computer to show movies all night in a darkened area of the venue we rented. It was also near the bar, so everyone was able to see movies while being served. It was a big hit with our guests.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

More great ideas, I need to purchase a projector. Seems like it opens up to alot of fun possibilities. I'm tossing around the idea of having a slide show
(accompanied by halloween music) of a combination of Horror film movie posters, halloween paintings/digital art, funny halloween greetings cards 
(someecards are really funny), pictures from our past halloween parties, creepy family portraits (thx Kas) and maybe some halloween gif's if i can get
them to work. Put it all on shuffle and maybe could be entertaining. Starting to download as much good stuff as I can and test it out. If your have any 
ideas on any fun things to put into the slideshow, let me know. Thx again for the great ideas, Aby


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## PoCoHauntGal (Sep 2, 2010)

I've had my "Dead Sea Aquarium" Dvd playing in the background - it loops automatically and there are several scenes you can pick from.
It's freaky and soothing at the same time!


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## Tzaddi93 (Aug 1, 2013)

I use a combination of both the atmosfearfx portraits which has been mentioned, along with 'Possessed Paintings' by twisted ambience, to mix things up a bit. Love them both.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

I really like the look of both the portrait videos, I was wondering how they play on a tv that is not set up on end (height longer than width)? Seems like
they are not set up for a landscape look.


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## Tzaddi93 (Aug 1, 2013)

Abysome1 said:


> I really like the look of both the portrait videos, I was wondering how they play on a tv that is not set up on end (height longer than width)? Seems like
> they are not set up for a landscape look.


Both videos have an option to be shown in landscape or vertical. I seem to recall that when running the possessed paintings dvd in landscape, it puts its own frame around the image - which would likely detract from your setup as you already have the tv framed out. Not sure if there was an option to remove the frame as its not there when being shown vertical. I can check this evening and let you know if no one else chimes in.


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

Old silent films might not be your first choice, but if you're looking for ambient that won't take away from the noise of the party, one of them might be a consideration. You can put the TV on mute while you play music. Boring for the whole party, but maybe as the party winds down or starts up (good way to keep people occupied while waiting for enough other people to get the party going?). Some are only 1-3 minutes long, so don't think you're taking up the whole party. Plus, if you know someone who can edit, I bet you can find some online and get clips. Some are funny (like the X Ray Fiend). I bet you can find all my recommendations on YouTube.
Possiblities: Nosferatu, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Phantom of the Opera, Cabinet of Dr Caligari, Student of Prague, The Golem, Frankenstein (1910), Trip to the Moon (actually Sci-Fi, but made in something like 1902), Le Manoir du Diable (first haunted house film. Maybe first horror movie ever), Haxan (Swedish, if I recall. I have it on DVD), and there's a horror movie from Old Russia called Viy. It's been years since I watched it. I think I remember a witch on a broom and gremlins crawling down the walls, but I forget. I have that, too. I have to find these and watch again. The X-Ray Fiend (from the 1890s!). There are lots of short ones from the beginnings of motion pictures that are just a few seconds long. They might be fun to incorporate into whatever you have on.


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## Tzaddi93 (Aug 1, 2013)

Abysome1 said:


> I really like the look of both the portrait videos, I was wondering how they play on a tv that is not set up on end (height longer than width)? Seems like
> they are not set up for a landscape look.


Strangely enough, neither DVD (possessed portraits / un living portraits) have a horizontal viewing mode that doesn't incorporate their own digital frame. And the projection and window modes on un living portraits wouldn't work since they show up only center screen with very large black bars to either side of the portrait vs, stretching to fill the background space.

Since you already have a framed tv, not sure either would be a good fit... 

My new vote - classic black and white horror flicks.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

Thank you Tzad for taking the time to check on the vertical options of your dvd's, I really appreciate it. Oddly enough, Diajoh, my wife and I were having the same discussion about over stimulating material versus soothing old classic horror films (both with background halloween music). She likes the warmth of an old
classic playing in the background and I like to give people lots to look at. I think we will keep experimenting and hopefully reach a happy medium. Later in 
evening the tv will become our monitor for a Halloween game show of guys vs ghouls so we can agree on that. Again thx for the great input.


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## Atomic Mystery Monster (Jul 29, 2003)

This might be a good fit for what you're looking for. According to the review, it has enough visual material to be interesting without distracting guests and already has spooky music included.


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## margaret (Aug 19, 2013)

Do you have APPLE TV ... that way you can download your own photos and things you find on the web and they cycle through. We put up pictures of the last halloween party and add some pictures that have something to do with the theme.


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## Eviejenn (Aug 10, 2014)

One year I played "Nosferatu", the 1922 silent film with Max Schreck. It's atmospheric, creepy and, since it's silent, there was no distracting soundtrack drowning out conversation.


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## diajoh (Sep 25, 2010)

That sounds interesting. Atomic Mystery Monster. I wonder if any computer artists would do a series -- the Picture of Dorian Gray, The Cemetery from Night Gallery (Roddy McDowell and Ossie Davis star), Ringu (not a painting but would make a nice one, don't you think)? 
Sounds like a talented college kid could make a few bucks doing these.


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## lkshop (Sep 6, 2013)

The year before last I had "Nosferatu" and "Night of the Living Dead" playing with no sound on a loop. Last year I bought the Atmosfear FX iPad/iPhone app for $5 and displayed spiders coming out of a crack in the tv. It was pretty cool. One of the options was a scene from Nosferatu in the background. I also cut pieces of corrugate and painted them to look like pieces of wood and taped them around the frame of the tv. You can't see it in the pic but you can see the spiders.


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## Abysome1 (Aug 8, 2014)

That looks very cool, the cobwebs really sell it. Lots of great ideas, I wish i had more than one tv in view during the party. Maybe next year lol


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