# need help with swamp themed startle ideas



## LadySherry (Oct 4, 2011)

You could have one of your friends in a gilly suit on the ground sudden ground movement would scare them.


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

Yes. My husband did that last year and will be doing that again. He had a blast with it. So I'm up to 3 startles. What else can we do that's swampy and voodooish?


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Heres my pinterest link maybe you can find some ideas there...

http://pinterest.com/dawnrb/halloween-voodoo-on-the-bayou/


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

I love that link. Wonderful decorum ideas. I wish I could build a shack but would have nowhere to store it.


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## Danielj2705 (Jun 17, 2012)

You could have large lengths od Seaweed strung up and then as they walk past let it drop down. They either get hit by seaweed or have to walk through it.
You could make something like a tar monster costume and have it pop out from under a camo netting net.


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

I have the same problem, I plan on painting my facades this year using painters canvas (6X9 runs about $10) a shack would be rather easy just look up some faux wood techniques...Last year I was going to do the voodoo on the bayou theme but didnt get to follow through..I planned on making a canvas facade (remember because you want an aged effect detail is not neccessary...a simple dry brush technique may be all you need to do then you can paint on big crackes between the wood boards) if your porch is covered you could tie up the canvas to the porch (no frame needed)...you could make a screen door out of foamboard but use black creeepy cloth for the screen (complete with holes). Do the same for a window and you have a great photo op...anything your not happy with just glue spanish moss over so it looks old and weathered...hang a dead alligator or raccoon from shack porch roof, toss some barrels, trash cans or whiskey bottles out in front a clothes line and there you go  Also Walgreens had some strobe lights last year...looks like a strand of about 8-10 little silver strobe lights ran around $7 with noise (locusts)


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## Tannasgach (Nov 1, 2009)

You could have one of your actors dress up as a giant voodoo doll.


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

I was thinking of dressing as a voodoo queen. I guess what I need is help with how to scare the kids. Or maybe help with the "flow " of the haunt. Where do I put the actors? I think it's actually harder to scare them because this particular group of kids hasn't seen horror movies so a scary setting or mood seems to be over their heads. They don't know to be scared or spooked! Like if I were walking through a field with fog, a couple scarecrows and corn stalk groupings, that by itself would be a little spooky and cool. These kids would just be like "cool! We can play hide & seek! "It all seems lost on them, you know? I want to scare the pants off of them!


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## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

Any sort of creepy sound they can't identify the source of right away leading up to a loud noise.

One year we tied fishing line to the lid of our metal mail box. John hid behind a bush and as the kids walked up he would pull the fishing line which made the mail box clank. This set off a sound activated pumpkin that wailed "happy halloween!!!". While the pumpkin had their focus John jumped out of the bush with a roar or something like that. I can't quite remember. Once they were at the slightly open front door they saw a sign in a candy dish that read take one. It took some quiet awhile to build up the courage to do so, but when they did I would reach out from behind the door and grab their wrist. The last bit wouldn't work for you, but with a version of the first part you could get three things happening with one actor.


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## ReaperRick (Sep 2, 2009)

Spiders dropping from the ceiling!!!


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## Lord Homicide (May 19, 2012)

Swampy... hmm...

spiders hanging
Rig a fake rat on a line and fire it across ToTs path of travel
Some kind of alligator that jumps out
Blair Witch project stick figurines?


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## The-Dullahan (Feb 26, 2011)

Have your actors run out with cans of pennies. Tin cans. The reasoning is simple. Voodoo Rattles make perfect sense, so you can blend them into whatever Shamanistic costumes you create, plus the sudden noise will cause the kids to be startled before they even see someone running at them. Actually the precise pitch that metallic objects like that cause has a direct effect on the human psyche and puts them into alert/panic mode if it is loud enough. While not enough to scare the pants off someone, it will make someone jump nearly 100% of the time. Even when someone knows it is coming, it is difficult not to at least flinch.


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## The-Dullahan (Feb 26, 2011)

And why stop at Spiders dropping from the ceiling? Don;t forget the snakes and most importantly, shrunken heads.


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

Oh these are great! I will have to do the penny can. Thanks for the ideas! Please feel free to add more


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## Dark lord (Jan 8, 2007)

Maybe some jungle drums & witch doctor chanting audio in the background to help set the mood........have some mixed if you need


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## Jackielantern (Oct 31, 2005)

The-Dullahan said:


> ........ Actually the precise pitch that metallic objects like that cause has a direct effect on the human psyche and puts them into alert/panic mode if it is loud enough. While not enough to scare the pants off someone, it will make someone jump nearly 100% of the time.


Interesting........uh, I'll have to keep that tip in mind.


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## Sublime Nightmare (Aug 2, 2009)

Oh how could I forget my jumping spider! I think maybe I'll put that by the voodoo alter. I also saw somebody selling a jumping dog. He looked really cool. Wonder how I could fit him in with the swamp theme?


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## Pumpkinhead625 (Oct 12, 2009)

Sublime Nightmare,here's a link with some great ideas:

http://www.fakebelieve.net/2011/monster-hunter-making-a-swamp-set/

Hope this helps.


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## ThePartyGuy (Sep 27, 2009)

Thanx for the link, pumpkinpie. There are some really great ideas! Skipped doing a Halloween party this year (life is just too busy and complicated) but knew I was going to do one next year. Decided today to do a Voodoo/Bayou/Mardi Gras/Boo Orleans type theme. Had a Mardi Gras birthday party 5 years ago and saved many of the decorations. Time to pull them out and spookify them. It's all about re-purposing, reusing, and saving as much money as possible while still having a kick-ass party! Thanx again!


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## pumpkinpie (Jul 9, 2011)

Your welcome, glad to help...and I know what you mean about money...we had both feet in the fire when our 17 year old decided to get in trouble...almost cancelled this years party due to the shocking price tag of his lapse of judgement ($1K so far)....but in the end we continued on. Our party may not be as grand as some but I've made and repurposed almost everything....that and the Dollar Tree goods have been my only salvation (for the props and as a distraction from ringing his little neck,lol). Ugh...you will have to make sure to post pics when u start working on stuff...I would love to do this theme sometime.


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## JustWhisper (Nov 16, 2008)

Those are some great links. I am hoping to do a swamp theme next year and I now have a lot of cool ideas. Thanks.


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