# Fake news reports for building a backstory



## Uruk-Hai (Aug 31, 2008)

I've been having fun making up some fake news reports to build a backstory for the haunt this year.

I've had a backstory for the entire haunt for several years now but nothing written down, just in my head. It does help though with controlling prop purchases and tying the haunt together as a whole rather than random, separate scenes. This year I'm featuring a new vampire character and thought to do up a bit of a viral marketing campaign to introduce him.

I used a PowerPoint template I downloaded to create the newspaper clipping and wrote the copy myself. The photo is an actual skeleton discovered in Poland earlier this year that showed signs of a ritual vampire burial. I only photoshopped in the fangs. I then followed up with another fake missing person report. I posted both to Facebook.

It's been fun watching the reaction. Several people have asked whether they are real or not or others have disputed them by doing research online to try and come up with more info! I'll continue the story with more missing people reports as the vampire takes more victims and will finally reveal him in a blurred security cam type still. 

The vampire mask I got is a silicone mask from RealFlesh Masks and is VERY realistic even close up. I still have to weather, distress and bloody up the shirt however I can't wait to unleash him this Halloween!!




























And here's the latest posting to continue to expand on the storyline…

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MODERN MUMMY MYSTIFIES POLICE!

Police were called to a abandoned rural farmhouse this week when a dead body was discovered within the decrepit shell of a building by local youths. 

Although police and other authorities refused to comment one of the youths described the corpse as being very similar to an accent Egyptian mummy. "It was all dry and shrivelled up. Sort of like all the blood and stuff had been sucked right out of him. Just like the mummies we saw at the museum last month on a school trip. You know what I mean? This guy though was wearing regular clothes, not no egypt type threads. Weird, eh?" said Todd Jones.

Vagrants are know to frequent this location, situated as it is on an out of the way section of the Blackstone Estate, but no missing person reports have been filed since the disappearance of archaeology student Virginia Natara some weeks back who has still not been found.


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## DaveintheGrave (Feb 12, 2004)

That's really a great idea! Those news stories look excellent.


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## printersdevil (Sep 7, 2009)

Great idea! Love the stories and photos!


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## boo who? (Feb 28, 2005)

Love it!!!!


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## Laurie S. (Dec 4, 2007)

This idea is FABULOUS, Uruk-Hai!! How original...I look forward to following your progress.


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## HBHaunter (Jun 14, 2014)

Is that a silicone mask.?


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## Pumpkinprincess (Aug 8, 2007)

This idea is brilliant! Would work great for my 50s Monsterama theme this year!


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## VampKat (Aug 4, 2014)

Haha! I love it! If I lived close to you, I would totally be there.


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## Uruk-Hai (Aug 31, 2008)

Thanks everyone! It's been fun coming up with the stories and seeing the reaction to the postings on Facebook. Many are sharing or asking if it is real or not. Some are even doing research and disputing the stories as facts which I get a chuckle over - the fact it reads as real enough for them to do a search for more info! 

HBHaunter: Yes, it's a new silicone mask by Real Flesh masks - one of the best in the business. I can't wait to wear it this Halloween!


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## Uruk-Hai (Aug 31, 2008)

So I realized I never followed up with the backstory I was creating leading up to last year's haunt. I posted on social media another fake news story, this one in the style of a Police bulletin warning the public of a dangerous offender on the loose. Here it is...

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MASKED KILLER STALKING OUR STREETS?

In another puzzling and disturbing development in the series of recent unsolved murders, a number of cel phone images have been released by the police in the hopes of identifying the elusive suspect. The cel phone was discovered at the crime scene of the most recent victim. Her name is being withheld pending notification of her next of kin however sources say she was known to police and involved in the sex trade.

The images taken from her phone are dark and somewhat blurred however they show the suspected killer, taken at close range by the victim, in what can only be assumed to be an elaborate disguise or mask. Warning: the images are disturbing as it shows the killer covered in the victims' blood. In fact it appears he was drinking it in some sort of bizarre ritual or fetish making his apprehension all the more urgent.

Police are hoping that a member of the public with information or knowledge of this individual will come forward and bring him to justice. The also urge anyone who sees the suspect to call police immediately and not to approach him as he is considered extremely dangerous.

























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All of this was build up to introducing my new vampire character which went over really well. I don't know if any of my visitors or trick r' treaters had seen any of it but it was fun to do and helped build my anticipation of the big reveal. Here are some photos of me in costume from Halloween night! I'm looking forward to playing him again this year in a new and improved costume.


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## Shadowbat (Sep 27, 2009)

very cool!


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## Gym Whourlfeld (Jan 22, 2003)

Makes me wish once again that I would have written down all the stories people have told me over the last 28 years concerning my house. Spooky things,strange things that they or their relatives experienced when living in these Apartments.


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## dawnski (Jun 16, 2012)

I love your idea. Think I'll have to do this for my party next year.


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## icemanfred (Aug 18, 2005)

Cool Coffin.
at first I thought why a cross on a vampires coffin.
then realized it was put there to keep him trapped in.

you should hold the cross on there with some sort of pin or dowel that goes through to the other side.
so you can pull it out from the inside. let it drop to the ground....then reveal.


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## psox16 (Jun 6, 2009)

This is brilliant! I love the idea. I might be stealing it soon!


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## StanFam3 (Oct 5, 2009)

Fantastic idea!


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