# Years i spent being the Master of Fright & My excellence for ~The Art of the Scare



## GrimReaper1331 (Sep 23, 2010)

Its been years even decades that i spent most of my life learning on the way of how people become frighten about some of the most terrifying & even the little of all things that this world has to offer. to a simple Boo! from a full on Scream and chase to even come to some thing that pops out off guard to make you take a deep breath causing you say the classic (oh my God!) 

In all i spent my entire life it seems...to make just about any thing Creepy to even scary to right down freak you out. but in all i have taken the fear that every one has had to real life..to even have made my life's dream to bring Halloween once a year..to be an everyday lifestyle for my self..

I have a huge interest in Halloween & I have learned everything there is to know about Halloween my whole life..so every day to me is Halloween . 

I love scaring people for a living.

when it comes to scaring I am the Ghost with the Most.

Understanding How Horror Is Created
Phobias run the gamut from animals to medical procedures to natural phenomena. Each phobia is highly personalized, and two people with the same diagnosis may have wildly different symptoms and triggers. Yet fear is a basic human response. Those who do not qualify for a phobia diagnosis still react in fear to some situations and events. Horror movies and haunted attractions rely on these basic fear responses to startle or even terrify their audiences. Although it is always best to seek professional treatment for a legitimate phobia, understanding the art of the scare can go a long way toward helping you learn to manage your fearful responses.

Atmosphere

Although professional scare actors at events such as Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights manage to create scares in broad daylight, the horror genre relies on our innate tendency to become more fearful when we are kept off balance. Both horror movies and haunted attractions use darkness, disorienting visual effects and creepy music to make the audience feel uncomfortable. In a haunted attraction, material hanging from the ceiling, walls that feel wet or spongy, physical barriers such as body bags, sloping floors, water sprays and puffs of air combine to heighten the tension. Tight, narrow mazes help to disorient visitors and make them feel that there is no escape.

Sympathetic Characters

Although public opinion is mixed, most horror aficionados agree that the slasher movies of the 1980s are more comical than truly horrifying. Part of the reason is that the hero characters are not well-developed. Without someone to root for, the endless attacks begin to feel routine and even boring. The best horror films have at least one or two fully realized characters who live through at least the majority of the movie. Those characters represent us, and we want them to survive. Our relationship with the characters heightens the tension, making us cringe whenever they are in danger.

Alfred Hitchcock was the undisputed master of the horror genre, and Psycho was arguably his best-known work. In that film, Marion Crane is deeply flawed, having stolen a great deal of money from her company. Yet we understand her reasons for doing so, and after a long chat with Norman Bates, she resolves to go back and set things right. Her sympathetic nature makes her ultimate fate tragic as well as horrifying.

In a haunted attraction, we become our own sympathetic characters. The basic premise for all haunts is that the visitors have unwittingly stumbled into an alternate universe filled with crazed killers bent on their destruction. We take on the heroes' point of view. Yet even here, additional sympathetic characters are necessary. The hapless victims catch our eye and plead for help as we pass by. Their torment becomes a catalyst for our own fear, making us believe that we could truly be next. Yet their survival, the fact that they are still alive through disembowelment and other horrific fates, steels our nerves and gives us hope that we, too, will persevere.

Believable Back Story

Another problem with most 1980s slasher films was the lack of a solid back story. This difficulty also plagues some lower-budget haunted attractions. Why is the monster a monster? What happened to him or her? How did the main characters stumble into the situation? In the case of a haunted attraction, why are we there? Obviously we're there to see a haunted house, but is there a storyline reason? What is the character persona that we're supposed to adopt?

A truly horrifying film or haunted attraction takes these points into consideration. It explores the events that are happening now, but it relates them to a larger ongoing story. This helps the audience suspend disbelief and become engaged in what is happening.

Pacing

Even the most intense horror requires moments of calmness. These quiet spots allow audiences to breathe and reflect on what just happened. They also build tension by maintaining the atmosphere and making the audience wonder what will happen next. Throwing scare after scare with no relief is effective in the short term, such as during the movie's climax, but becomes repetitive and boring over longer periods of time.

Costumes and Makeup

Of course, even the best actor requires a costume and makeup to complete the effect. Torn clothing, makeup and prosthetics that distort the features, and buckets of stage blood help make scary characters even more intimidating. Gore is a common element in modern horror, although older films typically rely less on the gross-out factor and more on slowly building a creepy mood.
For example, The Blair Witch Project was filmed in documentary style. Only fleeting moments of gore are shown. Instead, the movie is entirely character-driven, relying on the growing breakdown of the actors and the atmospheric setting to build tension. This is in keeping with an old film truism: What you don't see is always scarier than what you do see.

Sets and Props

Modern horror films and attractions rely heavily on extremely detailed sets. Better haunts create a fully immersive experience in which everything you can see is part of the effect. Set pieces may be oversized to make the audience feel smaller, and built very close together to give the illusion that the walls are closing in. A common technique is to change the scale of common elements, such as hospital gurneys or fences, to make them look skewed and out-of-proportion.
Props are smaller pieces, often hand-held, that further the illusion that what you are seeing is real. A zombie might chew on a prop leg or hand. A demented nurse might carry an oversized hypodermic needle. Prop weapons such as chainsaws, knives or guns are common.
Animatronics have long been a part of both films and attractions. From tiny pop-up characters to giant pieces with humanoid movements, animatronics have the power to startle and even horrify. These creatures play directly into the fear of automatons, but even people without a specific phobia may be intimidated by their realism.

Combating the Art of the Scare

Although most people watch horror films and visit haunted attractions precisely because they enjoy being scared, those with phobias may feel unable to participate. However, looking at a film or haunted attraction from a director's point of view can help minimize the effects of fear.

Throughout the movie or attraction, focus on removing yourself from the direct action. Rather than suspending disbelief and taking on the role of a main character, pretend that you are the director of the show. Look around for the spaces, popularly known as boo holes, where actors might hide. Focus on the details of the sets, makeup and props, and note how they combine to create a fully realized character. Try to follow the storyline and decide for yourself whether the story makes coherent sense. Note the textures, sounds and smells in a haunted attraction, and pay attention to how successful or unsuccessful they are in setting the mood.

Of course, if your phobia is more severe, professional assistance may be required. Never force yourself to do something that feels truly terrifying without professional guidance. Althoughflooding, or constant, repeated exposure, is a therapeutic technique, it can backfire when used inappropriately. Rather than risk making your phobia worse, follow the recommendations of a trusted therapist. If your fears are milder, however, unraveling the art of the scare may be enough to ease your anxious feelings.

Perhaps no single element has had a bigger impact on Halloween celebrations than the invention of the walk-through haunted house. Humans have always been drawn to old, deserted homes, seeking out encounters with the unknown. Labyrinths and mazes can be traced to ancient Egypt, while early carnivals featured dark rides like the “Tunnel of Love” andbizarre sideshows. It is unknown who created the first walk-through haunted attraction, but by the mid-1900s they were reasonably common.

Today, haunted attractions are a flourishing and extremely important part of Halloween. Small local haunted houses are sponsored by community groups around the world, while major events are hosted by many theme parks. Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nightscompetes each year with Knott’s Berry Farm’s Knott’s Scary Farm for the honor of top event in the United States.

Modern haunted attractions have an almost limitless supply of material from which to draw. While the Gothic horror elements are timeless, the horror industry has undergone many changes over the decades. “Slasher films,” which focus on blood and gore, became quite popular in the 1970s and 1980s, and remain so today. Many attractions blend classic myths with modern technology to prey on primal fears in new ways each year.

Psychology of Fear
Fear is a primitive human emotion. It helps keep us safe by alerting us to danger. Conquering fear brings a sense of elation and giddiness, as our bodies are simultaneously energized and relaxed. The Halloween industry exploits these basic emotions.

Many people enjoy the feeling that comes with conquering fear. Some are actually addicted to the feeling, seeking out ever bigger and more challenging experiences. Others prefer to limit their exposure to situations in which they know that they are safe, but their surroundings challenge them to think otherwise. Roller coasters and Halloween attractions provide a safe place to explore those feelings.

Anxiety disorders twist the normal fear response. They are present when anxiety is excessive, irrational or debilitating. In addition, those with anxiety disorders can also develop a fear of fear. They do not like the feeling of being afraid, and go to great lengths to avoid it.

Phobias take the fear of fear one step further. By definition, a phobia is the irrational fear of something that is not inherently dangerous. Phobia sufferers know that their fear is silly, but that does not stop it from being real.

Phobia Triggers and Halloween Attractions
Modern Halloween events are full of possible phobia triggers. In fact, some events, such as 2008’s Halloween Horror Nights, the annual Phobia event at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, FL, and 2007’s Phobia Falls at Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, TN, have used phobias as inspiration for their event storylines.
Religious elements are a frequent aspect of Halloween events. In fact, New Orleans’ House of Shock is regularly picketed by religious groups due to its graphic and sometimes blasphemous content.
Doomsday scenarios are often exploited. Post-apocalyptic zombies, biohazard spills, and alien abductions are just a few popular doomsday storylines.

Although live animals are not common in haunted attractions due to the technical difficulties of using them safely, highly detailed animatronic versions are common. Additionally, some events feature live animals interacting with paid actors such as Universal Orlando’s Rat Lady, who spends the evening in a glass coffin with dozens of live rats.
Claustrophobia and fear of the dark form the basis of virtually every haunted attraction. Guests are tightly packed together with strangers and required to find their way through a dimly lit maze. It is common to be routed around furniture items and other props that fill the available space, or even squeezed by inflatable walls. Hanging fabric, plastic chains or other devices add to the claustrophobic effect.

Simulated blood, vomit and even feces are incorporated into many Halloween attractions. Although most visitors experience a momentary “gross out” feeling and then laugh, those with phobias related to bodily fluids may become terrified.
Dolls, clowns and audio-animatronics feature prominently in many Halloween events. These elements are designed to be scary, often “coming to life” just as visitors approach.

For many people, Halloween is a time to celebrate. Elaborate costumes, local haunted houses, and major national events like Universal Orlando’s Halloween Horror Nights vie for attention with parties and trick-or-treating. If you have phobias, though, Halloween can be a difficult time of year...I LIVE IT AND BREATH IT EVERYDAY!!

Kenny. 

Everyone Deserves At Least One Good Scare,


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