Ouija Board Crate

First off, my apologies for getting this post out late. It's just been very crazy with the start of the school year again. So much to do!

This week, work completed on the Ouija Board Crate. This crate will now serve as a permanent home for the Ouija Board - the centerpiece effect of the attic scene. Note that before we'd just use a cardboard box - and get a new one year after year. Now, we have something that is themed a bit better - a "plussing" of a prop, to throw around an Imagineering term.

For a formal definition, we can turn to the Liar's Guide to Disneyland...

"Plussing" something means making it a little bit better. For example, a Mickey Mouse hat plusses a guest's head (24).

With that term defined, let's move onto the construction process of this original prop.

We started by staining the four posts of the box, which are constructed of two pieces of wood nailed together to form an "L" shape.

 After that was completed, we did a color test by staining one of the pieces of compressed wood that is being used for the boards, or sides of the box. The board just soaked up the stain, leaving it a dark purple in color. That would not do, so we decided against staining the boards.

We then created a stencil out of computer paper for the word "attic" - so the audience knows they're looking into an attic scene (Note: only one other box in the attic scene has the word "attic" spray painted onto it that is still around. When the attic scene first debuted in 2007, the original Ouija Board cardboard box had "attic" spray painted on as well, but in 2008 and 2010, we never got around to adding it again).

While my friend Sam was working on the stencil, I started screwing in the boards to the posts. Observe that I purposely made them crooked.

Then the box started coming together. The boards themselves are two feet in length. I bought that compressed wood at Menards for only $1.97 per 8 foot board. Very reasonable!

Eighty screws later, and it's almost complete.

We then used the stencil and some black spray paint to transfer the letters onto the front of the box.

So hopefully you enjoyed this small insight into the creation of another prop. I can't wait to see how this will look with all the show lighting in the scene. It should be excellent!

Props Part 3

For the third week in a row, we'll be taking a look at three different props. This time again, all the props are featured in the attic scene.

This chandelier painting on canvas was bought at a Hobby Lobby store. It's interesting, but is not an integral part of the story. It does go along with the real chandelier hanging in the attic though!

This next prop is an Underwood Typewriter. Yes, it's a real antique, but it no longer works properly. I found this through Craig's List. Luckily it was only $20.

The final prop being examined this week is a cage. Two weeks ago, we featured a smaller bird cage. This cage, however, could theoretically hold any small animal. This prop too was bought at Hobby Lobby. It's strictly for decorative purposes, but in the future we might enhance this otherwise stagnant prop.

Props Part 2

This week, we'll look at various paper props.

First off is the Ouija Board. This particular board was bought at a Toys R Us quite awhile ago. It is, in fact, just a simple board game from Hasbro and Parker Brothers. If you want to see more on how the Ouija Board animation works in our attic scene, visit an older blog post all about it here.

Next is an image of the Saukville Examiner newspaper from October 1, 1950. This is also a prop I have covered in depth in earlier posts. View the Saukville Examiner's Conception, Design, and Execution at the links provided.

Finally is a photo of the Resurrection Spell that is displayed on the "shrine table" in the attic scene. Supposedly, this spell from an old witchcraft book is what Elizabeth tried to use to summon her dead parents. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out too well.

Props Part 1

This week, we continue to look at props found both in the attic, as well as in the cemetery.

First off is a 13-hour clock - custom made, and it actually works!

I replaced the face with a print out version of a '13' Hour Clock - a tribute to Disney's Haunted Mansion attraction. I painted the clock hands a blood red, so they would stand out against the mostly black and white face. The hands were originally black. The iron body was then painted and aged as well. It was originally a dark green, but we painted it gold and aged it using a dull brown.

This next prop is a birdcage that I found at a thrift store. It was not meant to really house a bird, as it has no door. Just the creepiness of an empty bird cage, with it's swing slowly swaying in the breeze is all this prop needs to bring a chill to the attic. 

Finally, this lantern, which really works, is housed in the cemetery. Although not oil burning, this lantern was made to look like one. It was already pre-aged, as it was bought online on a Halloween prop website.

How the Ouija Board Works

This week (now back from my April hiatus) I'd like to look into how Greywood Manor's signature effect works: The Ouija Board.

First debuting with the attic scene in 2007, the Ouija Board effect, generally unchanged, has intrigued trick-or-treaters every year since (except 2009). If you do not know what this effect is that I am talking about, please view either the Greywood Manor 2007 & 2008 or Greywood Manor 2010 blog posts. Both showcase video of the Ouija Board effect found in the attic scene of the haunt.

The Ouija Board effect inspiration cam out of actually using the Ouija Board (read more on that here) as well as the fact that this effect is important to the story line of the haunt. From The Back-Story:
"She [Elizabeth] was said to have tried to contact her parents in the spirit world using many techniques, including the use of a Ouija Board.  No one is sure if she ever succeeded.  Some believe she aroused a demonic spirit in place of her parents.  The evil spirit may have pretended to be her parents, gained her trust, and then turned on her.  On Halloween of 1908, she is said to have died, perhaps by the evil spirits that had become part of her life."


But how does this ethereal effect work?
The mechanics behind it are actually fairly simple. Below is a quick sketch I drew of the apparatus.

A continuous piece of fishing line is connected to the two metal bars that a cam rig moves up and down. One string end on each bar. The fishing line is then fed up over the attic's "background" curtain through some fish-eye hooks. It is then fed down to a simple pvc and plywood "turnaround." Finally, it is fed to two holes found in the upper corners of the ouija board. The planchette, or movable ouija board pointer, then rests on the string, weighed down by some washers secured to the backside of the planchette. The different movements of the two cams causes the planchette to have an apparently random course - but if you watch it long enough, it does go through a loop that takes about thirty seconds to complete.


To see the cam rig in action, you can view this short video posted below.

And there you have it! How one of the most interesting effects at Greywood Manor works.

Greywood Manor 2007 & 2008

In my first main post, Greywood Manor 2010,

I displayed a video of this past year's 2010 haunt.

Today, I'd like to showcase a collage of how it looked years back, in 2007 and 2008.

2007 was the first year I created the attic scene.

2008 followed, with slight changes.

As 2009 was my freshman year in college, I did not know how much work to expect. Thusly, the attic scene was not set up that year. The only decor set up was the graveyard - a constant since before 2007.

And as we've seen, 2010 brought the attic's triumphant return, again with slight changes.

2011 is looking to be an iconic year as well - not with a resurrection - but with the addition of the "holiday overlay" props that have been worked into the back-story but that have never actually been displayed before. Stay tuned to this blog, as I have some fascinating posts in the works!