Step into the eerie world of life casting and discover how to create ultra-realistic props that will leave your audience breathless. Whether you're crafting ghastly hands reaching from the grave or hauntingly lifelike faces frozen in terror.

Join Brian Warner and skilled artists from Evilusions, Katie Lane and Melissa"Grim" Gilmore, as they bring their expertise to performing live demonstrations and showcasing in-progress and finished pieces. Watch as body parts are cast in real time, and explore how these molds can be transformed into horrifying props for haunted attractions, horror films, and immersive experiences.

What You'll Get Out of This Seminar:

• Live Demonstrations – Witness the life casting process firsthand as experts create small casts right before your eyes.
• Materials & Techniques – Gain insights into the tools, casting materials, and best practices for creating stunningly realistic props.

Step into the eerie world of haunted house legends with this spine-chilling seminar! Join a renowned Haunted House Icon (Sharky), seasoned haunt actor and SFX makeup artist as she unveils the secrets of crafting an unforgettable icon character that will leave guests screaming for more. From developing a compelling backstory to mastering immersive queue line entertainment, she'll share expert techniques to captivate and terrify audiences before they even enter the haunt. Learn how to bring your character to life, engage with guests, and build a presence that keeps them talking long after the scares are over. Whether you're a seasoned haunter or just stepping into the shadows, this seminar is your gateway to creating a truly legendary horror experience!

Want to take your yard haunt from average to unforgettable? Join haunted attraction legend Allen Hopps—with 38 years of professional haunting experience, owner of Dark Hour Haunted House in Plano, Texas, and the creative force behind the massively popular Stiltbeast Studios YouTube channel (150K+ subscribers)—for a high-energy, idea-packed class that delivers real techniques you can use immediately.

In this session, Allen breaks down 21 awesome tips used by his team to elevate his attractions—from design shortcuts and scare tactics to prop tricks and guest flow improvements. Whether you’re lighting up your lawn or building an immersive garage haunt, you’ll walk away with practical, proven strategies to haunt smarter, scarier, and more effectively—without breaking the bank that you can apply to your yard or display.

This is your chance to learn from one of the best in the industry. If you're ready to go from hobbyist to haunt artist, this class is for you.

Step into the world of haunted attraction technology with this expert-led seminar on prop controllers—the secret weapon behind spine-chilling effects and terrifyingly immersive experiences. Whether you're new to animatronic fright or looking to refine your control over the macabre, this session is packed with insights to elevate your haunted house to new levels of horror.

Topics include:

• Intro to Prop Controllers – Get started with user-friendly controllers like PicoBoo ONE, PicoBoo MP3, and Picovolt, perfect for simple yet effective scare sequences.
• Advanced Control & Customization – Take your haunt to the next level with Flex controllers and the powerful Scare Master, allowing for dynamic, multi-prop synchronization and truly hair-raising effects.
• DMX Control for the Ultimate Show – Explore Director as a tool for programming and controlling DMX devices, ensuring perfectly timed lighting, fog, and animatronic movement for seamless scares.

With a mix of live demonstrations, programming tips, and Q&A, this seminar will leave you ready to craft unforgettable horror experiences. Whether you're a home haunter or a pro, this is your chance to unlock the full potential of prop controllers in your haunt.

Join us—if you dare!

Great sets don’t scare guests—great actors do. In this advanced-level performance workshop, Iconic haunter Allen Hopps (Dark Hour Haunted House, Stiltbeast Studios) shares the techniques, exercises, and mindset shifts that transform decent actors into unforgettable nightmares.

Designed specifically for actor trainers, performance directors, and leads, this class dives deep into how to coach your cast beyond the basics. You’ll learn how to push performances without burnout, unlock actor potential, build consistent energy through a season, and troubleshoot common haunt performance issues—fast.

If you're ready to inspire your cast, shape stronger scenes, and squeeze every scream out of your haunt, Scream School is in session.

Step inside the eerie world of immersive horror with this compelling TED Talk by a seasoned haunt industry artist. Blending creative expression with psychological storytelling, this talk explores the unique path from fine art to fog machines, latex and blood-splattered sets. Discover how haunted attractions became a canvas for fear, innovation and identity - transforming trauma into terror and sketches into screams. This raw, behind-the-scenes look at how building monsters and crafting nightmares became one artist's unexpected calling and how the haunt industry became both a sanctuary and a stage.

Step into the world of professional special effects and Haunt makeup with an experienced artist who's graced the stage of Face Off! In this beginner-friendly seminar, you'll get an insider’s look at the must-have products, tools, and techniques to bring your horror visions to life. Whether you dream of crafting gruesome wounds, eerie creatures, or classic undead looks, this session will arm you with the essentials to kickstart your FX / Haunt makeup journey.

Learn firsthand what products the speaker wished they had known about when starting out, saving you time, money, and frustration as you build your own kit. From adhesives and prosthetics to blood formulas and blending techniques, you'll gain a solid foundation in the art of transformation and break down the magic behind movie-quality effects.

What You'll Get Out of This Seminar:

• FX Kit Must-Haves – A complete breakdown of essential products for beginners, so you know exactly what to buy.
• Pro Tips & Tricks – Get expert insights on what works (and what doesn’t) when creating realistic effects.
• Career & Industry Advice – Learn how to get started, improve your skills, and navigate the world of special effects / Haunt makeup.

Whether you're an aspiring artist, a haunted attraction makeups artist, or just someone who loves pushing the boundaries of creativity, this seminar will give you the knowledge you need to begin your FX makeup adventure.

In this fast-paced, no-fluff session, the FearWorm team will pull back the curtain on the most effective social media strategies that are driving real results for haunted attractions in 2025. From algorithm shifts and audience fatigue to content styles that convert and platform trends that matter, this class is your survival guide to building buzz, boosting engagement, and packing your midway.

Whether you're a home haunt or a scream park, you'll leave with actionable tactics to grow your following, sharpen your strategy, and SCARE MORE PEOPLE this fall.

Join one of the biggest experts in home haunt animatronics for the ultimate beginner's crash course on how to successfully diagnose and service your electric-powered animatronics. From Spirit Halloween to The Home Depot and from Gemmy to Tekky animatronics, Franco of Skullkrane will give you the knowledge to successfully repair your animatronics, fixing it right the first time. Attendees will learn how to :

• Diagnose mechanical faults
• Diagnose bad gears in a gearbox or a faulty motor
• Diagnose simple circuit issues
• Basic tools needed to troubleshoot animatronics
• How to properly store your animatronics to help prevent issues

Immersion is an essential component when elevating your attraction to the next level! But how can immersion be achieved under the constraints of tight deadlines, rising customer expectations, and limited budgets? In this class, Boston will unlock these secrets and show you how to inject engaging details into your attraction. We will be walking through design, from planning to execution, and covering all facets of a truly captivating show. Together we will break down immersion to a science, and you will walk away with a fully fledged formula to implement immediately in your haunt!

• What level of immersion fits your attraction based on budget, scale, setting, etc?
• The main areas of your haunt that will be selling immersion.
• All the skills to build and focus on to help with more consistent theming.
• How to utilize tech seamlessly to help take your environments from a passive experience to an actively engaging adventure.

Welcome to the terrifying world of social media. A modern day must for small businesses and creators of any type navigating the vastness of trends and viral media. Find out why going viral might not be as random as you think. From eerie props to massive reach, Dave & Aubrey Appel have mastered the art of turning creepy content into share-worthy sensations.

In this seminar, they'll share their journey from suburban decorators to viral sensations, dissecting what truly makes content share-worthy.

What You’ll Get Out of This Seminar:

• Real Talk on Virality — Why the algorithm isn’t evil, but your approach might be
• Turning 1 into 30+ — How to multiply viral moments and keep the momentum rolling.
• Posting Habits That Matter — Simple shifts that can change everything for your content.

Roll up your sleeves and avoid sticky hands in this interactive lab focused on one of the most versatile—and misunderstood—materials in the haunter’s toolbox: Loctite spray foam. Join haunted attraction icon Allen Hopps for this exclusive, hands-on lab where you’ll learn to tame one of the wildest and most powerful materials in the haunt world: Loctite spray foam. In the seminar, you’ll go from blank surface to building your very own creature bust, guided step-by-step by a true spray foam master.

This isn’t a lecture—it’s a creative playground where you’ll carve, shape, and experiment in real time, discovering how foam can bring your scariest ideas to life. Whether you're a first-timer or looking to level up your foam game, this lab gives you pro tricks, personal coaching, and all the materials you need to make something wicked.

Spaces are limited—don't miss your chance to sculpt, create, and walk away with new skills (and maybe a monster head or two). videos for loctite refrence (video link)

Every great horror icon starts as an idea—a fleeting nightmare, a vision lurking in the back of your mind. But how do you take that idea and transform it into something that breathes, moves, and terrifies? In this seminar, the full creative process is broken down behind the creation of D.O.G. (Devourer of God), a full-scale award-winning costume which made it's debut at MHC 2024

We’ll go step by step through how concept art serves as the foundation of any build, keeping the vision clear when working with a team. Attendees will see how CAD software and 3D printing can be leveraged for designing intricate mechanical parts, and how those high-tech elements integrate with classic foam work, sculpting, and hand painting to create something truly immersive. Plus, you'll see how lighting and sound—often overlooked in costume design—can elevate a build to a whole new level of fear.

This seminar will dive into materials, colors, and budget, with a behind-the-scenes breakdown of the D.O.G. build—the successes, the missteps, and what would be done differently next time. Whether you're an experienced maker or just getting started, come ready to learn, experiment, and push the boundaries of what’s possible in costume design.

Let’s make something terrifying.

Attendees will walk away with:

• An understanding of how to use concept art to guide your design and keep your build on track
• An overview of the uses of CAD and 3D printing in costume and prop work
• How to blend modern tech (lights, sound, mechanics) with classic haunt techniques
• A look at materials, finishes, and costs behind a complex, show-ready costume
• New ideas, tools, and approaches to push your own builds further
  
  

Step into the world of scenic artistry and discover how to bring immersive environments to life with expert finishing techniques. This one-hour seminar dives into the essential tools, materials, and processes that transform ordinary surfaces into stunningly realistic textures. Whether you're working on a stage set, haunted attraction, or themed experience, you'll leave with practical skills that elevate your scenic work.

Key Takeaways:

• Essential Tools & Materials – Learn how to choose and use brushes, paint sprayers, spray bottles, sponges, and specialty tools for a professional-grade finish.
• Texture & Aging Techniques – Gain insight on the art of creating depth, wear, and realism through layering, distressing, and faux surface effects.