Lighting is the one scene setter that can make your party spooky or not.
Choosing the right lighting can enhance your scene and set the mood.
It can turn a cheap plastic skeleton into something foreboding.
Candles and tiki torches, with their flicking flames give the illusion that an object is moving and maybe alive.
When we setup the haunted trail we have all of the scenes set and then come out with the torches to give some light to the trail and to add that eerie light to a prop or scene as needed.
We even use the torches to not only draw attention to a prop but also away from a prop or scare zone.
A scare zone would be an area that a costumed monster, either a person or prop, would lurch out at the guest! Sometimes we would stand a prop on one side and one of us would be on the other side, then when the guest were expecting us to jump out on one side we would switch with the prop, swap mask and scare them from the other side.
Then finally ditch the prop and have 2 people scare the guest from both sides! Yes we are quite evil sometimes.
Now here is something a lot of people overlook at this time of year, Christmas tree lights! About a week after they have set up the Halloween decorations they start putting out the Christmas stuff.
Black lights, strobe lights are always great for Halloween, but a string of red lights in a tree, 2 lights taped together, gives the impression of Vampire Bats living in that spooky tree or bush.
Rope lights are great for that low light effect and to help map out a trail or walkway.
If you have an archway that has foliage covering it, the small green Christmas lights are prefect for enhancing their color and adding just a touch of light.
If you are having the party in the backyard, wrap some white Christmas tree lights around the tree trunks, and down some of the bigger branches.
This will give off plenty of light for your guest to socialize, eat and drink.
Combining different types of lighting is possible but if done incorrectly it will kill a scene instead of bringing it to life.
When we setup the haunted trail we use plants, bushes and potted scrubs to help block aspects of the yard.
Black plastic sheeting creates walls and helps keep unwanted light between two scenes away and separate.
Torches and candles are pretty much stand-alone.
The flickering of the flames the dancing shadows add to the illusion of the scene.
The light from a flame is localized, can be moved and adjusted quickly if it is overlapping another scene's lighting.
Strobe lights produce a bright blinding light that flashes giving that stop action effect.
These can be set up on a motion detector, so that they come on only when a guest walks through the scene.
Or use the black plastic sheeting to create a tunnel and leave the strobe on all the time.
We kept the shiny side in and used several strobe lights synced up, blinking at the same time.
Add in a fog machine and you have created a fantastic scare zone.
Black lights are one of my favorite lights besides torches.
The fluorescent light flood an area pretty good, yet torches and any other light cancels out the effect if they are nearby.
The advantage to this is that you can set up a grave yard, have the black light add that nice eerie glow to the tombstones, and using candles, small torches or even rope lights to mark the trail.
Take the tunnel idea and instead of using strobe lights use black lights.
Take fluorescent paint and splash on the black plastic walls; turn on the fog machine and your good to go.
As you can see lighting is one of the easiest scene setters there is.
A run through is always a must the night before.
Turn everything on, light the torches and candles just like the night of the party.
Then do a walk through, making sure each scene is setup and that one scenes lighting is not affecting another scene.
Make sure that your trail is lit and visible.
And remember have a fun safe and spooky Halloween!