Halloween Special Effects: Do-it-Yourself Tricks to Treat

Each year, special effects are utilized to scare people half to death. People pay good money to go to haunted houses to see some of the fantastic presentations local special effects artists create. These special effects do not have to be limited to the haunted house. You can bring them into your home for fun and fright during a Halloween party that will be talked about until Christmas.

One of the easiest special effects to re-create is the butchered body on the table. The concept begins with a table that has a center leaf. Take out the leaf. A dark sheet or black piece of material is then laid on the table. A hole is cut where a person can stand in the middle of the table with the sheet laying on the table around them. This special effect can be done one of two ways. The first way is for the victim to be seated on a high chair which allows the small of his back to be just above the table top. This will allow the victim to lay backwards or sit up as people file through to see him. The table is strewn with old mop heads dipped in corn syrup and red food coloring, (blue can be added a drop at a time for the right color). You can add other things like peeled oranges and cooked spaghetti. The light must be dim or strobing. The idea is to have someone at the table with a chopping axe or butcher knife made of stiff cardboard, stabbing the victim. The victim can grab the "intestines" and organs while screaming for help. As long as the items are covered with the corn syrup and food coloring, this can be very realistic.

The other variation of this butcher scene is to have the victim stand in the middle and lay his upper torso, face down, on the table. This version could have a butcher, the victim, and the assistant all grabbing the "guts." One note: Depending on the size of the victim, you may need a small board to lay across him to make the table sturdy in the middle to support the mop heads and other items. I have been known to use stiff cardboard for the "insert."

Another special effect that is popular is the chain saw attack. This will take a bit of sewing, but the affects on the crowd are worth it. First, take the chain off a chain saw. The smaller chain saws can work just as well as the big ones for this. The effect will make the saw seem larger in the crowd's eyes. You will need about 3 or 4 feet of plastic tubing, several durable plastic storage bags, an old jacket, and a few strips of Velcro. You will also need a bottle of corn syrup and red food coloring, with a couple drops of blue. The sleeves of the jacket must be cut off and the inside edges lined with Velcro so the sleeves can be re-attached. Fake hands must be attached to the bottom of the sleeves. Make a batch of fake blood and fill the plastic bags. It is best to use a very durable bag that will not burst when squeezed. The tubing must be attached to the bags. The best way to do this is cutting a hole just large enough for the tube to go in and then seal around the hole and tube with silicone caulking. Let this dry overnight, before making the blood and filling the bags. The person wearing the jacket will be controlling everything from inside the jacket. In other words, the jacket will most likely be too big for the "victim". A loose fitting shirt must be worn under the jacket. The jacket will be buttoned up the front. Under the jacket, the "victim" is holding the bags. The tubing is run up the inside of the jacket and up to the shoulders. The concept is simple. The assailant comes at the victim with the chain saw running, remember no chain, and starts cutting off the arms. The Velcro will allow the sleeves to be torn off. As the sleeve comes off, the "victim" squeezes the bag and lets the blood shoot out the tubing. The victim then runs at the crowd begging for help. Please note that the fake blood made with food coloring can temporarily stain a person's skin and will permanently stain clothing or furnishings. So use with caution.

Small blood "bubbles" can be made by filling balloons with the fake blood so victims can grab and squeeze, allowing the balloon to burst and produce a sudden spot of blood, for stabbings, shootings, and whatever else you can think of.

Another great effect is the giant spider web. One wall can be webbed up and a body can be spun into the web. The body is made of old clothes that have been stuffed with newspaper. The body is attached to the wall with a staple gun or tape. There are times you may wish to use a live person in place of the dummy. The surprise comes when the people look up and see the giant spider created from old sheets that you have dyed black. If you do this in a room with a black light, paint the spider with splashes of fluorescent paint. The effect is spook-tacular.