"It's Alive" Project

Spent a portion of my day at Spooky Empire's "May-hem" in Orlando. While horror genre movies isn't really my thing (except for the old old stuff) and I don't have a whole bunch of good to say about the overall Spooky Empire Convention, ( they seriously traded "down" on locations from last year), one of the things I was looking forward to was the "It's Alive" project which was on display.

"It's Alive" involves artists re-imagining a new vision for classic Monsters such as "Frankenstein" in 2011 and the return of the project this year, requiring artists from around the country to re-imagine the "Bride of Frankenstein".

I think they should auction off these giant sized posters of Elsa Lanchester!

Each artist was given a resin coated foam core bust of the "Bride of Frankenstein" and asked to develop a creative vision for a new "Bride of Frankenstein" using the bust as it's foundation. Several of the artists were also given a mannequin for a complete body.

Is it just me or was the Bride of Frankenstein kind of "hot"?

Over 80 pieces by renowned sculptors and artists will be auctioned on Ebay (Seller ID ItsAliveBride) in September. The proceeds of the auctioned items will be  donated to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Here's a few photos I took of some of the sculptures. These are about the best I could do without holding up the line...

One of the full size creations was by a really helpful guy I've gotten to know through taking his classes at Reynolds Advanced Materials, Scott Fensterer. I thought his creation turned out really awesome with her  basket full of goodies. Just your normal she-monster on her way to a picnic!

Scott Fensterer

Rae Eisaman

Rob Burman

Bruce Mitchell

Got to watch Bruce Mitchell in his class on Stan Winston School of Character Arts. Been a fan of his work ever since. Check out his video.

Jesse Gee

If your a fan of "Face Off"  you'll recognize the following two artists. Definitely were my favorite seasons with Roy Wooley.

Roy Wooley

Derek Garcia

My photo doesn't do justice to this last one. The more I looked at it, the more I was in awe of the detail and of course the cool lighting effects that were built into it.

Tim Martin

I'm not sure where the "It's Alive Project" is scheduled to show next but if you get a chance go and see them. I'm sure they will post their locations on Facebook.

Shingle Creek Manor on Facebook and Other Strange Anomolies

 

Thought maybe we would get with the times and put together a Facebook page for Shingle Creek. Manor. Our blog of course will continue with our haunt crafting successes and failures, and of course appreciation of our Halloween discoveries and friends. If your on Facebook, we'd appreciate the "like" of our new page, likewise if you have one, send us an invite please!

We're hoping to generate a little pre-Halloween interest among our neighbors, and people passing by the house, with an October 1st "Facebook Tombstone" inviting them to the page. Looks like the tombstone is going to be our first prop for 2014, although the voices in my head keep changing the design.

If you follow our blog you'll know beginning last year I've been trying to do a video of the haunt each year and submit it to the various competitions. I've never done video editing and it's been a blast even though I have the limitations of an Ipad to edit the video. My PC is for all intensive purposes an antique and of little use except maybe as a paperweight. It is surprising what you can accomplish on an Ipad though. But, I digress, as much as I was disappointed with the photos this year, I put together a video and submitted it anyways to several of the annual competitions...  aaaaand...  we won an award!!!

The "Dead with Dave" Haunt Home Haunter Awards gave us "Best Static Prop" for our "Hooded Sorrow" monster mud statue! We were very excited watching the award show and hearing 'Shingle Creek Manor" as a nominee in the award category and about fell over when we won! Very Fun night! Thanks again to Dave Dankanyin, the host and promoter of the awards, and all the judges.

New Acquisitions

Acquired some new items today!

These were nothing we were actually looking for when they were found, but of course there's always room for reapers and gargoyles at Shingle Creek Manor. Not sure what we'll do with a dragon but he's pretty cool.

Belinda met up with one of her old friends that "knew" a lady and Belinda got the "friend deal" that she just couldn't pass up... and I'm not asking any more questions...

Thinking he may be part of a new sign on the entry column. Never been happy with the one we made.

This a very cool dragon. Not sure how he will fit in but she couldn't pass it up.

Nobody needs an ashtray in this house but could be molded for a cool headstone adornment?

I want a smaller version of this guy for some fence post finials!

Know a guy looking for some lamps for his column- wonder if this would fit the bill...

Exploring

Kept hearing about this place, "Skycraft" at a number of workshops we attended since last year. This past week I took a short drive to downtown Orlando to checkout what all the hoopla was about.

 Except for the Flying saucer hovering over the the exterior door of the building, the outside is rather unspectacular, though a bit odd and certainly a curiosity builder. Inside however may rank up there with one of the most unusual specialty stores I've ever been in. This place is a fabricators dream!

If you've ever needed an electrical part of any kind for a prop, if this place doesn't have it, I'm not sure it exists. Besides new or used electrical motors, wiring, switches and parts of every possible type, there is an incredible supply of surplus parts. I saw everything from metal and plastic gears ( steampunk anyone?), to various LED lights, to surplus gauges, and even some military ordinance hanging from the ceilings. I spent it about thirty minutes exploring the aisles and barely scratched the surface of things they had inside.

Think Skycraft may be on my "frequent visit" list. SkyCraft Parts and Surplus, 2245 West Fairbanks Ave. Winter Park, FL 32789

Making Monsters - Cancelled

I noticed I always get quite a few visitors to my blog posts about Travel Channel's "Making Monsters" that airs in the Fall. "Making Monster's is about  Ed and Marsha and their crew at "Distortions Unlimited" and the craziness of making props for the Halloween and haunt industry. Although I had heard rumors that it had been cancelled, Distortion's Unlimited posted the following this week on their Facebook page;

"Travel Channel has decided not to renew MAKING MONSTERS. It's been wonderful being a part of such an awesome project for the past 3 seasons! We've loved working with everyone at Travel ... and our film crew is absolutely the best!! ... so much fun! Thanks so much to all our customers and to everyone that watches the show ... you guys are the best! Please stay tuned ... we may not be filming MAKING MONSTERS, but Distortions is still making monsters ... forever : )"

ITunes carrys both season's episodes if your so inclined.. I've enjoyed their episodes and Belinda and I got to meet Ed and Marsha last year, very nice folks. We'll miss the program this Fall.

Carvers

While SyFy's "Face Off" has just been trudging along rather uneventfully for me this season, the network has a new series starting after "Face Off" tonight that I am optimistic about,  - "Carvers".

Premiering Tuesday, March 4, at 10 PM EST, "Carvers" is about artisans Ray Villafane and Andy Bergholz, two friends and their carving business. While this in and of itself sounds pretty mundane and would never have captured my attention, the last few years I've seen the work of Villafane and more recently Bergholz on Food Channel's "Pumpkin Wars". It's sort of become an October Halloween tradition for us to root for the "Pumpkin War" team with Ray Villafane or his partners and the pumpkin carvings are simply amazing to watch. I expect this new program will highlight some pretty cool creations.

You can get more info and a Carvers Sneak Peak on "Villafane Studios" at Facebook.

RIP - Harold Ramis

Rest in peace Harold Ramis.

He was the director of a great number of ridiculous and entertaining movies of my youth, the least of which was "Ghost Busters".

We'll remember not to cross the streams, Egon! Thanks for the memories.