I first attended Halloween Horror Nights at the Universal Orlando Resort in 2014, missing only one year for grad school. I was a continent away, and the plane fare was too high for how broke I was. But I fell in love with and was fascinated by the event much earlier. Around 2001, I was watching one of those behind-the-scenes theme park programs they used to show on the Travel Channel about an event titled “Halloween Horror Nights” (this was way before YouTube or vlogging was even a thing).
Even at 9 years old, I knew I had to make sure I would eventually experience it for myself. In my third year of college, I finally had enough money saved to go. From the moment I entered the gates, smelled the fog, and heard the chainsaws, I knew I was home.
The most captivating thing about theme parks in general is the immersive storytelling. The idea of bringing guests into their favorite stories that reach beyond the stage and screen is a magic all its own. Fans know, horror is healing in so many ways. This is a genre that allows those who are marginalized in “larger” society to feel seen and heard. To find their strength through the characters, hopefully allowing them to find their voice as individuals.
Horror allows us to heal collectively. It's a safe space to work through these feelings and understand the dangers and evils of this world, all through the comfort of our TV screens and movie theatres. Horror is also fun. We get to play, be over the top, make choices that are outside the realm of our reality, and feel free for about 90 minutes.
Since my first venture into the fog, I have experienced all of this. In one particular year, this event saved my life. After going through a particularly low point, I was figuring out where to go next and how to begin to heal. The words from my friend Zach “Come on let's get off the couch and go to HHN, it will make you feel better”, were more true than I ever thought possible. Horror brought me back to myself and allowed me to figure out who I was, for what felt like the first time in my life.
I had always dreamed of seeing something I worked on brought to life at Halloween Horror Nights, but I truly never thought that would happen. I never would have guessed that when Olga Turka (Costume and Production Designer) called me up to be a Costume Assistant on Terrifier 3, that it would lead to me standing at the gates looking up at the banners with tears in my eyes because something that I had a part in was being featured. It was surreal to say the least.
I knew these films had their following. I was friends with much of the crew before we even set foot on the set for the third installment. David was my neighbor and my trivia partner, who happened to be a clown on the side. But after the second film broke box office records, it had taken on a life of its own. My best friend, Jackie Hughes, was the hair and makeup department head for Terrifier 2 & 3. We had many stunned and excited conversations that autumn, when week after week, Terrifier 2's theater run was extended due to the overwhelming number of people showing up night after night. Jackie had sent one cold email fresh out of her time at MUD, the Makeup Designory in New York, and had landed the gig. Talk about fate.
I had seen the films because I knew the people who made them. I don't know if I would have watched them had it not been for my friends. Sometimes when you work on a film, you don't really have a sense of the fan base. For me, Terrifier 3 was a job, but I understood that these fans show up, and I knew saddling up alongside Olga to create a Christmas massacre would be a fun ride. I thought maybe I'd see some pieces I made or pieced together on a t-shirt and that would be pretty cool, but I never imagined the legend that Damien's creation would become in such a short span of time.
Like any film, the days were long and the work was hard. Even on the toughest sets, I still wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Throw in another dicey personal life situation happening in the background, and the shoot became even tougher to navigate. I was at a crossroads in my life, but I got to make another film with Jackie, so the days remained bright.
After wrapping, we moved on to the next project, as you do in this industry. We celebrated together at the premiere, and Terrifier 3 broke some more box office records because the fans showed up. My role in this project was small, but when I met fans at events and my students discovered that their professor played a part in making this movie happen, you could feel the excitement from them. These films spoke to them, and whether they spoke to David, Jackie, or me, the excitement was still palpable. Although I would definitely argue they are way more excited to meet David, which is fine by me.
Fans begin to speculate about the house themes for the new season around April or May, with various fan accounts and unofficial websites wagering their best guesses. There were rumors about a possible Terrifier house, but I wasn't going to believe it until we had something official. Shock struck through me that summer afternoon when I saw the official announcement. I couldn't believe it, this dream that I had put out of my mind was now coming true. Jared Sokirka, who was the second unit focus puller and weapons specialist on the film, joined Jackie and me for the opening night of HHN Orlando.
When we stepped into City Walk, I was overwhelmed. Banners, merchandise, and hundreds of fans descending on the parks in their Terrifier merch really brought home the massive scale of these films. The main Universal store had images of pieces that Olga, Nicholas (our tailor), and I created, and people were purchasing these items to take home as treasured mementos of their vacation.
The biggest thrill I get is when I see people wearing Art's Christmas tree glasses. During one of our many fittings with David (which we held in my apartment), Damien brought a pack of various holiday-themed glasses and asked me to find a few that might work. I set some aside, and he was drawn to the trees. Being the crafter that I am, I asked if he wanted me to ‘punch them up' with some pom poms I had lying around. He got so excited, I pulled out my glue gun and popped a couple on.
Almost two years after that fitting, I was able to purchase a Christmas tree ornament of Art in his Santa hat, wearing those exact glasses.
Universal Creative consistently impresses year after year, always seeming to top itself. Experiencing that house, and seeing the care and creativity that went into making it was beyond what I could have imagined. Jackie, Jared, and I cheered and called out characters, screaming the actors' names of the bodies that littered the house. Jackie lit up at seeing Sienna donning her Clown Cafe and Valkyrie costume, as she made those looks. She can tell you how to get the perfect Sienna pigtails for your cosplay! We laughed, we cried a little (happy tears, of course). It was a full-circle moment for us.
There were a lot of ups and downs during that shoot. Terrifier 3 not only gave me a massive franchise name on my resume, but it also gave me a deeper friendship with Jackie, a life partner in Jared, and countless other friends who I still hold dear. It also fulfilled a lifelong goal of seeing my work brought to life at HHN. Thank you, Damien, for allowing me to be a small part of this larger-than-life story you've crafted, and allowing us to play. Sometimes the best things in life really turn out to be “A work of Art.”
Halloween Horror Nights Orlando and Universal are now open select nights through November 2. For more, check out our visit to HHN Orlando and stay tuned for our full HHN Hollywood coverage.
