Last night was the debut of my new panel High Tech Halloween on a Low Tech Budget. It went really well. People slowly filed in and turned it into a fantastic discussion about various haunting techniques and philosophies. I filmed a few minutes before the panel, so that starting conversation was longer but the quality wasn’t great.
This is what I love about the haunting community. We love learning new things. We love helping each other. And we’re not judgmental. I had to make that clear. I might haunt on a budget, but that doesn’t mean I have a problem with people who have the resources to funnel $1000′s into their haunt each year. There’s no wrong way to haunt.
The big disappointment is that the panel actually continued about 15 minutes past the video ending time. My DSLR apparently only records video for 30 minutes at a time, so it cut off 30 minutes into the recording. We discussed weather, tombstones, and using online resources to trade/gift theme-specific props.
ConnectiCon 2013 had a ton of cosplay that I wish I got to photograph. At least half the people who attended were cosplaying on Saturday and Sunday. The vibe of the place was so friendly and the convention was so packed that I had to settle for a lot of “I love your [insert character here] cosplay” shouts of appreciation rather than quick photos.
There’s a truism connected to working in or exploring the entertainment industry. For all the positive feedback and experiences you may have, one bad experience or comment can ruin your mindset for a long time. That kind of experience cuts like a knife, making you think that everything you experience from that point on will be that bad or worse.