Strobe lights invade your vision as the fog machine fills the area around you in thick white smoke. The sounds of screams, metal contraptions and various sound effects can be heard from all around and you know you are going to wake up the next day with the residue of sticky blood on your hands or face. The only other people who have that problem are most likely in jail by now, but for the average haunted house worker, being coated in layers of makeup and corn starch are a part of the job.
Many people do not see the actors as people, instead viewing them as the scary monster they both need to avoid and need to interact with. However, at the Factory of Terror, the dozens of people working there are not just mindless side characters; they are what keeps the factory alive. These are just some of my experiences as a worker.
To get a job at a haunted house, like any other job, you first need to apply — a process that begins as early as June.
When I walked into the interview for the Factory of Terror, I was under the impression the managers would instruct me to do improv acting; I was sorely mistaken. To be entirely honest, I felt like I was at a normal job interview. The same terribly dull and painfully average job interview questions were asked. Apparently, my uninteresting answers were sufficient enough, because I got called back for a second interview, which took place a month later.
In the second interview, managers paired us applicants with a partner. The pairs of applicants were instructed to act out an improv scene in order for the managers to get an idea of our acting skills. Shortly after, the soon-to-be scarers were given an opportunity to mingle and meet each other. Within a week, most, if not all of us had gotten a text message that we had gotten the job. We were told to come to a meet at the Factory of Terror to get more information on the job and find out what houses we would be placed in.
At the Factory of Terror, there are four themed houses. Asylum, which is an insane asylum themed. Industrial, which is a haunted factory themed. Massacre on Mahoning, which is a classic hillbilly horror theme. Finally, Abyss, which is haunted shipwreck-themed. I happened to get placed in Massacre on Mahoning inside of a mirror maze. At first, due to the hillbilly horror theme of the house, I portrayed myself as a zombie truck driver. This worked for a while, but as time went on, I realized I could do other things too.
Working at the Factory of Terror gives you almost endless creative freedom. After having my fun and running my course as a truck driver, I decided to become a clown. I often portray my clown character as a taunting, bubbly fellow who enjoys trickery and tomfoolery. Working as a clown, I feel as though I often embody the character. When you create a character to live through, it’s easy to adapt to its personality. I have given my clown character little gimmicks I stick by, such as using a squeaker to speak with customers or pointing customers toward the wrong direction in the maze to throw them off.
Unfortunately, there is a downside to working at a haunted house. Customers often fail to view the scare actors as real human beings with feelings and lives, treating them however they please. Employees working in food service and retail experience this often as well; customers fail to acknowledge that employees are not just simply ‘side characters.’
It is easy to mistreat the scare actors because of the informal environment. To customers, they may just be in for a fun night out with friends or family, but for the scare actors, they are working and doing their job. It is important to be mindful of their feelings and respect them just like you would anybody else.
On the other hand, this is also what makes working in a haunted house so special; it may be rough sometimes, but the informal environment allows for creative freedom and the ability to express yourself completely and have a fun time. I promise, us scare actors are probably having just as much fun as you are!
Overall, working at a haunted house is undeniably a unique experience. It may not be a popular choice, but it is an exciting one. The friendships, memories and self-expression that comes out of a creative job like working at a haunted house are unforgettable.
