When the sun goes down in Adelaide, Australia, the dead come out to play – at least that is the case at the home of AtmosFAN Simon S. There, during Halloween season, the Skeleton Band from Bone Chillers 2 Decoration Collection performs nightly, appearing to materialize from thin air thanks to some spooky magic and clever projection techniques. 
As you can see in the above image, Simon has created an immersive setting at the Skulls Bar, complete with cobwebs, spooky lighting, and skeleton decorations – even a few empties that apparently haven’t yet been cleared away by the servers. Using the “Skeleton Band” individual decoration in Bone Chillers 2, the boney musicians seemingly have come out of nowhere to deliver their ghostly performance in this macabre venue.
There’s a lot to love in this visually appealing display, starting with Simon’s skillful implementation of the Hollusion Mode technique. For the uninitiated, Hollusion Mode displays create the illusion that characters materialize in mid-air by projecting onto semi-transparent material that, when properly set up, becomes virtually invisible to viewers. The key to Simon's success lies in how he's created visual interest behind the Hollusion Projection Material – decorative elements and atmospheric lighting draw the eye beyond the projection surface, making the material itself disappear from perception.
Creating an effective Hollusion display is easy – it just requires attention to a few key details, all of which Simon has implemented perfectly. First, the environment should be relatively dark, as too much ambient light can reveal the projection material. Second, placing interesting visual elements behind the projection area – like Simon's bar setting with its decorations and lighting – helps disguise the Hollusion Projection Material’s presence. Finally, proper tension of the material ensures the projected images appear crisp and realistic, while prop placement helps conceal the edges of the material.
Pretty good for someone who has been only using AtmosFX Decorations in Halloween displays for two years. “Loved it,” Simon tells us. “AtmosFX is simply the best!”
Well, we appreciate the compliment, Simon. But frankly, it is creative decorators such as yourself that are the ones worth honoring! We always love to see how Australians celebrate Halloween, and creative decorators like you are proving that the spooky season knows no boundaries – geographical or dimensional.
Have you created an innovative Halloween display using Hollusion Mode or any other AtmosFX technique? We want to see it! Send your photos and videos using this simple online form and you might become the next AtmosFAN of the Week. You’ll earn points for use in the AtmosFX online store just for submitting, and if you’re selected, you’ll win a free decoration collection!
