Some of our favorite Halloween displays evolve over time, and AtmosFAN Alicia H. has been charting her course toward pirate perfection since 2017. Now in its fourth year in Mount Morris, New York, her display is a swashbuckling spectacle of Halloween treasure, including a terrific Hollusion mode display. Heck, Halloween decorating has become so popular in her village that it draws visitors from not just the county – but other countries, too.
First off, three cheers for Halloween displays that focus on a single theme and then work every angle. Alicia’s display does all that – and more. We love the endless treasure of pirate-themed props large and small, atmospheric lighting throughout, and the blazing windows that evoke the smoldering port town a la Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean. (That’s Inferno Decoration Collection, by the way.) There’s also the deep-sea monsters, nautical props, and enough bones to make Blackbeard himself feel at home. (Or perhaps his dog.)
Of course, we’re also suckers for Alicia’s expert use of Hollusion Projection Material. She constructed a wooden frame to hold the material taut, creating the perfect canvas for displaying the Ghost Pirate from Ghostly Apparitions 3 Decoration Collection and a menacing skeleton from Bone Chillers 2 Decoration Collection. The effect is mesmerizing – we love how the Ghost Pirate struggles with a newly discovered treasure chest he’s unearthed!
For those new to creating a Hollusion mode effect, the key to creating an effective display like Alicia’s is relatively easy – it just requires attention to a few key factors. Make sure the environment is relatively dark to help the fabric become virtually invisible to viewers. Then, strategic placement of well-lit visual elements behind the projection surface – like Alicia's elaborate backdrop of props and lighting – helps disguise the material’s presence by drawing the eye beyond it.
Lastly, whether you are projecting on the material from either the front or the back, make sure to place the projector in a location where your visitors cannot easily see it – either the bright projector bulb or the unit itself. When executed properly, as Alicia has done, the result is a rogue’s gallery of characters that appear and disappear in mid-air with startling realism.
“Everyone here in Mount Morris and beyond are obsessed,” Alicia tells us. “This Halloween season we’ve met people visiting our town from eight different countries.”
That’s quite an achievement for a small New York town, and it speaks to the power of patience and persistence in creating something truly special. Four years of refining her pirate theme has allowed Alicia to perfect not just the technical aspects of her projections, but also the storytelling and atmosphere that make her display so compelling.
Alicia shares updates about her spectacular display on Facebook under the handle “Me Hearty Haunts of Mount Morris,” where fans can follow along with her ongoing pirate adventures.
Have you been working on perfecting your own Halloween display over multiple years? Whether you’re using Hollusion Mode or any other AtmosFX display mode techniques, we want to see your evolution! 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!
