Almond Joy or Mounds? We like both! Same goes for Halloween decorators who prefer to maximize their decorating time by beginning in September (or earlier!), while others, like David L. of South Jordan, Utah, choose to display their craft on a few select days to build excitement and anticipation. In the case of Raven Manor, this terrific display runs only three nights a year!When David was young, he says he always wanted to be a Disney “Imagineer.” That didn’t come to pass. But he was able to channel that passion later in life – namely, by creating an immersive Halloween experience that he calls Raven Manor. “The purpose of the display is to capture the magic of being a kid at Halloween,” he tells us.
Nearly all the decorations on display are made by David himself – many of which have a very Disney feel, like the quivering caretaker or the floating candelabra. It is a great combination of props, lights and AtmosFX Decorations. While there is a ton to see, it still doesn’t seem too busy or overcrowded. That is certainly because David has been perfecting this display for quite some time – he’s been presenting Raven Manor to his community since 1999.
David does a wonderful job placing Hollusion Projection Material in the midst of multiple gravestones, and then displaying the dancing skeletons of Bone Chillers 2 Decoration Collection onto it. While you can see the material during the bright flashes of (artificial) lightning, when it is darker, it recedes into the darkness. And by having the material touching the ground, it truly makes it feel like the skeletons are walking on earth!
We love the mausoleum devoted to Rigby – and the hovering spirit that resides within. The pumpkin mode presentation of Jack-O’-Lantern Jamboree Decoration is terrific, too. And we also want to note the use of the 55-inch TV placed in the window above his front door. It seems the perfect place to display both Halloween Moon and Halloween Window decorations.
Speaking of windows, one of our favorites is the Pepper’s Ghost effect that David created with a large piece of plexiglass and a 65-inch television mounted below the window. When David displays decorations like the Halloween Hosts and Ghostly Apparitions 2 decoration collections on the TV, the animated spirits reflect off the plexiglass, making it appear that the ghosts are hovering in his house! This, by the way, is exactly how they do it in Disney’s Haunted Mansion – so it should be no surprise that David executes it so well here!
Tip: Halloween decorators who wish to create a similar effect in their home (but don’t want to place a large piece of plexiglass in the house), can do so by placing Hollusion Projection Material in the window. Turn on a few lights in the room (not too bright!) and project a ghostly decoration like Ghostly Apparitions 3 onto the material in the window. (Make sure to place your projector off to the side, so people won’t see the projector’s beam.) You will get a similar effect: People will be able to see into the house, but also an ethereal spirit hovering in the room!
We love all that you’ve created at Raven Manor, David! And remember, for those of you in the Salt Lake basin, the display takes place for only three nights, October 29-31 from 7-10 p.m. To see more, click on ravenmanor.com, or visit the Raven Manor Facebook page.
Halloween is coming! How are you and your neighborhood preparing to celebrate Halloween? Send photos and videos to us using this simple online submission form and you’ll earn rewards for use in the AtmosFX online store. And if yours is selected to be the next AtmosFAN of the Week, you’ll receive a complete decoration collection.
