Backyard haunted houses, carving pumpkins, elaborate decorations, jumping out to scare trick-or-treaters; Halloween is packed with the DIY spirit. People’s desire to be scared or scare others is primal. It’s the “fight or flight” response, the deep psychological need to survive. Halloween give many the chance to feel the fear, since back in our minds we know there is no real danger. Perhaps it is just the excitement that drives us to walk through that haunted house. Either way, it’s fun for both the builder and the viewer.

My goal was to create pro-haunted house level effects on the cheap. I wanted something that would be different every time you see it. Planning to combine visuals and sound, I created the monster behind the door effect. Through the window of the door, the viewer can see what might be happening behind the door. On time the viewer goes through might have a monster in the window trying to get through the door. The next time it would be a normal scene inside a house fo