Gone
are the days of the simple Jack-o-lantern nestled against a backdrop
of a cornstalk tied with ribbon on the neighbors front porch.
Nowadays, with the multi-million dollar business that Halloween
has become, you can find anything from black twinkle lights and
fog machines to actual REAL coffins, and lines down your street
just waiting to get in. These haunters go about their yards with
the same dedication or more then the larger commercial haunts,
just a smaller budget requiring a lot more creativity.
Meet Frank
Cwikla. A 21 year old that has been haunting yards since he
was 12 in Willingboro NJ. Inspired by a house down the street
that always seemed to do a little more then the norm for halloween,
and his first hayride, River's Edge (which we covered in 2002,
but would have been in it's prime at this time) he worked as
the lone actor his first year with just a few props and enticed
30 people into his haunt.
In
1999, he moved to Tabernacle. His new haunt was known as "Haunted
Woods" working with mostly store bought props and a cast
of 5, the home haunt brought in about 100 people. In 2000, the
name was changed to Psycho Trail, a few more actors, a few more
props, and their crowd doubled to 200.
Skipping
one year, 2001, post 9/11 and due to some personal matters,
Frank moved again in 2002 to Medford NJ, the haunts present
location.
The first year in the new town they brought in 100 people. Brian
and I had tried to cover this haunt that year, but arrived too
late Halloween night. That is one of the hardest issues with
home haunts, they run for fewer nights during the month. We
contacted Frank at the end of that season, and told him we would
try again the following year.
2003. We
visit Frank and are blown away by the magnitude of his home
haunt. No more store bought props, he has come across a real
casket, and has made clever use of every day items such as the
Dietz and Watson deli boards behind his butcher scene etc....
small details that just add a touch of authenticity. This year,
Frank and his crew of helpers would bring in 500 people and
raise $400 to be donated to the American Cancer Society.
You might
ask, where does one go about getting a casket, or some of the
other props featured in his gallery. 
Where
else? On Ebay! Not just a fall gig, Frank looks for these deals
in the off season, scouring the internet, collecting pieces
from other home haunters who have closed up their little-shop-of-horrors.
Not every piece will make it into a scene immediately, some
deals are just too good to pass up, but rather then junk up
the attraction with carelessly tossed out props, some will sit
until the right scene is developed.
Set up can
begin as early as May, and seems to take more and more time
with each passing year. His girlfriend of a year and a half
helps with his endeavor, but it is slow going with such a small
crew, for a walk thru that can take up to 20 minutes to get
thru. Where did he learn to build such elaborate sets? Home
improvement shows and the internet...
In the light
of other home haunts being shut down by townships here in NJ,
we asked Frank if he'd had any issues with neighbors or officials.
Neighbors don't seem to mind, but the township has given him
a bit of difficulty this year, he is still awaiting a phone
call from one final township employee. The attraction is free,
but donations are accepted and will go to the American Cancer
Society again this year. His new "best prop?" A 1969
Caddy Hearse that he acquired this past July.
Eyes on
the future, Frank has teamed up with Clark Bish to form the
"Fright Club." 
A
home haunters association that he looks to grow into a community
of support for these haunt fans. We attended their gathering
this past summer and had a great time, swapping photos with
other haunters, mini workshops on how to make props from inexpensive
items, or how to take the mundane and make it insane. It's a
good idea, one we would like to encourage. For more information
on the Fright Club, visit http://www.psychotrail.com.
Outgrowing the neighborhood, and the tolerance of the township,
the pair are also looking for property to go commerical next
year. With a love for dark rides, he feels the Jersey shore
or a mini amusement park would be ideal... so we wish them much
luck. In this state, they will need it. 
What advice
would Frank give the home haunter?
"Plan all year, shop around for good deals, treat it as
a business, and have a budget of at least $2,000."
