Halloween is a time for pumpkins, candy, witches, and ghouls. It’s the one time of year when we seek out fear. The adrenaline rush from being scared is a shared human experience that’s a defining characteristic of the Halloween season. Haunted houses, escape rooms, and spooky walks, oh my!

My friend, Eric Striffler, knows more than the average person about this spooky season. He is a filmmaker and artistic director and founder of Existence Media. An expert in all things eerie and scary, he also founded a company called Nyctophobia which specialized in experimental haunted experiences. Today, I’ll be picking his brains like Hannibal Lector and asking 13 questions about his favorite time of year.

ONE

Alright! Let’s get into it. How did you get into producing immersive spooky experiences and what made it so interesting to you?

I’ve loved Halloween and all things spooky since I can remember. When I was 13 years old, I got involved with a local family-friendly haunted attraction and every year my friends and I would try to outdo what we did previously, building bigger and more elaborate exhibits until I decided to branch off and create my own. I called it Nyctophobia [fear of the dark], and we tried to differentiate ourselves by making it a more intense and intimate experience that you went into alone or in pairs. Coming up with creative new ways to scare people is something my friends and I have a great time with.

TWO

Do you think that there is a connection with your filmmaking background?

My interest in film growing up has translated into my desire to create cinematic experiences for audiences to step into, which I think has been a large part of what makes Nyctophobia stand out from similar attractions. It's more about making people feel like they’re a part of a story than simply being startled.

THREE

Are movies where you draw your inspiration from?

I love scary movies and I visit lots of haunted attractions every year, and small things I pick up here and there will inspire bigger ideas, but I’m also very tuned in to what I don’t like as well because it helps me know what not to do. If a certain scare just doesn’t do it for me, I’ll dissect it to figure out why and try to come up with an alternative.

 FOUR

What elements do you think make a good haunted attraction?

Actors can make or break any haunted attraction. Going room to room and hearing every actor scream “get out!” gets old quick. Giving actors specific characters, lines of dialogue, and/or actions keeps things fresh.

FIVE

How does one start to design a haunted concept or attraction?

I write down wild ideas all the time regardless of budget, space, etc, and then once a location is secured I figure out which ideas can fit, how many actors we’ll need, and how to make it work over and over for many hours each night. The plans need to be pretty intricate considering the layout, how much time there is to reset something, and how it can all be done with an appropriate amount of people working. I work with a great team to help me bring it all to life!

SIX

Even with a great team, there are challenges. What are some of the challenges in creating spooky experiences?

Safety is most important, so making something feel scary while keeping it safe can be a challenge. For example, a bright exit sign may ruin a pitch black room but it is necessary in case of emergency.

SEVEN

What do you think is the most enjoyable part?

Seeing and hearing the immediate reactions from people, whether they’re screaming or laughing, is very rewarding.

EIGHT

In your opinion, is there such a thing as making something "too scary"?

At the end of the day, the audience knows it’s all fake and they’re encountering people in costumes. I don’t think anything can ever be so scary that it truly breaks that reality, and if you try to go all in on scary then you can easily miss what I consider to be a more important element: fun. You can’t scare every single person, but you can certainly show all of them a good time.

NINE

Do you have any dream projects? Any dream collaborations?

I think there’s untapped potential in bringing horror filmmakers on board to direct haunted attractions. It’s all theatre, so why not!

TEN

I know you’re very busy during Halloween visiting Halloween experiences around the country. What is the best immersive haunted attraction you have ever been to?

I love all haunted attractions, from local family-friendly events to intense adults-only experiences, and the latter tend to be more immersive. Two NYC haunted attractions come to mind: Blackout, because those guys come up with some truly twisted ideas and you never know what to expect, and Nightmare, because they often have themes that tap into our favorite Halloween staples such as ghosts and vampires.

ELEVEN

What is your favorite way to celebrate Halloween?

I actually prefer when Halloween is on a weekday, because then you’ve got the weekend to go out and party and Halloween itself to stay in with a scary movie. My Halloween season typically begins by the end of August because I try to cram in as many haunted houses, costume parties, and movies as I can. It is my busiest time of year!

TWELVE

Do you have a favorite Halloween movie?

My favorite Halloween movie is When Good Ghouls Go Bad, which is family-friendly but just nails the feeling of the whole season. It premiered on television twenty years ago and I’ve watched it every Halloween since. I also love Trick r Treat, Hocus Pocus, and any other movies that actually take place on or around Halloween as opposed to just being scary.

THIRTEEN

Okay, Eric, lucky number 13. What has been your spookiest real life experience?

To this day I get a little nervous backing up in a car at night. In 2011, I was the last person to leave our Nyctophobia venue, and just as I was about to put my foot on the brake I swear I heard a clown horn coming from behind my car. My heart was racing as I looked into the rearview mirror preparing to see whatever was about to be bathed in red light... but nothing was there.