Midsummer Scream Interview: Marketing Director Gary Soloff for HORROR MADE HERE

Since it’s inception three years ago I’ve been non-stop talking about the hidden gem of haunt season, Warner Bros. HORROR MADE HERE experience, located on the Warner Bros. lot. Having attended the first and second year of this event, I’ve been lucky enough to experience first hand the incredible changes that HORROR MADE HERE has gone through, starting first with just a tram tour and a screening to a full-blown haunted attraction unlike anything else I’ve experienced.

During Midsummer Scream, the team responsible for bringing HORROR MADE HERE to fruition were on hand to discuss what fans and newcomers can expect from their third year. The buzz of excitement from the audience was palpable as they announced that there would be a haunted attractions for THE CONJURING UNIVERSE, ARKHAM ASYLUM, a Freddy/Jason mashup titled NIGHTMARE ON CAMP CRYSTAL LAKE, a re-imaged IT attraction, and a 4D experience surrounding the scariest moments in THE EXORCIST.

With this being one of my favorite panels from Midsummer Scream, I was eager to speak with marketing director Gary Soloff about HORROR MADE HERE. During our conversation, we discussed everything from the event’s inception to the challenges they face, as well as what is in store for the future of HORROR MADE HERE!

Nightmarish Conjurings: Hi Gary, thank you so much for talking with me today! The HORROR MADE HERE panel was absolutely phenomenal and has become one of my most anticipated events for this Halloween season! For those who may not be familiar with this event, can you tell them a little bit about it?

Gary Soloff: HORROR MADE HERE is an interactive Halloween event that Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood created two years ago. Initially it began as just a screening of recent horror films and has progressively climbed its way up to a full Halloween season experience utilizing the Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema horror franchises such as IT, The Exorcist and The Conjuring Universe. Each year, HORROR MADE HERE continues to make a larger footprint for guests and horror enthusiasts.

Nightmarish Conjurings: What inspired the creation of HORROR MADE HERE? Was this something that the studio had been thinking of doing for a awhile?

GS: HORROR MADE HERE is a studio wide initiative where we initially asked ourselves “How can we utilize and take advantage of the iconic horror franchises Warner Bros. has produced?” There was this horror space that we hadn’t touched yet, so we really wanted to dive in and make it our own. We wanted to bring fans behind the gates and allow them to see horror come to life firsthand and party on a working backlot.

Nightmarish Conjurings: I’ve been lucky enough to attend both the first and second year of this event and it just keeps getting progressively better and better. What inspired the changes from Year One (which was primarily just the tram ride and a screening) to Year Two (where we got to experience haunted attractions)?

GS: The change really came from us reviewing our franchises and the backlot space. We noticed all the incredible assets we hadn’t yet explored. We began brainstorming how to make this into an intimate and authentic interactive experience for our guests and stay true to our brand of authentic storytelling so they really get the opportunity to experience our films like the characters in them.

Nightmarish Conjurings: What have been some of the challenges that the team has faced in bringing HORROR MADE HERE to life?

GS: I think trying to narrow down our options to just five main attractions was really difficult. Warner Bros. has so many classic and iconic horror franchises to choose from, it was hard to narrow down. Additionally given that we have limited space on the lot we wanted to pick the most impactful properties that resonated with fans.

Nightmarish Conjurings: How long do you plan in advance and what surprises should fans expect this year?

GS: Planning begins at the beginning of the year and this year due to the buzz we received last year, you can expect bigger and better. There will be more scares, more mazes and more fun – it’s really a party on the WB backlot. In addition, guests will also have the chance to take a studio tour and explore where some of their favorite horror films were made.

Nightmarish Conjurings: My last question for you is where would you like to see the future of HORROR MADE HERE go?

GS: I would like to see the event expand and encompass more of the great horror films Warner Bros. has developed. I think we really have potential to create great mazes and bring to life these films that has had us hiding under our covers at any age. We also want to stay true to our brand and keep this a special intimate experience for horror loving fans.

HORROR MADE HERE will run for 13 nights starting October 5, 2018. Tickets can be purchased HERE and start at $59 per person.

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Shannon McGrew

Founder/Co-Owner at Nightmarish Conjurings

Shannon is the Founder of Nightmarish Conjurings and a lover of all things horror and haunt related. When she's not obsessively collecting all things "Trick 'R Treat" related, or trying to convince everyone that "Hereditary" is one of the greatest horror films ever made, you can find her designing interiors for commercial restaurants. An avid haunt fan, Shannon spends the entire year visiting haunts and immersive experiences throughout the Southern California area and hopes to one day design her own haunted attraction.

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