Fright Fest 2010

[SFGAM76]

maybe but think possitive

[Ace]

I realize that everybody really enjoyed the old characters and such, but how in the world can you say that something is going to suck before you even see it? Just a thought why don't we wait and see how it goes before passing judgment on it.

[Director_Guy]

^I think the mentality is, Why fix what's not broken?

[BeefTheTroll]

I moved out of the area a few years ago, so I just heard today that SFGAM wasn't renewing JPM's contract for the first time in two decades. And speaking as a 12-year veteran of the JPM version of the production, I can say from clarity, perspective and experience that the park is cutting their own throats with this maneuver. BIG time.

I understand trying to save money, I really do. I know SF has had financial trouble. But going cheap on Fright Fest?!? Fright Fest is their biggest event of the year! People used to tell us CONSTANTLY that "the rides are here all year. We come in October for YOU guys." So killing off a relationship with a production company that has twenty years of experience under its belt, plus all of the incredibly-skilled personnel that came along with it? Suicide. Absolute suicide.

Fright Fest didn't ever just "happen." There's a LOT more to it than just throwing someone into a costume, and sending them out to terrorize the general populace. In fact, *I* don't even know the whole of it after working there for twelve years! But I do know that in order to put on a quality show every year, it took MONTHS of preparation, training, machination, planning and groundwork. A thousand factors were taken into consideration in order to put on a safe, fun and entertaining event. And those of use who came back year after year after year know this intimately.

And that's not the only thing we know intimately. We also know how put on a hot, bulky costume and entertain in a street environment for hours without dropping. How to keep ourselves and the guests safe...but scared. How to watch each others' backs. How to follow the rules but still push the envelope. And above all, how to do it all in a way that is tried, true, tested, and effective. The psychology of the event was just as important as the logistics, and nobody understands how to pull this off on a grand scale while still paying attention to the details like JPM. NOBODY. The crew I worked with, and was proud to be a part of, were absolute professionals every step of the way.

You simply cannot fake, or "wing" the decades of expertise of the group of dedicated technicians, artists, performers, support staff, managers, makeup artists, costume people and safety personnel we had. They were A-list, and they created an event that was constantly ripped off, but never duplicated. Ever see "Knott's Scary Farm," or the "Halloween Haunt" at Valleyfair? *I* did. And they were embarrassingly amateur. JPM's Fright Fest was nothing short of the biggest, most successful Halloween event in the COUNTRY, and that was something we were al proud of.

But I'm sure a bunch of people all doing it for the first time with no costumes, makeup, infrastructure, or support from JPM will do juuuust fine. Yup.

Except, no they won't. They're going to get eaten alive, and that is a personal guarantee. At the end of the day, there is zero doubt in my mind that to call the substandard event that's going to happen this October at SFGAM "a mere shadow of its former self" will turn out to have been a considerable measure too generous. At BEST, It's going to be a watered-down, fourth-rate, Z-grade, poor-man's-version mockery. None of JPM's trademarked characters nor the people who perform them will be there (So say good-bye to Mayor Slayer, the Trolls, and many others). None of their makeup people, either, so you won't see any Vampires done up in the expensive and difficult-to-apply facial appliances bought from the same people who made them for "Buffy." Instead, you'll get everyone who JPM ever rejected for not being up to standard, and they'll all be completely, hopelessly green besides...Because no self-respecting JPM veteran *I* know will go back after this. We all worked our tails off together for YEARS. We bled, sweat, and cried together to make that show the success it was. We are a CREW. The CREATURE CREW, to put a finer point on it. We know what we're doing, and that's why we did it without peer for 20 years. And you get all of us...or none of us.

When people come for the show this year, and don't see the characters, the skills, or the quality they're used to? I promise you with every fiber of my entire being that it's gonna go over like a pregnant pole vaulter. So, I hope you guys had fun last year. Because this year is going to be a grade-school Christmas pageant in comparison.

[sixflagsgirl2006]

AMEN!!!

[Ace]

Even after that great big article about how six flags will fail, I still am not convinced it will be terrible. I don't think that they would have made the change if they were not prepared to at least try and put on a great fright fest. Look at how well the entertainment folks did and organizing and making the glow in the park parade happen. Granted that a parade and fright fest are very different, I think that if the entertainment people have stepped up to one challenge already then they probably can step up to another. I think we all should wait and see how it goes until we can decide whether or not six flags is "cutting its own throat" or not.

[BeefTheTroll]

Even after that great big article about how six flags will fail, I still am not convinced it will be terrible. I don't think that they would have made the change if they were not prepared to at least try and put on a great fright fest.

Interesting perspective. I guess "try" is the operative term, here.

Personally, I base my opinion on very direct, inside knowledge of the park, JPM, the event, and how they all operate. So unless you've got an equally compelling, experienced, and well-reasoned argument based on data I don't have, I'm sticking with the view I've got.

[UWW-10]

JPM's Fright Fest was nothing short of the biggest, most successful Halloween event in the COUNTRY, and that was something we were al proud of.

Apparently, you've never witnessed HHN....since we're talking high-end, successful Halloween events.

Even with all of the "inside" information you may or may not have.....let Six Flags try it out on their own first before jumping to immediate FAILURE conclusions. I'm sure that it took JPM a while to perfect their practices as well.

As stated before, every other Six Flags has done their own internal Fright Fest events, and while some flat-out need work, they don't all deserve to be in that category.

[TK895]

Beef is absolutely right. I worked for JPM the last six years and it was a top notch group. Read what Beef said in detail, all good valid points. The show was a professionally produced event.

I will miss my fellows actors and staff from the past FF events. I'm glad I know most of them on a personal level as well. See you all at faire the next few weeks!

[SFGAM76]

Ace wrote: "I still am not convinced it will be terrible."

neither am i last year Fright Fest was terrible many things changed and that was under Jpm

[BeefTheTroll]

neither am i last year Fright Fest was terrible many things changed and that was under Jpm

I don't live in the area anymore, so I didn't go last year.

However, it's possible any changes were reluctant ones dictated by the park, for whom JPM subcontracts. That's usually where the responsibility fell for anything *I* ever didn't care for, which is another reason I don't have high hopes for the future of the production.

JPM never told Six Flags how to put together a roller coaster, y'know? That's all I'm sayin'.

[SFGAM76]

this fright fest is going to be really bad or great

[SFGAM76]

correct me if i'm wrong my cousin a few years back told me that fright fest was becoming family friendly because someone was going to press charges to great america for it being to scary

[Director_Guy]

JPM's Fright Fest was nothing short of the biggest, most successful Halloween event in the COUNTRY, and that was something we were al proud of.

Apparently, you've never witnessed HHN....since we're talking high-end, successful Halloween events.

Even with all of the "inside" information you may or may not have.....let Six Flags try it out on their own first before jumping to immediate FAILURE conclusions. I'm sure that it took JPM a while to perfect their practices as well.

I have witnessed HHN at both coasts. It is the best event I've ever been to. But from my experience with JPM, they are really damn close. Probably as close as Six Flags could ever get. Beef is right when he talks about the quality of performance.

About your second point, it's not about Six Flags knowing what they're doing eventually. It's that they got a rid of something that worked successfully and it will most likely come back to bite them, maybe even hurt the dying company. They wanted to save money by getting rid of JPM but in doing so they sacrifice the quality. If that happens, where are your ticket sales?

I don't want Six Flags to fail. Really. I know there are some great people who are working there and who may even feel offended by our lack of encouragement. But there is a huge bitter part of me that feels betrayed as well. Not just as a former performer but as a guest. One that bought a season pass each year for many years. It's already apparent where they sacrifice quality during the regular season and now you'll see it again here, too.


Oh, and Beef is not the kind of guy who pretends to know anything he really doesn't. So, lay off him, eh?

---
Final note, I know it's only Fright Fest. It's not a big deal. But there are some of us who depended on this little event every October.

[sixflagsgirl2006]

And just so you know the park was not ready for the challenge as you say. It was corporate's decision and the park was pissed about it. The park already knows they can't pull it off and all the awful decisions last year where they got rid of pirates, vamps, and werewolves that was the park's decision. JPM had no choice and did not want to do what they ended up doing for Seven Sins and so forth. What JPM had intended for Seven Sins was awesome and actually very scary. The park made them tone it down and make it more "family-friendly" and so the actors coudln't do most of what they wanted to.
Also, the park tried to get JPM back under a supervisory role so they could go around corporate's decision of not renewing their contract. Unfortunately the park has no money so it didn't work out. You know six flags is getting desperate when under their events for the park they actually are posting FF auditions, instead of just posting them under jobs. The park doesn't want to do it, so do you really think this FF could actually be good if they are unhappy about the circumstances,no.
I agree completely with Beef and his perspective, he is completely correct. I know I will still go back this year just to watch it fail and we will see next year them begging on hand and knees to get JPM back. But hey look on the bright side JPM might be doing a Halloween type event in the Gurnee/Kenosha area. Then JPM can do it their way and we can see how good JPM really is when they aren't stuck to the park's rules.

[SFGAM76]

the auditions were at keylime cove

[Ace]

You know six flags is getting desperate when under their events for the park they actually are posting FF auditions, instead of just posting them under jobs.

Why wouldn't you have auditions for an entertainment position?

I understand a lot of you JPM folks are really put out by not being asked back this year but this thread has become pointless to read because its ALL speculation. Wait until October then either call it awful or great. If you have already made up your mind its gonna be bad then don't go it will be one less person.