Ohio has over 130 haunted attractions 鈥� that鈥檚 more than any other state.
They take many forms, as haunted houses, barns, boats, castles, caves, trails, trains, corn mazes and hayrides.
Max Bryant, president of the Ohio Haunters Association, said the haunt community is more collaborative than competitive.
鈥淲hat a lot of people feel when they leave is like they just got off a roller coaster,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淵ou want your other haunted attractions to do well because those people are going to want to go visit other haunted attractions.鈥�
Attractions add new scares, props and sets every year. When not in season, from September through November, they typically prepare, with trade shows, conventions and boot camps.
鈥淓very single year these haunts are improving and they have to, the customers demand it,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淧eople are very dedicated to doing this. And they put in a lot of time into building those sets. It involves carpentry, artistry, engineers, electricians, and painters.鈥�
The Scare Factor
There are more than 2,300 haunted attractions in the U.S.
is an organization dedicated to rating and documenting haunts all around the country.
The site gets over a million visits every season. Nora and Tyler Proffet bought the business in 2014.
鈥淲e see the industry growing,鈥� Tyler said. 鈥淚t's gotten bigger and bigger each year.鈥�
Their 27 scream teams visit the over two thousand haunts in the country, and review them.
鈥淲hile there's a lot of haunts in Ohio, there's also a larger concentration of high scoring haunts,鈥� Proffett said. 鈥淭hey're always competing against each other to make the best show for their customers because they demand it.鈥�
They've also gained a following on Youtube, sharing walkthroughs of their Haunted Attraction visits.
They now visit over 40 attractions a year, in Ohio and Indiana.
鈥淣ora and I got together in 2008. And I had never been to a haunted house before then, actually,鈥� Tyler said.
Nora, a life-long haunt enthusiast, gave him an ultimatum.
鈥淪he said, 鈥榊ou're going to start going to some haunted houses or this ain't going to work,鈥� Proffett said. 鈥淎t the time, I was like, 鈥榃ell, you know, how could I spend my hard earned money to have somebody scare the crap out of me?鈥� I've been hooked ever since. It's an amazing adrenaline rush.鈥�
The Act of Scaring
Max Bryant has also acted at the Dent Schoolhouse, a highly rated attraction in Cincinnati, for 10 years, as the pumpkin smasher.
The Schoolhouse received a 9.16 composite rating from The Scare Factor this year.
That number is an average of seven ratings, that factor in casting, costumes, customer service, entertainment and value and The Scare Factor.
鈥淒ent is one of those that I would figure a lot more people would build up to,鈥� Bryant said.
His character interacts with and scares visitors waiting in line.
鈥淯sually people will think, yeah, that'd be fun,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淵es, it is. It really is. But it's not easy. It is difficult. It is physically exhausting. But some of us enjoy getting that chance to control other people's emotions by either scaring them or disgusting them or creeping them out, we love it.鈥�
He said attractions are usually always hiring actors, but it requires some physical conditioning.
鈥淚'm not talking about being a pro athlete, but you should be used to running a bit, you know, some cardio,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淵ou should be used to doing some lifting.鈥�
He said the acting crew is tight knit and dedicated to their craft. After busy nights, once they鈥檝e shed their costumes, they share a meal, horror stories and good scares.
鈥淲e're checking up on people because some people are trying to figure out their scenes, their lines,鈥� Bryant said. 鈥淲e're trying to help people do their best throughout the season.鈥�
Bryant said the acting crew gets together throughout the off-season. They prepare for the next season with trade shows, conventions and boot camps.
鈥淚 came to the Dent Schoolhouse to scare people but the family is what's kept me coming back year after year,鈥� Bryant said.
Most of Ohio鈥檚 haunted attractions are open from September to November. They鈥檙e each categorized and rated within The Scare Factor directory.