Halloween Universe

The Screening Room

The Halloween Video Library

A curated, searchable archive of the dark craft — DIY props and animatronics, home-haunt walkthroughs, makeup, lighting, fog, and effects. Every film embedded from its creator, organized so you can actually find what you need.

9 videos

This Halloween Bust Follows You With Its Eyes! (DIY Monument Prop)
19:11
DIY PropsIntermediate$30–$80

This Halloween Bust Follows You With Its Eyes! (DIY Monument Prop)

VanOaksProps walks through the construction of a cemetery monument prop featuring a bust with a classic 'following eyes' optical illusion — the face appears to track viewers as they move past it. The build relies primarily on XPS foam, a cardboard tube column, and a bust sourced from a third-party supplier, finished with textured coatings and earth-tone paints to mimic aged stone. Weathering techniques including dry brushing and wash layers give the piece convincing graveyard patina. The result is a striking, customizable centerpiece suited for yard haunts, home haunts, and cemetery scenes.

VanOaksProps· 18,845 views
I Visited a Real Cemetery to Build Better Halloween Tombstones
9:49
DIY PropsIntermediatebudget-friendly

I Visited a Real Cemetery to Build Better Halloween Tombstones

VanOaksProps takes a research field trip to Charlotte's historic Elmwood & Pinewood Cemetery to study real tombstones, monuments, and statues as direct inspiration for Halloween yard haunt builds. The creator analyzes architectural details, weathering patterns, moss and lichen growth, and stone textures, then explains how each element could be recreated using accessible, budget-friendly prop-making methods. The video serves as both a design inspiration tour and a practical breakdown of techniques including XPS foam carving, Monster Mud, and fabric draping. It's an unusually grounded approach to Halloween prop design, rooted in real-world observation rather than guesswork.

VanOaksProps· 6,484 views
Surviving Poppy Playtime In Real Life!
16:51
DIY AnimatronicsAdvanced

Surviving Poppy Playtime In Real Life!

Wicked Makers built a fully immersive Poppy Playtime escape room around their previously constructed life-sized DogDay animatronic, constructing a detailed jail cell set complete with puzzles, traps, and interactive surprises. Friends Evan and Katelyn were invited to test the experience against a 20-minute countdown. The build combines 3D printing, foam fabrication, servo mechanics, and pneumatic elements to bring the video game environment to life. It serves as an inspiring example of giving a large animatronic build a purposeful, repeatable interactive context.

Wicked Makers· 2,998,841 views
We made a real BILL CIPHER Animatronic! (GRAVITY FALLS)
18:28
DIY AnimatronicsAdvanced

We made a real BILL CIPHER Animatronic! (GRAVITY FALLS)

Wicked Makers' Jaimie and Jay build a full animatronic version of Bill Cipher, the iconic triangle demon from Disney's Gravity Falls. The build combines XPS foam carving, metal frame construction, 3D-printed eye mechanics, and DryLok stone texturing before being painted and detailed with signature accessories. Micro servos driven by the free Bottango software bring Bill to life — making him look around, blink, float, and deliver custom voice lines recorded by Jay. The result is a highly characterful display-ready animatronic that fans of the show and Halloween prop builders alike will find impressive.

Wicked Makers· 2,003,701 views
DIY Broken Tombstone Prop for #halloween
10:14
DIY PropsIntermediate$10–$30

DIY Broken Tombstone Prop for #halloween

VanOaks Props walks through building a realistic broken tombstone prop inspired by a real-life stabilized cracked gravestone. The design features simulated metal repair bands and tabs that give the piece a uniquely aged and structurally distressed look — a standout detail for any cemetery display. XPS foam is carved, textured, coated in mortar mix, and painted to achieve a convincing weathered stone finish.

VanOaksProps· 20,336 views
Building a Halloween Crypt - Part 1: Carving the Arch
7:57
DIY PropsIntermediate

Building a Halloween Crypt - Part 1: Carving the Arch

VanOaks Props kicks off a multi-part series by tackling the architectural centerpiece of a New Orleans-style family crypt: a carved foam arch. The video demonstrates how large-scale Halloween builds are achievable with accessible materials like XPS insulation foam, a router, and basic hand tools. Techniques shown include routing decorative profiles, shaping foam with a rasp, and applying spackle — skills transferable to many prop-building projects. This is Part 1 of an ongoing crypt build series.

VanOaksProps· 21,628 views
Making a Pirate Treasure Chest 💀 DIY Halloween Props
26:05
DIY PropsAdvanced

Making a Pirate Treasure Chest 💀 DIY Halloween Props

Wicked Makers hosts Jay and Jaimie build an elaborate Sea of Thieves-inspired pirate treasure chest Halloween prop from XPS and EVA foam, complete with 3D-printed skull decorations and hardware details. The build is elevated by special effects including Arduino-controlled NeoPixel glowing eyes and a hidden microfogger that breathes eerie mist from the chest. The prop is finished with layered paints, Rub n Buff, and airbrushing to achieve a weathered, cursed aesthetic. It's a full-featured, multi-discipline build that blends prop fabrication, electronics, and effects work into a single showpiece.

Wicked Makers· 410,460 views
Turning our Dark Portal into a Christmas Decoration
11:11
Projection EffectsIntermediate

Turning our Dark Portal into a Christmas Decoration

Wicked Makers — Jaimie and Jay — transform their foam-built Halloween dark portal into a show-stopping Christmas yard prop by redecorating it as a magical gateway to the North Pole. The build leverages rear projection onto a semi-transparent fabric screen, AtmosFX Christmas digital content, and glowing LED runes carved into painted XPS foam. The video goes deeper than their original portal build, covering projector selection, positioning, and digital decorating workflow. The finished piece reportedly drew neighbors from around the block.

Wicked Makers· 102,097 views
HUGE Life-sized Stone Portal 💀 DIY Halloween Props
15:09
DIY PropsAdvanced

HUGE Life-sized Stone Portal 💀 DIY Halloween Props

Wicked Makers duo Jay and Jaimie construct a massive life-sized stone portal for their front yard haunt, inspired by the Dark Portal from the Warcraft universe. The arch is built entirely from XPS foam, carved and painted to mimic aged stone, with LED-lit runic carvings embedded throughout. A semi-transparent fabric screen on the back panel enables rear projection of a custom hellscape VFX video at night, creating a dramatic portal illusion. Plans and the custom projection video are available through their Patreon.

Wicked Makers· 1,064,035 views