Movies want to escape the theaters and everyone, in one way or another, is a star now. Watching films on iPhones might seem to make Nora Desmond an even greater prophet, but if the pictures have gotten even smaller, they’re everywhere today, being captured by cameras you can barely see–some that you can’t see at all. We still like to watch, but it’s not enough–we want to be seen, we want to be in the movie. We’ve finally stormed the gates. Now what?

From an Economist article about the new wave of big-budget haunted houses in the U.S.:

“In order to get the most boo for their buck, haunters use the latest technology. Where there is competition—there are at least half a dozen haunts in New York City alone—the standards are high. Hollywood special effects and animatronic ghouls are common. But warm-blooded labour, mostly in the form of actors, is often the biggest cost.

A web of regulations, fire- and crowd-related, can make life hellish for potential fearmongers. The (enormous) haunt of Frau Mueller was given a boost when regulators laid a competitor to rest. The frau herself was nearly sent to an early grave—the haunt was approved a day before opening, and only after a path was cut down the middle for safety.

Even if they are not all grim reapers of profit, haunters have a passion for their work. Steve Kopelman, who produces haunts across the country, wanted to make movies when he was younger. Now, he says, people are going to haunted houses to be in the movie. Indeed, Hollywood is getting in on the act. Mr Kopelman is co-producing a haunt near Los Angeles with Rob Zombie, a director of scary films.”