Scott Swenson is a storyteller. In his 30-year career, he’s produced, directed, written and performed at theme parks and in theaters nationwide—bringing his love of all things horror along for the wicked ride.
He and a small team developed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay’s first Howl-O-Scream in 1999, now a fan-favorite haunted attraction. In his nearly 22 years at the park, where he served as entertainment director, he worked on the annual event for 15. “There’s nothing more fun to tell than a scary story,” Swenson says. He does that now through Scott Swenson Creative Development LLC, working with clients worldwide to create both haunted and happy attractions. That includes this Halloween season’s family-friendly “Creatures of the Night” at ZooTampa at Lowry Park and “Undead in the Water,” an interactive zombie apocalypse at Tampa’s American Victory Ship and Museum.
Swenson also reaches fans worldwide with “A Scott in the Dark: A Periodic Podcast for Haunters,” sharing tips and tricks of the trade with those in the haunted attraction industry. Watermark caught up with him ahead of Halloween to talk his experience in seeing, hearing and speaking all things evil.
WATERMARK: How would you describe “haunters” and “haunts” to readers who might not be familiar?
SCOTT SWENSON: The haunted attraction industry has grown into the multi-billion dollar industry and it continues to spread outside of the United States to become worldwide. Haunts and haunters are really just people who try to theatrically scare other people.
They create immersive, walkthrough experiences that put guests into a scary scenario; it’s a great way to offer something that is completely safe but gives you a chance to get your heart racing.
What draws you to Halloween?
I was actually a big chicken when I was little; I couldn’t watch horror movies. I used to sit next to the TV and watch my friends watch horror movies, watching their reactions. Once during a very old, black and white, rather cheesy horror film, I was sitting next to the TV and my friend convinced me to look at it.The monster was right in the middle of the screen because that’s what kids do to each other. I looked at it and went, “oh, that’s not that scary; look, there’s a zipper. I think we could do things scarier than that.” That was when my fascination with horror and haunted attractions started.
Tell us about your current Tampa Bay haunts.
They’re really different from one another which is wonderful. “Creatures of the Night” at ZooTampa is specifically designed for families with young children. It’s not bloody, it’s not gory; we say we like to scare the giggles out of the audience. That’s our goal. The second is “Undead in the Water” and it’s at the American Victory Ship and Museum. I was so attracted to that. They called for help and were already into the process … they wanted to draw on my experience and knowledge. I get to haunt a real World War II ship; a former naval vessel. The haunt takes you on four or five different decks and the whole concept is the zombie apocalypse has come to Tampa. The American Victory is the last rescue ship available, but come to find out it’s more than Tampa citizens on board. There are also zombies who are out of control.
What makes the best haunt experience?
I’ve been fortunate enough to work in so many different genres for so many different audiences that it really comes down to the fact that I want to tell a good story. I think that’s really the core of any good theatrical experience. I view haunted attractions as walkthrough immersive theater. The story has to have a compelling setting, enough details to keep people interested and has to keep them moving forward so they stay interested.
How do you keep them interested?
I usually come up with the story I want to tell and map it out. At the beginning, I want people to feel a certain way, usually a sense of anticipation, or sometimes it’s even a sense of comfort and playfulness so we can twist that later. Then in each room, I work with an emotional map. In one room I want them to feel one way, in another a different way. Finally, it ends with a sense of relief or ultimate terror, depending on which story I’m telling. I try to figure out what the story is and map it out emotionally.
After scaring others for so many years, does anything still scare you?
Not making my budget is terrifying [Laughs]. I get scared if I get pulled into the details of something; if I start focusing on something and the unexpected happens. I try to train actors to do that, to get guests involved in details; to get them to look one place to scare them from another.
Readers can learn tips like that from your podcast. Is that what led to its creation?
It started from speaking at haunted trade shows. I give seminars on everything from how to distress costumes so that looks really old, which I call “make it look like it smells bad,” to how to cast and write haunted attractions. People told me information like that was helpful to the industry and for all of us.
What’s the reception been like?
I have listeners as far away as Australia, throughout the United States and some in the United Kingdom. It’s much broader reaching than I imagined it would be. The interaction has been really fun and helped guide the direction of the podcast. That’s really what it’s all about, to share my experiences.
What kind of topics do you cover?
Each episode is targeted to either a specific theme or I do episodes from the different trade shows I attend, giving a rundown or sharing interviews with industry friends. I’ve done podcasts on how to handle negative publicity with haunts to how can we all work together as a community.
I’m a strong believer that whether it’s the haunt community or any community, the more we work together the better we all become. I don’t understand anyone within any community—the LGBTQ or the haunted community—who tear each other down to make themselves feel better. That hurts us all. Let’s be nice to each other and help each other out. Then we all benefit.
You mentioned the LGBTQ community. Why do you think so many within it are drawn to Halloween?
So many of my friends enjoy fantasy and Halloween embraces that. It allows us to be whoever or whatever we want to be. It gives us the opportunity to play up our dark sides, to be whatever we see ourselves as. I think that’s what’s been appealing to the LGBTQ community for a very long time. I also can’t tell you how many drag queens I know who started their career by dressing up on Halloween.
From shows to haunts, do any experiences stick out that you want to share with readers?
I was at a convention earlier this year and a young man came up to me to ask how I cast those who are in transition. The fact that he felt comfortable enough to ask me made me feel good; he had listened to my podcast and I don’t hide my sexuality there or really in my life at all.
He told me “I pretty much pass as male except for my voice,” and introduced himself. I told him I cast people based on how they present themselves; if you’re presenting male or female I will cast you as such. I t made my day that he asked me and respected me enough to give him an honest answer.
That’s powerful.
I’m getting a little teary remembering it. All too often people in the LGBTQ community need an outlet and a place where they can be accepted. Not just by the LGBTQ community but by everyone. People who identify differently from the rest of the world need a place to go, and so many members of the LGBTQ community are attracted to the haunt industry because of that. They are accepted. It gives them a place for people to feel like they belong, a place where we can all get together for one common purpose.
What is that?
To scare the living hell out of people.
“A Scott in the Dark” is available on iTunes, Podomatic and other outlets. Listen for free at AScottInTheDark.Podomatic.com. For more information about Swenson or his Tampa haunts, visit ScottSwenson.com, UndeadInTheWater.com or ZooTampa.org.
