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Designers looking to break into the world of horror are being given a chance by the studio that started it all: Universal Studios Hollywood. For Halloween Horror Nights 2013, Universal is inviting fans to put design their own version of a Universal Classic Monsters character, with one winning design being brought to life at the event. The winner and a guest will even be invited to attend the opening night red carpet evening in Hollywood.
Since 2006, Halloween Horror Nights creative director John Murdy and/or art director Chris Williams designed each and every character seen at the event, short of the ones pulled from outside movies and franchises. This contest gives the world a unique opportunity to become part of that small group who have a creation featured at the event.
But it’s not only for seasoned designers. Anyone with an idea can enter, regardless of artistic skill level. Murdy and Willams wanted to “create an even playing field” by limiting designs to a re-imagining of one of these Universal Classic Monsters:
Would-be horror makers can enter the competition via one of two ways:
1. Create an illustration of a character design, including full body view of the character and costume and a separate close up of face, along with the name of the character the design is based on.
or
2. Send in a 1-page description of the character idea, with information about its face, skin, color, hair, posture, costume, and props required.
More information, rules and full submission details can be found here.
The contest is open to U.S. residents ages 18 and up, excluding Universal Studios employees, with one entry allowed per person. The deadline for submitting the design is 5:01pm PT on Monday, July 1, 2013, less than a month from now.
Use of an actor’s likeness or another existing character design is prohibited as the creation should be a 100% original design, inspired by one of the characters listed above.
Finalists will be posted to the Halloween Horror Nights Hollywood Facebook page on July 2, 2013
A panel of judges will select 5 finalists based on originality, degree of scariness and adhering to requirements, which will then be subject to online voting from July 2 – July 8, 2013, after which a winner will be contacted, but may not be publicly announced until the 2013 “HHN Eyegore Awards” Ceremony on September 20, 2013.
The winner will receive round trip air transportation for two, hotel accommodations for three days and two nights, two tickets to the HHN Eyegore Awards ceremony, and two tickets to Halloween Horror Nights 2013. The visit to Universal Studios Hollywood will also include a private tour of the costume and makeup department including the transformation of a live “scareactor” based on the winning Character Design. Estimated value of the Prize is $2,000.00.
The contest is only for Halloween Horror Nights 2013 at Universal Studios Hollywood, not Orlando, and the character is not guaranteed to appear in any particular place in the park. That is, just because Hollywood’s year-round House of Horrors maze features the Universal Classic Monsters characters doesn’t mean it will appear in there, like the dubstepping Bride of Frankenstein in 2012:
Need some further inspiration? Take a peek behind-the-scenes at the creation of several characters from Halloween Horror Nights 2012 with a look at the design, costuming, and makeup process at Universal Studios Hollywood:
