Haunt Season is a big deal for me, and it’s been a huge part of my life for a long time. It’s just fun to get scared, and be able to see these immersive experiences. It’s lead to some amazing friendships and some fantastic opportunities.
Last night, I attended the Knott’s Scary Farm announcements for their 2016 season, and made me even more excited for this upcoming year. I love Knott’s, and think they are one of the best haunts that goes on all season. Last year, they blew the industry away with Paranormal, Inc., a state of the art maze that was incredibly detailed, super scary, and had multiple paths. The story of the Paranormal, Inc. team investigating Hayden Hill as they accidentally open a portal into hell is tons of fun.
It also was my first introduction to Forrest Orta. Forrest plays Barry, the team’s tech guru, and the one who inadvertently causes all the mayhem to begin with. I thought he was hilarious in all the promo videos, and absolutely killed it in the maze itself.
When it came time to cast Return Home, I was having a hard time finding someone who I thought would really nail the character of Buddy. After weeks of searching, I decided to take a chance and reach out to Forrest, because I thought he would be perfect for the role. And sure enough, he was, and has since become an integral part of the Return Home team, and a good friend.
So since last night’s Knott’s announcements was the one year mark since I was “introduced” to Forrest, I thought I would give him a massive shout out, and let you all see my first impressions of him. So, enjoy a few photos of Forrest in the Paranormal, Inc. maze, along with a video walk through of the attraction!
And yes, Forrest WILL be making his return to Knott’s Scary Farm this year. Though his image will live on in the videos of Paranormal, Inc., he will be stalking The Hollow this season as a killer scarecrow combination. Make sure you find him before he finds you!
Forrest was a kick in the live broadcast of Return Home at Midsummer Scream. Great actor, great comedic timing. I really enjoyed the live performance of the whole cast. They all really “own” their characters and make for a great ensemble cast.