Haunted Mansion Changing Portrait - How It Works

[@KerriGilpin]

I used to work at a large-format printing company and we used the perforated printed vinyl in a lot of applications, as well as backlit boxes (even for Disney) but never anything like this! If you stayed in a “Kids Suite” hotel room in Orlando, you slept next to my designs! :)

[@VanOaksProps]

That's awesome. You're basically part of the magic.

[@valleygirl670]

WOW you have an amazing story!

[@CupcakeFairy777]

That is so cool I love your work

[@kimibear]

Oh My! Only waiting forever for this! Love all things haunted mansion !

[@VanOaksProps]

Only a few more hours...

[@barbarianatgate2000]

Love this build! For people who don't have access to the perforated scrim or the ability to print on it, a similar effect can be achieved with certain UV paints. Invisible until UV light hits them, you can use existing images and paint directly on them. You also have the ability to write messages, or add other elements. Use a similar control system, but replace the white LED strips with black light strips (about $20 at Walmart.) The difference is that you'll need to position the light so they shine directly on the image rather than from behind it. A piece of trim at the top, angled down to direct it on the image, should not only control the direction of light, but help hide it from the viewer. I think the build shown here is more authentic to the original effect. But the build I suggested may put it more in the hands of the average person.

[@JudiChristopher]

WOW... speechless... EXCELLENT

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you so much 😀

[@beccagiessing3890]

Love all these details from the Haunted Mansion! Creative juice flowing

[@kimibear]

Why did I know this was going to turn out to be something I couldn’t do myself? You guys are geniuses and I’m jelly of your magnificence! Waaah! 😢

[@VanOaksProps]

I have faith in your abilities! You can do it.

[@zurima_51]

Je suis française et je regarde toutes vos vidéos, continuez c'est super !

[@VanOaksProps]

Merci.

[@ooddities]

Oh yes, this how to makes me very, very happy! I’ve always wanted to paint all the HM changing portraits so maybe I can paint these on perforated vinyl. 999 likes!!

[@VanOaksProps]

You should!

[@costumesforalloccasions]

Can't wait to see how you do this effect. Good job on the fire logs video

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!!

[@Bluebelle51]

I've never been to the Haunted Mansion, or Disneyland but I love this effect and I'm certain I could find a perfect place to add it to my hauntings

[@witchingauer]

Wow Derek! This is our favorite video we’ve seen from you yet! Well done! Such a beautiful effect and you pulled it off seamlessly!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!!

[@zekeholloway4413]

OH MY GOD THANK YOU!!! THIS IS LITERALLY MY FAVORITE EFFECT FROM THE RIDE!!!!

[@VanOaksProps]

You’re welcome!

[@jasoncarbone5553]

This is fascinating. I’d love even greater detail and how to. I think I understand but some more info would be great! Thanks as always for sharing your creativity.

[@VanOaksProps]

For sure. To get started there's links in the video description on how to build the Arduino portion, since Deland (the maker I teamed up with) did a much deeper explanation on his website and in a video and all of it kind of goes over my head LOL.

[@pauldinehart9059]

This will be crazy good

[@VanOaksProps]

Fingers crossed!

[@zns72]

I like the Ezra/Hattie bust head in the background.

[@VanOaksProps]

Good eye!

[@KiaBlocker-ig3ws]

I'M THINKING GOING MAKING IT AND PUT IT ON MY LIVING ROOM WALL.

[@lysianna]

very cool effect!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you very much!

[@DoktorHalloween]

Fantastic! Excellent! I never would have guessed this was how it was done. I had assumed it was prisms, like for post cards. Thanks for this.

[@VanOaksProps]

Yeah. It’s a great technique that’s a lot less complicated than you’d think.

[@cr2n]

Thank you for making this accessible

[@VanOaksProps]

You bet! It’s my pleasure.

[@pedrocampos691]

Box.

[@SuperTonkers]

Brilliant job man! 💡 🎃

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@jasperjanderson]

That turned out great! And that faux wallpaper wall panel from the other video seems to be coming in handy!

[@VanOaksProps]

So handy. Sadly it’s warped from being outside for the past 6 months, but I’m trying to get as much use out of it as possible

[@mrsmac6193]

This is so neat!!! I think I'll have to give something like this a try! Just much less coding involved. Lol

[@costumesforalloccasions]

Great job Derek!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@BlanckMortuary]

Really nice. The HM prop I have built are the following busts.

[@VanOaksProps]

Those are great. I may do a video about that someday.

[@samvito3338]

Awesome thank you

[@karawalkerdesigns167]

This is my favorite project you have made ❤️

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@bernbern3730]

Well done!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@danmiller781]

Looks like another good one!

[@VanOaksProps]

Hope you like it!

[@devilsgatecemetery]

What a great effect..!

[@VanOaksProps]

Glad you like it. Thanks for watching.

[@alpo111364]

Thanks so much for breaking this down...

[@VanOaksProps]

My pleasure!

[@maggiesue4825]

Loved the subliminal transformation of your face to a skull in that one split second!

[@VanOaksProps]

You're the first person to comment on that. Thanks for noticing!

[@Rmayer121]

Awesome work as usual. For those people who cannot figure out code writing, they could use a sound fx unit like you did on the haunted radio build and achieve a similar effect.

[@VanOaksProps]

Absolutely. They're a little hard to find, but if you have one they'd work perfect.

[@Rmayer121]

@@VanOaksProps Gotta snatch them up when you find them on eBay, etc. Or you can use the Perfect Storm lightning effect boxes that seem more readily available.

[@Peter_Herrman]

Love it! Great job, it looks perfect!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thank you!

[@khill6860]

Love ❤️ your channel!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks so much!!!

[@InteractiveRealm]

I was actually going to be doing this as well at some point.. looking forward to seeing your approach. You do some awesome work!

[@VanOaksProps]

Awesome, thank you!

[@kevinfinkel5536]

That was awesome! (Jaw drops and thuds on the table.)

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks, Kevin!

[@WolfTenor]

Yeesssss...Cant wait to see your take on this

[@VanOaksProps]

See you tomorrow!

[@pedarbruce6373]

this is awesome!! Wow...

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@pedrocampos691]

Oook.

[@pedrocampos691]

Ooooookkkkkkkkkkkkkk.

[@berrettmaynard3837]

Actually, on my blueprint of Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, it shows room behind each portrait for Projectors and projectors.... I believe this effect in the HM is actually produced by using projected images and are much crisp than this effect seems it would be from the video

[@VanOaksProps]

You are correct. There is a projection room noted on the blueprints, but the effect has been a scrim and backlit image for as far back as I remember (roughly 35 years give or take lol) The method I’m showing in the video is just one example of how a scrim works and is not what is used in the ride. Theatrical scrim has a much tighter knit and almost looks like painted canvas, which is what it used in the ride.

[@VanOaksProps]

Digging through some old videos I stand corrected about how long the current effect has been in the ride. Some time in the late ‘90s they switched from the projected metamorphosis images to the two-stage image we see today.

[@VanOaksProps]

Correct.

[@andymorales3133]

Me encanto, deberías de hacer más tutoriales como este 👌🏻

[@VanOaksProps]

Gracias por ver.

[@andymorales3133]

@@VanOaksProps gracias a ti por compartir cosas tan espectaculares cómo estás con todo el mundo

[@LanceAndCarina]

I love this so so much. By chance do you have more of the haunted mansion pictures for a variety of options? I can’t seem to find them in high definition.

[@VanOaksProps]

I don't, unfortunately.

[@LanceAndCarina]

@@VanOaksPropswhere did you get the printouts? I know you said any printing place but I’m only finding vista print so far.

[@VanOaksProps]

@@LanceAndCarina I don’t recall the name of the print shop I used, but if you search for “perforated vinyl printing” or “perforated window vinyl” you should find some options.

[@LanceAndCarina]

@@VanOaksProps​​⁠​​⁠I’m sorry for all the questions but I ordered the tinted acrylic sheet and it looks like no light will come through. Is there a difference between smoked acrylic and black tinted acrylic? I went through the link but found the exact same sheet with Amazon prime that was a lot cheaper and would ship faster.

[@VanOaksProps]

@@LanceAndCarina It looks like the seller changed the product that was originally at that amazon link and it's no longer the smoked acrylic, but rather, a completely solid piece of acrylic. This is a current listing for the smoked acrylic: amzn.to/44ldPgP

[@jpwhitcomb]

Awesome!!!!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!!

[@MySqueezingArm]

Now just hook it up to a simple motion sensor instead of a delay. That could lend well for a haunted house.

[@VanOaksProps]

Definitely.

[@GrimwoodHollow]

Great job buddy, they turned out amazing! I think my friends at work would be very impressed!😉😄👍

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks! I can’t take credit for the technique though, it was Kirk Higgins who figured out how to use vinyl as a scrim.

[@matthews35ireland95]

Fabulous job. thanks for sharing. one question if you dont mind... is the lighting between the 2 images or behind the rear image?

[@VanOaksProps]

It’s behind.

[@matthews35ireland95]

@@VanOaksProps thanks

[@BrandonHardyArt]

This is amazing! I'm having a little trouble getting the Download link to work, but I'm excited to take a stab at this when I can!

[@VanOaksProps]

If you’re on Chrome check your downloads folder. The file should automatically download.

[@BrandonHardyArt]

@@VanOaksProps I am on Chrome, but it isn't downloading - clicking the link opens a tab that shuts down immediately. I went to your website to see if I could get it directly from there, I tried another project's downloads and that did download properly, but I can't get this one for some reason.

[@VanOaksProps]

I've added the link to the downloads page of the website. Hopefully that will work for you. www.vanoaksprops.com/downloads.html

[@BrandonHardyArt]

@@VanOaksProps Worked like a charm! Thank you so much!

[@peterheynen]

This is so cool! I will do this for next Halloween too! Thank you very, very much :-)

[@VanOaksProps]

You're welcome 😊

[@AdiarraS]

This is AMAZING!

[@VanOaksProps]

You're so welcome!

[@deoblo85]

thats great very cool effect !1 HFL!!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks, buddy!

[@HenryCabotHenhouse3]

This comes out of the theater so I'm sure the Imagineers went with the much more effective theater version. The standard image is painted on scrim material, this is a sheer fabric and the painting is done with dye or very watered down paint to avoid filling in the loose weave. The effect image is painted on glass with translucent paint. The scrim is then stretched over the glass and it is mounted in a frame as you have done. There is one further item that enhances the effect. Each painting has a front spot light or picture light that flashes off when the rear lighting lights flash on. The way scrim works in th theater is that you have if front lit until you want the effect then you turn off the front lights and turn on the stage lights, since there is no longer light bouncing off the front image all light on the rear scene comes through the sheer scrim and that is all one sees.

[@LanceAndCarina]

I would love to know how to program to get the front light to turn off when the back lights turn on.

[@webhead215]

@@LanceAndCarina If you're comfortable teaching yourself a bit of code, an Arduino can easily achieve that effect. You would hook up the front and back lights to independent pins on an Arduino (or other microcontroller board). These pins can be set as electrical outputs, so think of it like plugging the LEDs into separate outlets. You could write a program to power the front light by default and leave the back light off; then, at some predetermined interval, you would "flip the switch" for each -- the front light would stop receiving power, and the back light would get turned on. I got started with programming not that long ago, so I remember how complicated it all sounded at first. But powering LEDs is a common beginner's project because it doesn't take much know-how to achieve!

[@jamesskidmore2275]

where did you get the images? Excellent tutorial!

[@VanOaksProps]

You can find them online.

[@GHILLIESARCADEANDMORE]

Cool

[@Stiff_Richards]

insaneeeeee

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@citizendisguise]

I can’t wait! 🤗

[@VanOaksProps]

Not too long now...

[@archangelthj]

Hey! You do amazing work and I appreciate all you do to help everyone understanding how these things work. Would your latest video "PROP LAB: $20 Lightning Effect Box" work for the lighting on this? Might be cheaper and less complicated than the Arduino Nano board?

[@VanOaksProps]

Absolutely. You could make it with all the standard parts and just throw an mp3 player nearby to trigger the lightning effect.

[@Jax_Paro]

As a HUGE Disney fan and a HUGE Halloween props fan, this is Freakin' Awesome!! Nice work! How much would you charge for something like this?

[@VanOaksProps]

It's a good question. Since I farmed out the tech work and the printing and purchased the frame on ebay, there's no real way to price it with any certainty.

[@TheHauntedMansionArchive]

Where’d you get that full ezra head casting??? You should do a video casting one with your vac forming machine!

[@SonOfManMusic]

nice...

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks for checking it out

[@GregPackard]

Great video Derek! Where did you get the printing done?

[@VanOaksProps]

A fellow haunter friend. I think you know who.

[@marahsiller1]

What do you mean by tinted acrylic? I understand the perforated vinyl and printing on clear vinyl but get confused by the tinted acrylic part. Is that a third substrate being introduced here? Excellent video - very inspiring!

[@VanOaksProps]

Yes, that's correct. There's the perforated vinyl with the Medusa image and the translucent vinyl with the Gorgon image, and both are applied to a tinted piece of acrylic.

[@marahsiller1]

@@VanOaksProps thanks so much for the reply! What is the tint for the acrylic or is there only one kind of tint.

[@stevesworldofwanders]

Why is the acrylic tinted?

[@dungeonmaster7867]

Hello, I have a question does it matter if I get clear acrylic sheet smoked or black thanks for your time and help.

[@VanOaksProps]

I did smoked to help hide the rear image

[@dungeonmaster7867]

Thank you

[@bunnybeane1666]

I'm totally gonna have to make some of these!!! Also if I may ask, where'd you get that Hatbox/Hitchhiking ghost head back there?

[@VanOaksProps]

It's a casting of the Hatbox head that I picked up online years ago that was then molded, cast in clay, and refined by Jasper J. Anderson. He's got a blog post about the whole process that's a good read. chickenhaunt.blogspot.com/2015/08/my-hatbox-ghost-part-1-sculpting.html

[@bunnybeane1666]

@@VanOaksProps Oh thanks so much!!

[@paulkaiser8834]

Late to the game here but a couple questions. The holes are a bit big, any idea the best perforation ratio that minimizes them but still allows for the effect? (I assume you’re using 50/50 perforation vinyl). Would a scrim be better for painting side? I am finding myself constantly running into you channel. Great stuff!

[@VanOaksProps]

You can go with 60/40 perforation to minimize it. As for using scrim, it wouldn't be my first choice since it's a tougher material to print on (if you can at all).

[@paulkaiser8834]

@@VanOaksProps thought as much. Looks like there is an "HD" variety which looks like the holes are pretty tight. Not sure the tint you use on the acrylic but possible this might help hid the illusion (holes) further

[@brianbenoit9916]

The challenge I'm running into is getting a high enough quality image to use. I'm really hoping to get a Master Gracy but any of the pictures would be great. Where did you track yours down?

[@VanOaksProps]

Yeah, it's tough. I was just lucky enough to find someone with a connection to higher quality files.

[@handytales6204]

What size is the frame and prints? This looks awesome!

[@VanOaksProps]

It’s about 36x24”

[@valleygirl670]

please doa. follow up video where you walk the viewer step by step like from shopping to the printing please this was very advanced

[@melissa_wale_official]

Could this work for the dueling portraits as well?

[@VanOaksProps]

No, unfortunately not. They're done in the same method as the dancers and guests in the lower portion of the ballroom, known as Pepper's Ghost.

[@melissa_wale_official]

@@VanOaksProps That's also a Pepper's Ghost affect? That's really interesting.

[@dwschoon]

Do you have a circuit layout of your board? I'm starting to assemble mine, but your board is different from the one on RandomMakingEncounters.

[@VanOaksProps]

I would follow his instructions since he built mine.

[@jamesskidmore2275]

Where did you get the images printed/material to print on?

[@VanOaksProps]

At a local print shop.

[@dy9955]

Can we get a more detailed video showing what goes where and which layer faces which way? This video was a bit confusing.

[@VanOaksProps]

The Medusa image is on the front side of the acrylic and the gorgon image is inverted and placed on the back side of the acrylic.

[@rickfipps1489]

Ezra and IG-88, or is that IG-11? Wha cha got up ya sleeve I wonder?

[@VanOaksProps]

Hahaha

[@foolishmortalstudios841]

ive been planning on doing this for a while, did u experience any issues with the resolution when printing on a large scale, if so, how do you fix the resolution?

[@VanOaksProps]

There are websites that use artificial intelligence to enlarge images. They work to varying degrees but it’s an option to try and prevent further pixelation when enlarging.

[@gravemarker]

Is the interior back of the light box white or silver? The effect looked rather dim on the video.

[@VanOaksProps]

It’s black with silver foil tape. The effect is bright, just hard to film with the lens I have. You could also add more LEDs if necessary.

[@gravemarker]

@@VanOaksProps One other thing I was thinking about. The Haunted Mansion portraits are lit in front normally with that front light going out when the lightning strikes occur. I would think the same thing could be done with the electronics already in use. What do you think?

[@VanOaksProps]

I’m sure there’s a way to do it with the Arduino turning off or dimming one light while randomly flashing the other. Unfortunately that’s a bit more technical than I get.

[@handytales6204]

Hey could you take a picture of your arduino board and post it here? We bought all the parts you recommended and have been watching the video your friend made but the problem is in his video he has a slightly different set up for his train. Having a picture of your board as a reference would be extremely helpful because we are stuck on how to finish this up.

[@VanOaksProps]

If you goto 2:15 of the video you can see the entire breadboard, components and wiring. If you run into problems let me know. Good luck!

[@handytales6204]

@@VanOaksProps thank you for your help!

[@handytales6204]

@@VanOaksProps I bought all the parts that you recommended but as I look at your bread board in this video it looks like I am missing three parts. I circled them in red in this screen shot: drive.google.com/file/d/1Wl8WP3eNjHYrqxv3-UsCfFnhuJHFyzjr/view?usp=drivesdk Do you have the links to purchase these parts as well?

[@handytales6204]

I realize at the top of the picture I circled a resistor. I purchased the resistors that you listed but it looks like this one is different

[@VanOaksProps]

If you want you can email me to discuss. Derek at vanoaksprops dot com

[@factoriamarciana3757]

Fantastic, but a little tutorial to deal with electronics would be very much appreciated👍

[@VanOaksProps]

I've left links in the description to RandomMakingEncounters' website where he explains it in more detail. I'm not good at the technical side of things and he does an outstanding job explaining it.

[@factoriamarciana3757]

@@VanOaksProps Thank you very much, I'll stop by there. Have a nice week.

[@paulkaiser8834]

@@VanOaksProps again, I’m a bit late to the game. The link is dead sadly. Appears your referral up isn’t selling these any longer.

[@VanOaksProps]

@@paulkaiser8834 which part are you referring to?

[@paulkaiser8834]

@@VanOaksProps sorry. I was referring to the electronics for this build ( you provided link)

[@roycenedeleff6775]

Where is the images and sound effects? The link you shared to the images and sound effects is a dead link.

[@VanOaksProps]

drive.google.com/file/d/1_B1AAXhAw1neZ6N-rlr9wD-C4PYQD8jq/view?usp=sharing

[@roycenedeleff6775]

@@VanOaksProps ty

[@roycenedeleff6775]

What is the holes in the screen

[@VanOaksProps]

perforated vinyl.

[@roycenedeleff6775]

@@VanOaksProps Where can I get it?

[@alan-baird]

What should've been done is adding strips of lights all along the backing rather than just the edge. It would light up a lot better.

[@VanOaksProps]

For sure. They’d need to be diffused as well.

[@HLR4th]

Putting them off to the side does limit the light, but eliminate the diffuser you’d need to avoid hot spots. It is all about trade offs and what works. Lightning flashes are seldom direct!

[@justinm2697]

This looks like the effect you get from a theatre scrim.

[@VanOaksProps]

Exactly! It’s the same principle, just with different materials.

[@flywithbart]

I'm surprised the effect hasn't been updated to a video panel. Maybe it loses something doing that.

[@VanOaksProps]

I think they may have, but can’t confirm.

[@flywithbart]

@@VanOaksProps We need to plan a trip and check it out in person!

[@1963Sammbo]

Can’t wait

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks for watching!

[@THAKING_official]

😱😱😱😱😱

[@ageandtreachery]

I wanna know more about the Ezra head in the background....Just sayin

[@VanOaksProps]

Maybe some day.

[@ageandtreachery]

@@VanOaksProps fingers crossed***

[@LanceAndCarina]

Why does your breadboard set up look different than the person you tagged if we want more info? His layout is different and he has less stuff than yours. I’m no expert in these arduino outfits and was looking to just copy exactly no school needed.

[@VanOaksProps]

I believe my requirements were different than his original design. I think he offers a kit now to build the project and it should have the most up to date documentation.

[@LanceAndCarina]

@@VanOaksPropsI couldn’t find the kit but finally got something put together that just plays the thunder noise. The flashing lightning didn’t power on so I’m missing something and will be researching what I missed. I used the randommakingencounters breadboard setup so maybe it only works with those specific brand of lights.

[@VanOaksProps]

@@LanceAndCarina I believe that’s right. His has specific component requirements.

[@LanceAndCarina]

@@VanOaksProps Do you by chance have the arduino breadboard layout instead of the overhead photo of the completed board? I see he has his boards very different than yours and i need the same layout that you have to complete this. His have the 4 prong neo pixel set up and you have the 2 wire LED strip light thats included in your parts list that i purchased. Any help is appreciated. I wrote to him but havent heard anything. Thank you Derek. Im excited to be done and see the final product of this. This was extremely hard for me so huge reward.

[@okikuthepuppetdog3200]

I thought thw changing portraits are a screen im dumb

[@VanOaksProps]

You're not alone. MANY people think they're screens. But hey, now you know and you can explain it to other people.

[@okikuthepuppetdog3200]

@@VanOaksProps thanks your the best im going to subscribe

[@Sandcem]

Well done!

[@VanOaksProps]

Thanks!

[@pedrocampos691]

Ooooookkkkkkkkkkk.