I think the main reason for the change is that we're not getting a story play-by-play, but rather an interview with Charles Grey.
Some techniques and spoilers culled from the podcast:
- They are really hyping the size of these creatures, which makes me excited. I really hope they move rather than what the Mind Flayer ended up being.
- There is an emphasis on the "social contract" that the guests are expected to be quiet. Charles even says that they are going to try as best as they can to get the ops team to shush people. I wonder what this is going to look like when a guest three sheets to the wind is loudly talking about his fantasy sports picks while walking through the house and gets shushed by a member of Ops.
- The house will be mainly chronological, starting with the first movie and ending with the second movie. There is one item that is shifted due to spacing and layout, which I imagine is one of the larger scenes, or a scene involving multiple Death Angels.
- The nail will be in the house, and so, we can assume by the transitive property, the cracking picture frame, Evelyn giving birth, and the kitchen timer.
- Re-confirmation of ASL within the house. Something that I found really lovely is that they have cast deaf performers as well as interpreters, and that the interpreters will be traveling to other houses so that other cast members can learn the language. I think it's a really great way to not only be inclusive, but to stimulate the performers that might be bored while waiting for their next set. A real quality-of-life perk.
- Lee signing "I Love You, I have always loved you" and then screaming will likely be directly in the middle of the house. The podcast mentions that this is a big gamble on the part of the design team, as it is rare that tender, nuanced emotions are showcased in the houses - I can't wait to cry. Note that they mistakenly refer to the scene as one between Lee and Evelyn rather than between Lee and his children. I'm sure that this is in order to reduce the actor count in the sequence, especially sacrificing three performers who would otherwise be sitting motionless in a truck. I wonder how they will portray his being eaten.
- I like the idea that, because they are so big, we will see pieces of it throughout the house, including claw swipes, head opening-up, and the full body (using the blessing of size in the soundstage).
- There will be sound-proofing to reduce scene bleed, and an atmospheric take on the scenes. I imagine this is to avoid breaking tension, like if scenes like Lee screaming bleed into the rusty nail scene.
- NO REAL CORN
- The grain silo and basement are going to be the “WOW! Facade!” moments.
- I’m very excited to see how this house transforms over time. They more or less confirm that, in order to make the IP holder happy, they will need to continue adjusting.
I don’t know the proper place to put this question, but does anyone know what happened to the former voices of the podcast? I like these folks a lot, but I liked the old ones a lot too! I believe they were named David and Kari? I have a suspicion that I’d also seen Kari in entertainment offerings around the park, so I hope they didn’t get laid off.