Terms of Employment

THIS AGREEMENT is entered into by and between Scream Town LLC, a Minnesota limited liability company (“Scream Town”), and the actor listed above, an individual (“Actor”). It is the purpose of this Agreement to define the relationship between these parties and establish the framework for the mutual understanding of the goals of Scream Town in associating with Actor(s).

Actor agrees to provide services, from time to time as needed by Scream Town, as an independent contractor for the purpose of entertaining guests of Scream Town as part of a Halloween-themed interactive performance. Actor is solely responsible for providing and creating a character, including costume and make-up, with which to perform the duties discussed further herein. Actor is responsible for the quality of his/her work, which must comply with guidelines established by Scream Town and described in more detail below. Scream Town does not promise any number of hours nor continued use of Actor. Scream Town may terminate this agreement at any time for any reason.

Actor understands that as an independent contractor no taxes or withholding will be collected or deducted from any compensation Actor receives from Scream Town. If Actor receives compensation in excess of $599.00, Scream Town will issue a form 1099. Actor acknowledges that as an independent contractor Scream Town is not providing worker’s compensation insurance. Actor agrees to provide proof of medical insurance and/or liability insurance with major medical coverage upon request. As an independent contractor, Actor is responsible for any and all injuries or liabilities arising out of his/her actions and Scream Town will not indemnify Actor in the event Actor’s actions result in liability. Actor agrees to defend, indemnify and hold Scream Town harmless for any injuries he/she may incur during the course of performance under this Agreement, except to the extent any such injury is caused by Scream Town’s gross negligence or willful misconduct.

Actor acknowledges that Scream Town has made a significant investment in the development and production of the Halloween performances. Actor acknowledges that any conduct detrimental to the operation of Scream Town’s productions, including but not limited to failure to attend scheduled performances, will constitute grounds for termination of this contract. Other occurrences that may result in termination of this Independent Contractor Agreement include failure to present a sufficient performance, costume, profanity, or failure to make an adequately scary presence. The use of alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs by Actor, either before or during a performance, will also constitute grounds for immediate termination of this Agreement. Further guidelines and rules for the Halloween performances are listed below, and Actor agrees to abide by such terms and conditions in all respects.

Actor understands that he/she will receive compensation in an amount indicated above. Actors are to keep compensation confidential. All payment for performances will be made on the last day of operation, by check, on November 1st, 2020 or, if Actor is not present that evening, mailed to Actor by November 15, 2020. If this contract is terminated for any reason prior to November 1, 2020, payment will be mailed before November 15, 2020.

Actor will be considered, for all purposes, to be an independent contractor, and Actor will not, directly or indirectly, act as an agent, servant or employee of Scream Town. Nothing in this Agreement shall be deemed to create an employer/employee relationship. Neither party has the authority to enter into any contracts on behalf of the other party or otherwise act on behalf of the other party. Actor does agree to treat information he/she receives in the course of the execution under this contract as confidential, including but not limited to information regarding attendance numbers, marketing strategies, staff emails, Facebook actor posts, text messages, new ideas or future plans, or any other information regarding the operation of Scream Town.

Timeliness

Arrive no later than 6:40 on all nights except (6:10pm Oct 17 & 24), walking discreetly out of the sight of guests in the parking lot, and attend nightly orientation which begins at 6:45 on all nights except (6:15 Oct 17 & 24). You must attend nightly orientation. Attraction doors open at 7pm on all nights except (6:30 Oct 17 & 24) and the event closes at 11pm (10 pm on Sundays) with some nights possibly being a bit later; you are required to stay until your attraction is authorized to close and you must properly check out.

General Time Reference

Thursday (there’s only 1 Thursday Oct 15 MEA Break), Friday, Saturday Night - Arrive no later than 6:40pm, Open at 7pm, Close at 11pm

Sundays - Arrive no later than 6:40pm, Open at 7pm, Close at 10pm

Oct 17 & 24 - Special open Hours - Arrive no later than 6:10, Open at 6:30, Close at 11pm

Actor Handbook

Thank you for your participation in Scream Town. We are ecstatic you are part of 13th year of operation! New to Scream Town or old, YOU MUST read the following understanding that ALL this information. You are entering into a legal contract. Understand what you are agreeing to. Those under the age of 18 must have their parents review this very carefully and sign.

Dates and Times of Operation

Dates: Oct 2, 3, 9, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 30, 31 Nov 1

TEXT or CALL if you are running late.

Time: Arrive no later than 6:40. Opens at 7pm goes to approximately 11pm with some nights being a bit later

NEW – Sunday hours – 7pm-10pm with some nights being a bit later – High schoolers, we really need you to work these nights. Please speak to your parents about this.

NEW – Special hours Oct 17 & 24 6:30pm to 11pm. Arrive no later than 6:15

Actors – What Scream Town expects of you:

Actors are the life blood of the entire event. Actors are called actors for a reason. Actors are better than fake props because they are usually more frightening than these mannequins or animations, because actors are real, unexpected, and are much more accurate with timing. Scream Town only operates for 14 days. There is no room for error. If our actors are not getting it right, there is no time for next week or next month. It is too late by then.

We need actors that are:

Responsible and on time
Will NEVER miss a scheduled appearance
Are excited and enthusiastic about the project
Have great timing, ideas, creativity
Fast learners

Scream Town is not interested in people that…

need any job for the sake of needing a job
honestly know they have a history of making excuses
know they may have family conflicts that get in the way
know they MAY have sports, job, or commute conflicts

Scream Town is a massive production that takes all year to prepare for. As an actor, actors should imagine they are part of a large scale play.

What if you went to a play, paid for your ticket, and half the cast was gone, or even your favorite character? You would be mad, and so are our guests.

As a Scream Town actor, certain requirements will be expected

You must have a great costume every evening. That requires clothing as well as make up or a mask.
You MUST make some type of scary noise. The noise can be verbal, or produced in some other manner. This is a huge requirement.
You must attend every evening that you agree to be scheduled for or if you decide to terminate your contract, give a minimum of 3day notice.
Scare a guest or group of guests more than once (make guests verbally scream)

Scream Town actor contracts may be terminated for any reason without notice. Reasons for termination are not limited to, but may include

Any absence. If you are schedule for an evening and do not appear.
Failure to meet and or correct actor requirements such as costume improvements, acting improvements, and not making any type of noise.
Leaving your scheduled position for any unapproved reason (getting food, hanging out with friends, etc) – bathroom breaks are fine
Drinking alcoholic beverages
Texting while working
The use of illegal drugs
Inappropriate actions toward other actors or management in person or through the use of a computer. (Facebook, Instagram, text, Blogs, Email, etc)
Inappropriate language towards actors or guests
Littering and leaving garbage in your assigned area
Not following the guidelines and rules of Scream Town laid out in this document.

Actors should think of every night of operation as an audition process. The actor contract for Scream Town 2020 has specific goals and requirements. If those goals are not being met, individual contracts will be terminated.

Scream Town actors understand that they are being contracted with Scream Town LLC as independent contractors, and understand what that requires. Actors understand that as independent contractors they are responsible for their own insurance of any kind. Scream Town is not responsible for injuries of any kind that may result from participation in the event. All actors understand that if they were to be paid more than $599 that they will receive a 1099 by Scream Town LLC. Actors agree to sign a legal government W-9 form indicating that they are participating in Scream Town as an independent contractor, and are responsible for reporting all applicable income.

In the next few paragraphs, the word WE refers to Scream Town.

Scream Town Safety and Control:

Very large crowds should be expected. Note: as the season progresses, Scream Town gets more and more people. The first night there might only be 100 guests, while the last evening may have 3,000. Prepare for people to behave in bizarre and unusual ways. Scream Town is an event open to the public. We never know what type of people may venture our way. Keeping your eyes open and strong senses at all times is essential to your safety and the safety of the Scream Town guests. You need to watch people closely. That is as much of your goal as it is to scare. YOU are very much in charge, and have the right to stop people from behaving inappropriately and to keep them in line. Guests that appear suspicious should be watched extra carefully. Leave your position if necessary to monitor a suspicious character or group. Pass word of behavior that in your opinion crosses a serious line directly to your lead actor, and they will get in contact with Matt Dunn if necessary or another technician. Call Matt Dunn on your cell phone only if absolutely necessary. Program his number into your phone right now! 612-518-0364. Upon starting at Scream Town, also program your haunt managers phone number into your cell phone. Police are on site and will handle issues. Never ever get involved in a dispute. If we can give you one tip, it is to walk away from a conflict. Be silent, give some distance, then follow the group out to let police deal with any confrontations. If someone steels something from you or harms you in any way, follow the above instructions and follow that person out and do not say a word to them, especially foul language. Make absolutely certain that you can identify them later. When a guest is behaving inappropriately, start by coming out of character (example – remove your mask) and tell them to stop whatever they are doing, and then tell them what they should be doing. You should never ever get in a verbal dispute with someone, and never ever use inappropriate language. Using inappropriate language, no matter what the situation, may cause your termination. It does not matter if you are 16 and they are 60. You are running the show, but always act in a professional manner. Use your best judgment when it comes to reporting someone. Lead actors, as well as Matt Dunn, don’t need to be notified of every small broken rule unless you feel it is continuous and may pose serious dangers. Please also note that guests MAY take photographs of you and sets, but should not do so in a way that excessively slows things down. Never yell at a guest for taking pictures. Encourage them to keep moving. If you ever see a guest using a flashlight, taking too much time, or slowing down the line, tell them in character, and politely, to stop doing whatever it is they are doing. Never say something rudely. If they continue, you can politely say again, “stop doing….or we will have to ask you to leave.” Never be rude.

We do not allow:

Running, pushing, touching props, stopping for long periods, throwing things/ corn, touching you, smoking, drinking alcohol in the attractions, and most importantly, TRAMPLING CORN. This is a serious issue for actors to be aware of and guests. Once the corn has been trampled and broken, there is no going back, it is gone! For that reason we have to treat the corn like glass. Do not let guests cut through it, and when you go through it, be extremely careful and look for small paths that have already been created for actors. Every year the corn experiences major problems, let’s not make this year one of those years! Utilize the service road and the new fence areas to navigate through and around the corn.

Below is the standard Emergency plan. Use this as a guideline.

Drive Thru Safety Protocol:

If you are part of the Abandoned Drive Thru Haunt at any point, these are the safety guidelines you must follow.

Never place yourself in front of any vehicle, always stay to the side, and never get any closer than 1.5 feet.
Never hit a car or touch it in any way that would cause damage or markings.
When cars are exiting the drive through, actors should do some type of action to “waive goodbye” but should remain far from the road as cars will be traveling at a faster rate.
No actor should ever enter the fog tunnel
All actors must wear an appropriate, high ankle outdoor shoes with good traction.
Bathroom breaks should only take place during off periods (no cars around) or during the time cars are exiting the drive through.

FIRE EMERGENCY PLAN:

In the event of a fire:

Staff members discovering a fire or smoke shall immediately notify Safety/Security Staff and or Police.
Upon sound of the fire alarm, or as instructed by the House Manager, the Lighting & Sound techs shall turn on the house lights, turn off scene and lighting power, turn off music and sound effects, and make announcements over the public address system as instructed.
All Staff and Visitors shall evacuate the building via primary exit for their location.
If the primary exit is blocked or unsafe, proceed to the nearest alternate exit.
If smoke makes it difficult to breathe or see, get on your hands and knees and crawl to the nearest exit.
Once out of the building, proceed to the nearest designated assembly area (whichever exit you go out of) and await further instructions.
Staff and Visitor shall not re-enter the building until the "all clear" is given by the Fire Department.

Accountability Procedure

If possible to do so safely, the Lead Actor or Safety/Security Staff shall retrieve the cast assignment board and proceed to each assembly area and account for each staff member present in the building. The Lead Actor shall inform the FD of any Staff or Visitors not accounted for.

R.A.C.E.

The "RACE" method of fire response shall be followed in this order:

RESCUE

Rescue those in immediate danger.

ALARM

Notify others by word of mouth (radio) or by activating pull box.

CONFINE

If the fire is in an enclosed office or room, confine it by closing doors upon exiting.

EXTINGUISH

Attempt to extinguish the fire only if it is safe to do so.
Use the portable fire extinguishers only if you have been trained in their use.
Extinguishers are located near the exits. This permits you to proceed towards the exit, and return with an extinguisher when it is safe to do so.

ALWAYS keep a clear path to the exit behind you.

NEVER allow the fire to come between you and the exit.

P.A.S.S.

P.A.S.S. is an acronym for remembering the procedure for using a portable fire extinguisher.

P: pull the pin and completely remove it from the extinguisher handle.
A: aim the extinguisher nozzle towards the base of the flame.
S: squeeze the handle to discharge extinguisher material.
S: sweep the spray of extinguisher material back and forth across the base of the flames.

WEATHER EMERGENCY PLAN:

In the event of a tornado warning, or if a tornado is sighted:

The Lead Actor shall order an evacuation to the designated places of refuge.
All building occupants shall remain in the designated place of refuge until the "all clear" is given by the House Lead Actor.

MEDICAL EMERGENCY PLAN:

In the event of a medical emergency:

Staff/ actors discovering a medical emergency shall immediately notify the Lead Actor or Safety/Security Staff. If you determine the emergency to be life threatening, call 911 and then contact Matt Dunn, then contact your lead actor. 911 calls should be made for, but not limited to, people that pass out, broken bones, heart problems, severe puncture woods, and asthma attacks.
Lead Actor will make the phone/ radio call for assistance one site assistance.
Persons unconscious or seriously injured should not be removed or repositioned.
Injured or ill persons who are ambulatory should be assisted to the front door to wait for outside assistance.

POWER FAILURE EMERGENCY PLAN:

In the event of a power failure:

The emergency lighting system will activate in the event of a total power failure.
The Lead Actor and Safety/Security Staff shall circulate through the House and ensure the visitors to be calm.

BOMB THREAT EMERGENCY PLAN:

In the event that a bomb threat is received:

Any Staff member receiving a bomb threat shall immediately notify the Lead Actor. Staff members shall not exercise judgments regarding the validity of any such threat.
Upon notification of a bomb threat, the Lead Actor shall instruct the Box Office Manager to inform the FD and PD, and immediately initiate an evacuation of the building.
Clearance to reoccupy the building shall be obtained from the FD and/or PD only.

Calling 911:

Calling 911 should only be done in such situations an uncontrollable medical emergency or out of control fire. For example, a broken ankle or wrist is serious, but can be handled by Scream Town staff and police and likely does not require a call to 911. Someone who has passed out and appears to not be responsive requires a call to 911. A small fire that could be put out with a shoe or fire extinguisher does not likely require a call to 911. However, a fire that is large and spreading fast, does.

Communication:

Please be aware of your surroundings and know who is near you. Introduce yourself so that you can work together. Introduce yourself to your lead actor and ask them any questions you have. Feel free to ask questions or voice concerns to Matt Dunn as well. If you need to contact either Matt during the evening for something important, call him on his cell phone at 612-518-0364. Here is the best tip of all! Make sure your cell phone is on low ringer. If you lose it, that will be a helpful way of finding it. You will want it on low though so that evening phone calls don’t ruin your hiding position. Texting, unless to Matt Dunn for an important issue, is not allowed and may end in your termination during acting hours. Make sure you secure any other small belongings you have as well, like keys. Any other important belongings like wallets, purses, etc, should be locked safely in your car.

Scream Town is not responsible for any lost or stolen items. Actors lose things every year! Don’t be one of those people looking for your keys at 2am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tip: Bring with you a small duffle bag each night to put all your belongings in like food, beverage, flashlight etc. Any necessary valuables like keys should be contained in a zippered area. This is not a suggestion to take lightly, do this, or you will be disappointed.

Mechanical Problems:

Looking for mechanical problems is also part of keeping your eyes open. Be aware of music stopping, light bulbs burning out, no fog in fog areas, air props not working, string breaking, or any other problem you might notice. These types of issues are top priorities and should be corrected as quickly as possible. Notify your lead actor of these issue immediately or call Matt Dunn if no other option is present. On a similar note be very aware of where you walk and step, cords are all around in actor areas. If you trip over a cord, immediately stop to see what came undone so that the problem can be corrected. Before the evening begins, familiarize yourself with your work area so you know what is around you. There are several tripping hazards all over the place. Watch your step! Don’t be embarrassed if you damage something, but let a lead actor know asap so that it can be corrected or repaired.

Emergencies:

Emergencies could be serious. Keep your senses about you. Example, if you smell smoke, something is burning. If an emergency occurs, help people exit the attraction and use your flash light for guidance. Keep a cool head and open eyes and things will go smoothly. Never ever be the hero and try to put out a fire unless it could be stomped out with your shoe, and you are comfortable doing so. Get out, and then assist others with their exit. Make others around you aware of serious situations. Don’t cause panic by yelling fire, stay calm, help people and yourself in an orderly fashion. Each night before you start scaring at a particular position, become familiar with the safety features in your area. Make sure you know where the closest fire extinguisher is and the various emergency exits. In an emergency get yourself out safely and then help guide others to a safe location. Conduct a practice test each evening to discover your fastest way to a safe area. That applies to indoor and outdoor jobs.

Breaks:

There are no scheduled breaks. Beverages of any kind are up to you, and we highly recommend that you do bring something to drink. We also highly recommend that you bring with you each evening a snack or power bar for energy. You will quickly discover how much energy you use. Bring your snack and your beverage out to where you will be acting for the evening. Bring it back at the end of the night and don’t litter!

Leaving your position will cause a huge gap in scares for our guests. Although it may seem like we have a lot of actors, we can always use more. You are the show and if you leave your position, guests will see a noticeable gap. Please try to use the restroom before the evening begins. If you must leave to go to the restroom or for any other reason, let an actor near you know so they can cover a wider span while you are gone. Please make sure you use the restroom closest to your attraction. In an emergency situation, please call Matt Dunn or your manager. LEAVING/ STEPPING AWAY CAUSES MAJOR PROBLEMS.

Although anticipated unlikely, we may have some periods where there are no people going through the attraction. Feel free to take a breather but be very very alert as to when the flow starts back up. If you skip town because you think no one is around and then a huge group comes through, that is a problem. Use a buddy to help you know when people are coming. Different Haunts will start/ open at different times during the night. Although we open at 7 each evening, you may not see a steady flow right away. These are the times you need to be very alert.

Counted As Absent and not paid….

Periodic check ins will occur during the evening by Matt Dunn, lead actors, and security. If for any reason you are not within 20 feet of you nightly position, you will be considered absent and not paid for the evening. If a staff member comes to your area and yells your name and you don’t respond, you will be considered absent. You must always notify a fellow actor, that you are stepping away for any reason. You should also let them know apx. how long you will be gone. If you leave your assigned position without telling the actor behind you or in front of you, you will be counted as absent. Example: you have to use the bathroom and leave to go do so and don’t tell anyone about it. A lead actor or security walks by and asks, “who is working this spot?” and actors nearby say, “It is Frank, but we have no idea where he is. He didn’t say anything.” You will be counted as absent for the evening and will not receive pay.

Scare Factor:

A common question is how scary is this, and we tell people SCARY! We want you to try and scare the pants of people. Think through your scares. How would you react? When is the best time to really zing them with a good scare? Also think about your character. What is your character? What is your costume? Work with what you have and develop different scare tactics. Try different tactics and see what works. Often acting in a bizarre fashion scares people. Catch people off guard. REMEMBER THAT IF YOU SCREAM ALL NIGHT, YOU WON’T HAVE A VOICE FOR LONG. People who don’t listen to this tip lose their voice with in 20 minutes. That does not mean though that you should not make any noise. Just focus on HOW you are using your voice. Try other things too like getting very close to people without touching them, growl, hiss, cry, laugh scarily, say a scary phrase, or combine a few of these ideas. Scaring each and every person is your goal. When someone is not frightened by your scare, imagine they are telling you that you are not good at your job. We want to Scare everyone! We do tell people that this is recommended for ages 10 and older, their crying child is their problem. Your level of sympathy is up to you. Also note that just because you made all the girls, or kids scream, does not necessarily mean you are being scary. Some of these people scream at anything, and often Scream to get you to stop chasing them. Focus on the hard to scare. If you can get them, you can get anyone. If lead actors notice that none of what you are doing to scare is producing anything, we may have to replace you to ensure Scream Town’s success.

Another point to mention is what we will call “pushing”. Not physical pushing, but simply getting the guests to move from one actor to the next. This is very important in the woods and corn. We want each actor to “push” guests from one actor to the next. You don’t need to get so close to them that you ruin their element of surprise, but learn where they are hiding, and push the guests close enough. The reason for pushing is that actors are not everywhere, this makes it seem like they are. This way guests can never complain they never saw anyone. “Pushing” is actually quite fun. Begin with a startle scare (you jump out), a follow scare (follow them), then turn around as if you are leaving (they see this), then come up right behind them and scare them again! It is much more fun for you and our guests. People hate to be followed. We are comfortable with different adaptations of “pushing” but we want you to keep on guests and scare them several times.

We are also allowing people to go through any of the haunts as many times as they want. That means you should really move around in your zone. If you stay in the exact same place twice, they will know exactly where you are. It really ruins the experience. So move about your zone and try different things but stay in your general assigned vicinity. You should be scaring the same group of people 3-4 times. Make yourself seem like many.

Note:

A note about scaring. Keep in mind that people react to being frightened in a variety of ways such as swearing, yelling back at you, screaming, insulting you, getting upset, and even possibly wanting to lash back at you physically. You need to be respectful of the fact that people are on edge and their senses and reactions are different than usual. Take insults lightly and keep your distance from those guests that look like they might get physical.

Costumes:

We would now like you to come with your own costume. If you are truly a Halloween nut you’ll want one of your own anyway. It is not a bad idea to have a great costume in the closet for other events you may participate in some day. You may also write off all of your costume and makeup expenses and expenses which will be tax deductible for your since you are an independent contractor. We highly recommend the Unique Thrift store in Golden Valley as well as ebay. Look for old wedding dresses, army clothes, hunting gear, men’s suits, prom dresses, etc. Take these items home and wash them/ dry clean. Use a scissor to tear things up. Buy a can a black and brown spray paint and make the clothes look dirty. Look for costume images under google by typing in “scary costume” or whatever your character is, like “grave keeper”. That is a great way to get costume and makeup ideas.

As for makeup plan on spending $8-$10 more of your own dollars. Scream Town will still have a makeup trailer available to you with tables, mirrors, lighting. Multiple people using brushes is bad for your skin. You may want to create a small makeup bag with your own items that you take care of and keep clean. Be sure to put your name on all items.

You are welcome to do your costume and makeup on site, or at home to save you some time.

Your costume should begin with a base layer of your own black or dark colored clothing. Then work off of that. The makeup trailer gets crowed, so get in, do a good job, and get out. Your costume and make up will aid in your scare success! Be sure to cover up normal looking skin if it is visible and does not match the rest of your costume or makeup.

One other note about costumes! Make sure your costume fits with your attraction. What does that mean, the clowns belong in the Circus Asylum, while alien costumes below in the corn. Look at our web site again to see the various haunts. If you are dressed as Batman, that does not really fit it. Logic is a big part of scaring. Costumes should make sense!

And one more thing! Make sure to dress warmly. The last thing you want is to be cold all night and get sick. Temperatures can drop very fast. Dress in several thin layers with the outer layer black. You can put your final costume over that. You will want to bring a hat and gloves just in case. Black is always best as that will disappear a bit more. Don’t worry if these layers or accessories can be seen under your costume. Your warmth is more important to us. This is another good reason to keep moving around! I’m cold, does not work as an excuse for poor acting. That means you were not prepared. You don’t want to get sick!

Having a good time:

Most of all, we want to make sure that you have an enjoyable time and want to come back again. Do what you need to do to keep things fun. Let your lead actor know if they can make your experience a more enjoyable one.

Arriving, Departure, Check In, Check Out:

Scream Town participants should arrive no later than 15 minutes before our opening at 7pm. Nightly meetings and check in happens each night behind the Zombie Apocalypse at 6:40 (you may arrive as early as you wish). Be there, and not a minute late! If you are not there for this meeting your contract will be terminated. If you are arriving at 6:40, your costume and make up should be on with you completely ready to go. You should arrive 1 hour early if you plan on preparing your costume and makeup on site. A minimum of 24 hr notice should be given if you are absolutely unable to work during your scheduled time 612-518-0364. If you are running late, please text your lead actor and let them know your ETA. A cancellation for any reason may result in the termination of this contract. Canceling last minute is often devastating. You are the show and if you can’t make it, there is no show and we are out of luck to say the very least. Actors should be in their assigned spots 5 minutes prior to the attraction opening at 7:00. Actors should never ever touch a guest for any reason even if they think they know the person. – UNLESS you work in The VIP Convent Attraction. Touching should always be

soft
on the back or neck - never the chest or below the waist
never a grab or hug

Changing your schedule:

If you ever need to change your schedule, this MUST be done through Matt Dunn. Never do this through your lead actor. This goes for changing days, running late, or any detail regarding your schedule. Email is the best way. Always be very specific and include your name and phone number.

Note:

There will also be a check process every night out that will take under a minute. When you leave your attraction, you MUST check out with your lead actor and be accounted for, or you will be marked as absent and NOT paid, even if you checked in at the beginning of the night.

Damages/ Missed Appearances/ No Shows

Missed appearances and "no shows" (scheduled appearances that are not attended. If you are listed on the calendar that goes out for the weekend, you are scheduled, even if you verbally said you could not make it. The online calendar is the only thing that matters.) Actors will now incur a damages fee collected by Scream Town in the amount of $25. This amount will be deducted from final pay checks. Example: Calendar for the upcoming weekend is emailed out and you are scheduled. You then do not appear for the evening to work. Scream Town will deduct a damages fee from your final pay check in the amount of $25 per missed scheduled appearance due to breach of contract.

Scream Town will enforce this new policy as lightly as possible and do everything they can to work with actors to NOT collect damages. This policy is aimed at those that "flake out" and don't give a rats behind.

Missed Appearances

Missed appearances, where you are scheduled and do not appear, are extremely damaging to the Scream Town event. If an emergency of any kind presents itself to you, Scream Town requests that you contact Matt Dunn immediately to report your absence or problem. Any absence no matter what the case, may result in your termination and a damages fee collected. However, if actors/ staff can help support their emergency with proof of the emergency, no action will likely take place (no termination or damages fee). Scream Town suggests you collect as much support in your favor as possible. Examples - Take a picture of your car on the side of the road broken down, photograph you changing your tire with the car jacked up, something from a doctor, recent receipt for illness meds, a photo of you sick as a dog in bed, a direct call from your parents, etc.

Scream Town highly suggests you do whatever you can to make it to scheduled appearances no matter how late you may be (pay will be prorated for the evening). Example: If your car breaks down, call Matt Dunn and there may be someone driving by that can pick you up that he can arrange. Same thing if your ride falls through.

Don't make excuses, done blame Scream Town, Be Honest and responsible

Actor must check in each evening with their lead actor as well as check out with his or her lead actor – via check list (in person), at the beginning and end of each evening. Arriving or departing without checking in or out, counts as a “no show” or absence, and Actor will not be compensated for that evening of work.

Lead Actors must submit an attendance list for each evening of operation no later than Noon of the following day. Lack of doing this result in a penalty fee of $20 per occurrence.

Bad Weather:

Scream Town will be canceled if bad weather prevents us from being open. All rain calls/ bad weather calls will be made by 4pm the day of operation. The message will be posted on the scream town web site www.screamtown.com as well as on the actor Facebook page . Please avoid calling us to ask, we will post it clearly on the home page. If we do make the call to go forward with an evening and the weather takes a turn for the worst, we may close early and pro rate your pay for the evening. We want to be open and will make all efforts to be even if the weather is iffy.

Compensation/ Haunts to choose from:

Actors $40 - $60 Possibility of $70-$75 per night for the best of the best. Average of $45 for most people (possible higher for those more experience actors. If this detail applies to you, it will be written into your contract.)

Crop Spawn - 20 spots available
Oak Blood Forest – 25 spots available
Santa’s Slay – 15 spots available
Circus Asylum – 25 spots available
Zombie Apocalypse CDC – 13 spots available
VIP Convent – 7 spots available
Ludicrous Labyrinth – 3 spots available
Lead Actors – See Below
Park Roamers – See below

Managers $50 - $65 per night (must be 18 or older and must be able to work EVERY night) 5 spots available

Park Roamers $45 - $65 ( as much as $75 for incredible actors with tremendous energy and unreal costumes. If this detail applies to you, it will be written into your contract after discussing it) per night 6 spots available. Must have high energy and fantastic costume and makeup. No masks (unless approved 48 hrs before in person by Matt Dunn) and must be 18 years or older. You will roam the court yard and scare people while they wait in line. The key here is scaring. It is not your job just to roam around and do nothing. It is also more than just putting on a show, YOU MUST BE SCARING PEOPLE. You’ll notice that everyone will start watching you and it becomes very entertaining for people waiting in line. Play to the crowds! Start scaring from the back of the line to the front so that everyone does not see you at once. Scare people coming into the Scream Town, waiting in line, going into the bathroom, eating, etc.

Line Greeter $45 - $50 per night – 5 spots available. Must be terrific actors, with high energy, great costumes, and have the ability to give instructions to guests while still in character. Number one goal – keep that line moving! Make it entertaining!

Parking Lot Attendant $40-45 per night from 6pm-10pm – 4 people each evening. At 10pm you must enter the park and help collect any garbage with the john deere gator. We will discuss this at your orientation.

Any actor that attends all evenings will receive a $25 bonus. No bonus for parking lot attendants.

Actors, ticket people, and parking lot attendants will also receive free tickets for working the following amount of days.

12 days – 3 tickets

10 days – 2 tickets

7 days – 1 ticket

Sell them on Craigslist at a discount for extra money or give them to friends and family. If you are found to be selling tickets to guests on site at Scream Town, you will be terminated. These tickets are NOT for you to take a night off from Scream Town and attend. We need our cast.

IMPORTANT!!!!

These tickets will be given to you at orientation. If your contract is terminated or you end up working less days than originally scheduled, those tickets must be returned. In the event of termination, the proper amount of tickets must be returned before you will be paid. If tickets are not returned, the full value of the ticket will be deducted from your final pay check. By signing this contract you agree to this condition.

Example: You are scheduled to work for 10 days and receive 2 Scream Town tickets. Your contract gets terminated after 9 days, you must return 1 ticket.

Payment:

Payment will be made on the last day of operation by check on Nov 1, 2020. If you are not present that evening, a check will be mailed to you by November 15 2020. If your contract is terminated for any reason during the season, your payment will be mailed sometime between the time you left and November 15 2020

Confidentiality:

Anyone participating at Scream Town agrees to keep all information such as approximate or exact attendance numbers, marketing strategies, new ideas, future plans, video chats/ messages/ posts, social media posts via the actor page, email communication, or any other information regarding Scream Town, confidential.

Other:

We strongly discourage internet gossip about Scream Town, actors, guests, etc. Keep in mind that once you write something, it is out there and can’t come back. That goes for blogs, reviews you might offer, what you tell your friends, social networking sites, etc. Your contract may be terminated for actions that Scream Town deems inappropriate or damaging. Abusing and using other actors emails obtained from the Scream Town mailing listing are ground for contract termination.

Actors understand that photos/videos may be taken and used for promotional purposed in various forms.

Changes for 2020 due to Covid19: All information below that may contradict information above, should be adhered to. The below is what goes.

Flow:

Scream Town guests must now purchase timed tickets and must go through ALL attractions before “ending”. Guests will be sent through in groups of 2-4 every 20-30 seconds. It is imperative that actors assist with the speed at which guests walk. That speed should be the pace you would walk down the isle at a wedding. Any guest walking too slow or too quickly, should be politely instructed to increase or decrease their speed. Once they exit one attraction, a rope line will guide them to the next attraction. There, they will briefly wait to enter so that they can be properly spaced again at 20-30 seconds. Any time orange cones are present, this indicates where guests should stand while waiting (6 feet apart). Guest bathrooms will be located at the exit of each attraction where they can quickly go if needed and then reenter the waiting line for the next attraction.

Something to note with this change: If there were to be an incident or injury and the flow stops, this could back up the entire event. If there is a reason or need for guest flow to stop, try the following things:

See if the guest can step aside to an emergency hall
If the guest cannot move, notify other actors, and have them assist in rerouting guests via emergency doors etc. Do you best to keep guests moving and to continue on with their experience, don’t just lead guests out an exit.
Call security, Matt Dunn or your lead actor as needed if uncertain. Use clear communication.

Line greeter details:

Regular admission guests may only enter attractions/ scream town ONCE. When they go through their final attraction (oak blood forest) their hand stamp will be stamped out with a big red stamp. If any line greeter sees a guest with this stamp, that guest should not be allowed reentry. Handle this matter politely and feel free to kindly involve security to explain that detail to them.

VIP or VIP Combo Pass Customers:

May enter attractions multiple times. They will also have access to a fast pass lane that will take them past any regular customers waiting to get in. Line greeters should prioritize this fast lane as much as possible by either alternating lines (fast pass then regular) or, if the regular line is not very long, do (fast pass fast pass then regular)

Health Protocol:

All actors will be required to wear a face covering mask of some type, other than a “traditional Halloween mask”. Ideally actors will incorporate this face mask creatively in their costume/ character. Please note that all guests will also be required to wear face coverings. All actors and staff are required to wear a mask upon the moment they exit their car. Masks should be worn during the duration of work, and not removed until reentering their vehicle. Distancing of 6 feet from other actors during check in, check out, and during work, is not suggested, but absolutely MANDATORY.

If you are not feeling well, please notify Matt Dunn as soon as possible and do not come into work. During the off week, if you feel ill at any time, please also notify Matt Dunn, so other actors who may have worked near you, can be made aware.

Please keep a 6 foot distance between you and other actors during any down time. Be sure not to share any makeup, or brushes with each other. Please wash your hands and use hand sanitizer as needed. Having a small bottle of your own sanitizer is ideal.

Actor to guest interaction should not get any closer than 3-4 feet, and actors should never touch a guest, even VIP guests (there simply is NO MORE TOUCHING). Scaring guests will be more challenging this year, but if you practice startling, and have a great scary noise, you should be fine. You should still try to scare guests multiple times and follow them, just keep a safe distance.

Assumption of the Risk and Waiver of Liability Relating to Coronavirus/COVID-19 The novel coronavirus, COVID-19, has been declared a worldwide pandemic by the World Health Organization. COVID-19 is extremely contagious and is believed to spread mainly from person-to-person contact.

By signing this agreement, I acknowledge the contagious nature of COVID-19 and voluntarily assume the risk that I may be exposed to or infected by COVID-19 by participating, and that such exposure or infection may result in personal injury, illness, permanent disability, and death. I understand that the risk of becoming exposed to or infected by COVID-19 at Scream Town/ The Abandoned Hayride, may result from the actions, omissions, or negligence of myself and others, including, but not limited to, employees, actors, volunteers, and event participants. I voluntarily agree to assume all of the foregoing risks and accept sole responsibility for any injury to myself (including, but not limited to, personal injury, disability, and death), illness, damage, loss, claim, liability, or expense, of any kind, that I may experience or incur in connection with my participation.

On my behalf, I hereby release, covenant not to sue, discharge, and hold harmless Scream Town LLC, The Abandoned Hayride LLC, Black Raven Productions LLC, its employees, agents, and representatives, of and from the Claims, including all liabilities, claims, actions, damages, costs or expenses of any kind arising out of or relating thereto. I understand and agree that this release includes any Claims based on the actions, omissions, or negligence of the Scream Town LLC, The Abandoned Hayride LLC, Black Raven Productions LLC, its employees, agents, and representatives, whether a COVID-19 infection occurs before, during, or after participation.

Closing time/ opening

Due to the flow change for this year, Circus Asylum actors (the first attraction in the flow) will cease to see guests starting after 10:15pm. That does not mean you are finished working. Ideally, actors that see their “last guests” should carefully, move into other attractions and help scare. In particular, actors should help in Oak Blood Forest (the final attraction). Make sure you find areas you can best be used, and that you do not interfere with other actors routines. Actors may also choose to do some park roaming as needed.

Reporting:

For the sake of guest and actor safety please discreetly notify security or Matt Dunn of any health and safety protocol that is being violated. This goes for both actors and guests. Your name will not be involved.

Parking Pass Medallion $25

A Scream Town parking pass medallion must be purchased by you for $20. This is a requirement, and must be displayed in your vehicle each night of work. This medallion must be purchased at actor orientation and NO LATER (cash or credit). At the end of the season, if you work all the days you said you would work, or followed proper protocol to change your schedule appropriately, you may turn your parking medallion back in, and receive $35 (a gain of $15 to you).

SCREAM TOWN Hiring Site.2025 Dates and Info NOW Posted!

Positions Available: Scream Town Maze and Trail ActorsParking LotTicket BoothGift Shop and Halloween MarketSecurityFood Service WorkerHayride Positions Use the Navigation bar to learn more about each position

Scream Town - Chaska, MN

Must be 15 years or older – consult with your parents immediately

You are hired as an independent contractor – read the contract for details

2025 Actors Register Here

SCREAM TOWN Hiring Site.
2025 Dates and Info NOW Posted!

Positions Available:

Scream Town Maze and Trail Actors
Parking Lot
Ticket Booth
Gift Shop and Halloween Market
Security
Food Service Worker
Hayride Positions

Use the Navigation bar to learn more about each position