What’s happening folks! This article is to celebrate hunks out there making a difference, and today the feature is on a Brandon Kootnekoff. Brandon is a music creator, prop maker and a brain cancer survivor. He’s passionate about creating incredible Halloween displays in his hometown of Grand Forks, BC, where’s he been putting on haunted houses since 2013.
Brandon’s displays are about more than putting on a great show, they are about community - drawing over 200 folks last year to his display. The environments he creates takes each visitor through the tension and nervous-excitement of spooky, immersive, themed areas such as the aquatic Zombie Bay, and the Little Shop of Horrors. To make things Covid friendly last year, he adapted his display to become a drive by experience so folks could still have the full experience without leaving their vehicles.
Creating a world-class display is no small undertaking – so much so, to bring everything together he starts conceptualizing the display over the winter, then begins his prop development in the spring and summer (think one-of-a-kind life sized zombies, and monstrous venus fly traps) and come early fall he’s knocking out a few dry runs of the yard display to make sure everything turns out perfectly.
What motivates the man? In 2012, Brandon discovered he had a brain tumor and his life took a significant turn. He withdrew from his postgraduate studies, and began focusing on his healing journey. He found prop making and music creation help him stay focused, feel productive and express his creativity. In the early days of recovery, he easily got overwhelmed by loud noises and bright light. But, when he was creating music, he could tolerate it even if it was loud. These days, he has more stamina and can now work on his music all day long.
And you can tell. Brandon creates each of the spooky sounds and tracks incorporated into the display – an essential element to give the haunted house its trademark eeriness.
So what’s next for Brandon? He’s leaning into the music composition side, developing demos, and seeking out schools where he could collaborate with film students to produce music.
We salute you Brandon!
You can find out more at his Facebook site HERE, and if you don’t find yourself in the Kootenays over Halloween and want a taste of the action, check out this year’s spooky display tracks HERE.