FX Hosted a Truly Terrifying Overnight Experience for 'American Horror Story: 1984'

To promote the new series, FX Networks brought a small group of influencers and super fans to a remote campground filled with 1980s details—and shadowy killers.

Claire Hoffman
October 3, 2019

FX and Industria Creative turned a 110-acre property deep in the Santa Monica Mountains into 'Camp Redwood,' a recreation of the spooky setting of American Horror Story: 1984.FX and Industria Creative turned a 110-acre property deep in the Santa Monica Mountains into "Camp Redwood," a recreation of the spooky setting of American Horror Story: 1984.Photo: Courtesy of Industria CreativeLOS ANGELES—The American Horror Story anthology is no stranger to out-of-the-box premieres and promotions, from a conversation-starting freak show to a "blood waterfall" to eerie live performance art. But on Friday the 13th, FX Networks hosted what was possibly its most terrifying—and ambitious—event yet: an overnight experience at a 110-acre campground deep in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The September event was designed to promote American Horror Story: 1984, the series' new season that premiered on September 18. "We always take our inspiration from the show and lean into the elements that we believe will hook our audience and drive them to tune in," explained Kenya Hardaway Green, senior vice president of integrated promotions for FX Networks. "As soon as we understood the setting for the ninth installment—an '80s summer camp—we knew we had to explore that environment. So we created Camp Redwood and transported our guests back to 1984 with a fully immersive overnight experience."

FX worked with longtime collaborators Industria Creative to transform the entire property into an immersive theatrical experience, where improv actors depicted counselors, a groundskeeper, a nurse, and other camp staples—plus, of course, wayward hikers covered in blood and a few creepy murderers. The actors were cast to portray select archetypes from the slasher genre, noted Hardaway Green. 

A select group of influencers, V.I.P.s, and sweepstakes winners attended the overnight experience. "While the idea and scale were big, we recognized that in order to do this well, we needed to create a very intimate group experience," said Hardaway Green. "The goal was to stay true to the classic slasher format, where a small group of people are stalked and slowly begin to disappear. We knew we couldn’t go into this with a large group of people and successfully pull it off."

The daylong event started off simple: jazzercise, arts and crafts, 1980s tunes. But things quickly took an American Horror Story-appropriate turn when a bloodied hiker emerged from the woods. Throughout the rest of the day and night, guests were tormented with a camp-wide blackout, a chainsaw-wielding killer, and other scary twists and turns.

Attendees were encouraged to capture and share the experience. "We invited a carefully curated list of influencers and super fans and encouraged them to drive conversations and generate content," said Hardaway Green. "They shared their personal Camp Redwood experience with their own audiences—which effectively expanded the reach of this event beyond those in attendance."

Scroll down for a walkthrough of the guests' creepy overnight experience.

VENDORS
Catering: Love Catering
Design, Event Management, Production: Industria Creative

FX and Industria Creative turned a 110-acre property deep in the Santa Monica Mountains into 'Camp Redwood,' a recreation of the spooky setting of American Horror Story: 1984.
FX and Industria Creative turned a 110-acre property deep in the Santa Monica Mountains into "Camp Redwood," a recreation of the spooky setting of American Horror Story: 1984.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
A group of influencers, V.I.P.s, and sweepstakes winners attended the overnight experience, in which actors assumed the roles of counselors, a groundskeeper, a camp director, and a nurse—plus wayward hikers, and, naturally, a few spooky murderers. The actors treated the attendees as counselors in training. 'The experience was produced with talented improv actors that were cast to portray select archetypes from the slasher subgenre,' explained Hardaway Green. 'It allowed us to keep the guests fully engaged without revealing any key characters ahead of the premiere.'
A group of influencers, V.I.P.s, and sweepstakes winners attended the overnight experience, in which actors assumed the roles of counselors, a groundskeeper, a camp director, and a nurse—plus wayward hikers, and, naturally, a few spooky murderers. The actors treated the attendees as counselors in training.

"The experience was produced with talented improv actors that were cast to portray select archetypes from the slasher subgenre," explained Hardaway Green. "It allowed us to keep the guests fully engaged without revealing any key characters ahead of the premiere."
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
Before arrival, guests received welcome packets with a list of camp rules and other information, plus 1980s-inspired puffy stickers to evoke the time period. They were picked up in Camp Redwood-branded vans and driven to the remote campground while listening to '80s music on the radio. Once they arrived, guests were taken to cabins and given a 'camp survival bag' filled with a flashlight, a uniform, a whistle, and night-vision goggles.
Before arrival, guests received welcome packets with a list of camp rules and other information, plus 1980s-inspired puffy stickers to evoke the time period. They were picked up in Camp Redwood-branded vans and driven to the remote campground while listening to '80s music on the radio. Once they arrived, guests were taken to cabins and given a "camp survival bag" filled with a flashlight, a uniform, a whistle, and night-vision goggles.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
The day began with typical camp-inspired activities such as archery, ax-throwing, and arts and crafts. During a group jazzercise session, though, things took an American Horror Story-appropriate turn: A bloodied hiker emerged from the woods saying he had narrowly escaped a crazed man.
The day began with typical camp-inspired activities such as archery, ax-throwing, and arts and crafts. During a group jazzercise session, though, things took an American Horror Story-appropriate turn: A bloodied hiker emerged from the woods saying he had narrowly escaped a crazed man.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
Attendees brought the hiker to the infirmary, then got ready for dinner in the camp's main lodge. The stylish dinner party took place at a communal table underneath rustic wagon-wheel chandeliers.
Attendees brought the hiker to the infirmary, then got ready for dinner in the camp's main lodge. The stylish dinner party took place at a communal table underneath rustic wagon-wheel chandeliers.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
Guests ate a four-course meal of elevated camp culinary staples from Love Catering. Table settings featured a creepy mix of rustic florals and bones.
Guests ate a four-course meal of elevated camp culinary staples from Love Catering. Table settings featured a creepy mix of rustic florals and bones.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
The creepy catch: The meal was served by wait staff and butchers clad in leather carving masks and leather aprons. Toward the end of dinner, attendees were surprised by a sudden camp-wide blackout.
The creepy catch: The meal was served by wait staff and butchers clad in leather carving masks and leather aprons. Toward the end of dinner, attendees were surprised by a sudden camp-wide blackout.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
During the blackout, guests headed to a bonfire where the camp director shared the (fictional) history of the land; guests were also encouraged to tell ghost stories. Suddenly, a killer emerged from the woods with his latest victim: one of the event guests who had gone missing earlier in the evening. Cherry Bombs founder Alicia Dove also performed, grinding power tools against her metal outfit to create a dramatic sparks show.
During the blackout, guests headed to a bonfire where the camp director shared the (fictional) history of the land; guests were also encouraged to tell ghost stories. Suddenly, a killer emerged from the woods with his latest victim: one of the event guests who had gone missing earlier in the evening. Cherry Bombs founder Alicia Dove also performed, grinding power tools against her metal outfit to create a dramatic sparks show.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
The evening ended with a marathon of American Horror Story, plus '80s games such as Ouija boards. Craft popcorn and campfire chili were served. Throughout it all, the audience of influencers and super fans was encouraged to capture and share content on social media.
The evening ended with a marathon of American Horror Story, plus '80s games such as Ouija boards. Craft popcorn and campfire chili were served. Throughout it all, the audience of influencers and super fans was encouraged to capture and share content on social media.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
The next morning, guests were escorted back down the mountain to safety—but in the rearview mirror, they caught a glimpse of a chainsaw-wielding figure approaching the unassuming camp registrar as she waved goodbye.
The next morning, guests were escorted back down the mountain to safety—but in the rearview mirror, they caught a glimpse of a chainsaw-wielding figure approaching the unassuming camp registrar as she waved goodbye.
Photo: Courtesy of Industria Creative
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