DIGITAL NEWS: (Research) Research into our Final Idea

Pre recorded package

For this we wanted to research into what exactly causes a hangover - this will allow us to back up our hangover cures and why they should work.

We found that there are many different theories as to why hangovers happen:

'One hypothesis is that in order to process alcohol, your body must convert the enzyme NAD+ into an alternate form, NADH. With an excess buildup of NADH and insufficient quantities of NAD+, the thinking goes, your cells are no longer capable of efficiently performing a number of metabolic activities - everything from absorbing glucose from the blood to regulating electrolyte levels.'

'Hangovers result from a buildup of acetaldehyde, a toxic compound, in the body. As the body processes alcohol, acetaldehyde is the very first byproduct, and it's estimated to be between 10 and 30 times as toxic as alcohol itself.'

'Hangovers could also be driven by the way alcohol messes with your immune system. Studies have found strong correlations between high levels of cytokines - molecules that the immune system uses for signalling - and hangover symptoms. Normally, the body might use cytokines to trigger a fever of inflammatory response to battle an infection, but it seems that excessive alcohol consumption can also provoke cytokine release, leading to symptoms like muscle aches, fatigue, headache or nausea, as well as cognitive effects like memory loss or irritation.'

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mq1F4It-3RM

To make our package into a more news themed piece, we decided to research the cures we had found as well and find out why they're supposed to be effective at curing hangovers.

The Fry Up:

'The popularity of eggs amongst those feeling worse for wear after a heavy night is explained by the high levels of cysteine found in the amino acids contained in eggs. Cysteine counteracts the poisonous effects of acetaldehyde , the chemical produced by the body as it metabolises alcohol. '

Source: http://www.express.co.uk/life-style/life/727395/how-to-cure-hangover-full-english-breakfast-alcohol

We also wanted to include onions in the fry up as this is a good source of glutathione. Enzymes in our liver transform alcohol into something called acetaldehyde, which is then broken down by glutathione into acetates, which are absorbed into the body.  As we drink more, our stores of glutathione start to run out, meaning that more acetaldehyde is left to absorb into the body.  And since acetaldehyde can be anywhere between 10 and 30 times more toxic than alcohol itself, we begin to experience headaches & nausea.

Sources: http://drhyman.com/blog/2010/05/12/what-is-glutathione-and-how-do-i-get-more-of-it/

https://www.marksdailyapple.com/why-you-should-eat-sulfur-rich-vegetables/

Keeping hydrated:

Hangovers make you feel dehydrated because alcohol decreases the body’s production of anti-diuretic hormones, which is used to reabsorb water into the body.  This means that we lose more fluid than normal through urination.

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Soo4f6e1zCs

Hair of the dog:

'The expression the hair of the dog, for an alcoholic drink taken to cure a hangover, is a shortening of ‘a hair of the dog that bit you’. It comes from an old belief that someone bitten by a rabid dog could be cured of rabies by taking a potion containing some of the dog's hair. The correlation suggests that, although alcohol may be to blame for the hangover (as the dog is for the attack), a smaller portion of the same will, paradoxically, act as a cure. There is, it should be added, no scientific evidence that the cure for either a hangover or rabies actually works.'

Source: https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/explore/what-is-the-origin-of-the-phrase-hair-of-the-dog

Lemon:

'People with pounding hangovers in Puerto Rico have long believed rubbing a slice of lemon or lime under your armpit of your drinking arm will prevent dehydration and as a result, prevent headaches.'

Source: http://www.two-views.com/hangovers/puerto-rican-remedy.html#sthash.gm77iwHC.dpbs

Live Section:

For our live section, we needed to research Broadwitch Hauntfest in order to come up with the questions to ask the owner. To do this we looked at news articles and their website:

Each attraction has a different theme and back story which influences which scares are involved in the Haunt.

The Spooky Castle:

' In 1924, 9 year old Rose Masters disappears from her families annual Christmas party. Little did the hosts, their guests and other residents of the castle realise, that life as they knew it was about to change forever. Her parents Charles and Lillian, together with his mistress Evelyn are driven by anger and jealousy, they forbid anyone to leave the Castle until they find out what happened to Rose.

Several years have passed, the castle’s inhabitants fuelled by rage and hostility at their long false

imprisonment, have become sinister creatures, preying on anyone who dares enter.'

Thirteen The Freaks:

'Dare you enter a subterranean world inhabited by sideshow freaks who have been rejected and

alienated by society. The heyday of the Freak Show has long since passed and so these human oddities have formed their own weird and twisted community in a dark network of tunnels. From the bizarre to the outlandish, our oddball troupe of menacing monsters will disturb and unsettle you. Your curiosity will be aroused as our tortured performers entertain you, with the deadliest show on earth. Will you survive or succumb to our freaks murderous intent. The show’s about to start and you’re the main attraction. So come and unleash your inner freak.'

The Edge:

'The Edge takes you to the very brink of terror and plunges you into a place of eternal damnation. This Netherworld is inhabited by forsaken fiends who are on an everlasting quest to quench their insatiable thirst for blood, feeding from the victims slaughtered within its depths. You’ll be overcome by the stench of putrid decomposing bodies, left in the catacombs by its vampiric occupants. As soon as these spectral beings pick up your scent, they are driven into a frenzy. They will hunt their prey through the eerie passageways of their lair until they can consume your life force. If they want to increase their number of the immortal clan, one venomous bite and you’ll be gripped with a mania for blood and be brought into the vampire fold. Will you escape the undead that roam within its ancient, decaying walls or be forever entombed in purgatory.'

Massacre:

'MassAcre is an intense and disturbing corn maze that will take you to the brink of terror. Fear and carnage awaits you in the killing fields of MassAcre Farm. The reclusive family who live on this remote abandoned farm have withdrawn from society and reverted to living like savages. Existing in squalid conditions in a ramshackle homestead, the inbred family live a depraved and fiendish life. Its crazed flesh eating occupants are on a murderous cannibalistic rampage and you’re on the menu. Preying on random strangers who have aimlessly wandered on to the farm, MassAcre’s monstrous corn dwellers crave your flesh. Follow pathways that twist and turn in the darkness of the eerie maze. This is your worst nightmare.'

BioMetrix Sub Zero:

'Over 200 years ago, some of the greatest scientists in the world were recruited at the Biometrix facility to research advancements into human gene technology to make our soldiers the most ultimate fighting machines in history. Shortly after starting live testing something went wrong. The facility was sealed and the human subjects cryogenically frozen until future technology could solve the problem. The year is now 2217, as a result of many wars the world has been turned into a frozen desolate landscape. In order to survive, chaos and anarchy have broken out. In a desperate attempt to restore law and order the Biometrix facility is reopened. Scientists begin experimenting on the cryogenically preserved humans. However they unwittingly unleash something so deadly it could destroy mankind.'

FAQ:

Q: Are the actors allowed to touch you?

A: There is light contact from actors in Biometrix Sub Zero, you are not allowed to touch them. The actors in the other haunts are not allowed to touch you, equally you are not allowed to touch the actors. Aggressive or abusive behaviour towards our actors will not be tolerated and you will be escorted from site. If you harm our actors then you will be prosecuted.

Sources: http://www.spookycastle.co.uk

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/dartford/news/sights-sounds-and-smells-to-114322/

From the information found on their website and in the articles, we came up with a list of interview questions to ask John (the owner) on camera:

What do you do here?

How long have you been running this event?

Do you get a lot of people each year?

Anything special this year?

What’s the best / most popular attraction?

What’s your personal fave?

Any recommendations for a first timer?

I then did some research into some common halloween myths and facts in order to put some together for the quiz - I found a lot so the idea is to pick the best ones and use those:

If you’re caught with Silly String in Hollywood on Halloween, you could face a $1,000 fine. FACT

Nearly 35 million pounds of candy corn are produced each year. FACT

Ghoulish costumes were worn to frighten away spirits of the dead looking for bodies to possess. FACT

The magician and escapologist Harry Houdini died on Hallowe’en in 1926. FACT

One myth was that if a bat was spotted flying around one's house three times, it meant that someone in that house would soon die. MYTH

One superstition held that if a spider falls into a candle-lit lamp and is consumed by the flame, witches are nearby. And if you spot a spider on Halloween, goes another superstition, it means that the spirit of a deceased loved one is watching over you. MYTH

Watch out for poisoned candy!! MYTH There have only been two confirmed cases of children being killed by poisoned Halloween candy, and in both cases, they were killed intentionally by one of their parents. With those two exceptions, no child has been killed or seriously injured thanks to Halloween candy.

HALLOWEEN IS THE DEVIL’S HOLIDAY - MYTH Halloween is actually derived from Celtic and Druid ritual, which is separate from Christianity -- meaning “Satan” isn’t even a factor.