Halloween projector videos: free, paid and built-in options, and how to play them

Halloween projector videos are what turn a projector into a decoration: a ghost drifting behind the curtains, skeletons dancing in the window, a jack-o'-lantern grinning at the door. The hard part isn't the projector. It's finding videos that look good, play on your setup and fit the window instead of spilling over the wall. In the clip beside this article, two skeletons dance on two separate panels from one projector, each fitted to its own panel from an iPhone running EasyMapper Studio.

Here's where to get Halloween projector videos, free and paid, what makes a good one, and how to play them on your house.

Most disappointing displays come down to the video, not the projector. Look for:

• A black background. Black is the absence of light, so only the figure shows. A video with a grey or coloured background projects a glowing rectangle around your ghost.
• A clean loop. The display runs for hours, so the end should flow into the start without a jump.
• Slow movement. People see the display for a few seconds as they walk past. Slow ghosts and eyes read better than fast cuts.
• The right shape. A tall window wants a tall video. A wide garage door wants a wide one.

There are three honest routes to free videos:

• Built into an app. EasyMapper Studio includes Halloween loops you can play as soon as it's installed, plus live effects like Bat Swarm and Ghost Swarm. The built-in loops article shows them in action.
• Stock video sites. Free stock libraries have Halloween clips of ghosts, smoke, bats and fog. Search for "black background" or "overlay". Read the licence: most allow personal use, some need credit.
• Make your own. Film a friend in a white sheet against a black wall, or use a video editor's Halloween templates and export them on black.

Avoid sites offering "free downloads" of paid collections. They are usually pirated copies and sometimes carry malware.

They can be. AtmosFX is the best-known seller, with collections of filmed ghosts, zombies and singing pumpkins at $25 to $45 each. You get actors, makeup and real effects rather than animation, in versions sized for windows and walls. If you want a realistic ghost bride at the glass, paid collections are the way to get it.

The trade-off is cost per scene and that they play full-frame. The AtmosFX alternative page compares buying collections with an app that has loops and effects built in, and explains how to use both together.

1. Get the video onto your iPhone or iPad. Save it to your camera roll, or use a built-in loop.
2. Connect to the projector. Use an HDMI adapter or AirPlay (connection guide).
3. Map the surface and press play. Add a layer in EasyMapper Studio, drag its corners onto the window or wall, and drop the video onto it.

Mapping is what separates a projected rectangle from a decoration. When the video is fitted to the window frame, the light stops at the edge and the figure looks like it's inside the house. With several layers, one projector can play a different video in each window. The Halloween window projector guide covers the sheet, the projector position and the mirror-image catch.

Videos play the same way every time. Live effects are generated as they run, and in EasyMapper Studio they react to the surfaces you've mapped: pumpkins fall and pile up on your window sills, bats and ghosts steer around the frames, and a skeleton walks along the top of the TV and dances when the music gets loud.

Mix the two. A ghost video in the window with Bat Swarm across the wall around it looks far busier than either alone. The interactive Halloween effects guide covers each effect.

What file format should I use?

MP4 (H.264) plays on almost everything. If the video plays in your iPhone's Photos app, it will play in EasyMapper Studio.

What resolution do I need?

1080p is plenty for a home projector. A higher resolution won't look sharper if the projector itself is 1080p or lower.

Can I play them from a USB stick instead?

Yes, most projectors can play a video from USB on their own. You just can't fit the picture to the window that way, so it plays as a full rectangle.

Does it cost anything?

EasyMapper Studio is free to download. Premium ($7.99 a month or $39.99 a year, with a trial) unlocks the full feature set. The Halloween projection mapping app page covers what's included.

Pick a black-background video, point a projector at a window and open EasyMapper Studio. For the full house, the Halloween projection mapping guide takes it surface by surface.