Daylight Tours, Nighttime Reality

Our first real look at the older wing happened during the day with Jud, the property manager. Even with daylight outside, many of these rooms were pitch black. The corridors swallowed light. Jud pointed out original switches, junction boxes, and conduit runs that lace the walls and ceiling. The building was designed for serious work, and it shows in the hardware. Much of it still looks ready to go, but a lot of the fixtures have not been used in years.

For that first tour we brought our own LED battery lighting units. Small portable panels gave us enough light to walk, to peek into the corners, and to take the first reference photos. Those lights made it clear how dense and layered the space is. Thick concrete, redundant rooms, blast style doors, and old controls everywhere.

Working Nights With Portable Light

When the real work started, we relied on rechargeable power banks and compact LED work lights from our field kits. We treated them like lanterns. A light would go in the doorway, another on a counter, and a third on the floor to wash the room. We moved them from space to space as we cleaned, sorted, and staged. The system was simple, safe, and fast, and it let us operate even when we could not trust the wall switches.

We kept notes on what outlets worked and which ones did not, but this was not a formal trace. The goal was to stay productive and safe while we planned a proper electrical review. Until the electrician signs off on permanent power for each bay, portable light remains our baseline.

Rick’s First Test Shoot

Rick came out later to run camera tests. He brought battery-powered Pavo tubes, and we set them in the hall and lab rooms for quick looks. The red and green tones pushed through the surfaces and showed how well the concrete takes color. With only a few lights and a small camera kit, we captured the first mood tests for the film. Those shots proved we can make strong images with minimal gear while we continue building the shop and stabilizing power.

Learning The Building’s Light

Bringing light into the Vault changes how you read the rooms. Details jump out as soon as the shadows pull back. You see the texture of the paint, the wear on the counters, and the practical logic behind where old devices were installed. We learned to light for two purposes at once. There is a work light that keeps crews safe and efficient. There is show light that protects the mystery we want to keep for the haunt and the film. Both matter.

Our current approach is to zone the facility. Bright, even light for active shop bays, storage, and load paths. Softer, directional light for areas under design. Full blackout for rooms that will become controlled sets. The zones keep the building operational without stripping away the atmosphere that makes this place special.

Safety First, Always

Dark spaces hide real hazards. We mark cables and edges with tape, keep aisles clear, and require closed toe shoes. Portable lights are checked before each shift and we stage a spare in every bay. If a room feels too dark to work, we do not force it. We light it, or we move on and come back later.

Milestones And Next Steps

The first milestones were simple and important. We created a stable path from entry to the core work rooms using only safe outlets and battery lighting. We set up small charging stations so lights and comms stay topped up. We documented rooms where legacy fixtures still respond, and we flagged dead circuits for the electrician. That gives us a safe backbone we can extend in phases.

As we continue, permanent LED fixtures will go into the shop zones and through the main corridors. Show lighting will be tested separately so we do not compromise the look of the sets. The goal is control. When we own the light, we own the story the building tells.

What These First Weeks Taught Us

Lighting the Darkness is not only about visibility. It is about respect for the space and for the people working in it. The facility was built to do serious work, and it responds well when you light it with purpose. A handful of portable LEDs, some smart placement, and a clear plan turned overwhelming shadows into workable rooms. From there, we can design the looks that belong on camera and inside the haunt.

Related reading: The First Walkthrough, First Nights Alone in the Facility, First Strange Noises in the Vault.