From an abandoned Chinatown cinema to UNESCO World Heritage sites and Vivid Sydney. Haus of Horror transforms historic spaces into living nightmares.
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Haus of Horror began in December 2022 inside an abandoned cinema in Sydney’s Chinatown.
Pleasures Playhouse — once the Harbour Twin Cinema — was dark, forgotten, and full of atmosphere. It felt like the perfect place to test a simple idea: screen classic horror films in locations that already felt haunted.
Our first event, Gremlins in an Abandoned Cinema, sold out.
That night made one thing immediately clear, this wasn’t just a novelty. The concept worked. People didn’t just want to watch horror films; they wanted to step into them
Gremlins in an Abandoned Cinema - 23rd December 2023
Less than three months later, we took a much bigger leap.
We took this concept to Parramatta Gaol and presented The Exorcist inside a former maximum-security prison listed on the NSW State Heritage Register. This was no longer just a screening. We transformed a historic site into a fully functioning cinema — installing screen and sound, building bars and food stalls, and navigating licensing, compliance, and heritage constraints along the way.
We also pushed the experience further.
Lighting, production design, scare actors and an immersive photo booth, turned the gaol into a haunted world guests could explore before taking their seats. Audiences wandered through stone corridors, absorbed the history of the space, and then watched one of the most infamous horror films ever made, inside a place that amplified every emotion.
From there, Haus of Horror grew rapidly.
The concept expanded across Sydney’s most evocative historic sites, including Camperdown Cemetery, Darlinghurst Gaol, the UNESCO World Heritage listed Cockatoo Island, and Sydney Town Hall, where Haus of Horror was presented as part of Vivid Sydney 2025.
What began as a cult movie night in an abandoned cinema became Australia’s leading immersive horror cinema experience, recognised by one of the world’s largest festivals in under three years.
Haus of Horror continues to reimagine how film, place, and performance can come together — creating nights that are cinematic, immersive, and unforgettable.
A Nightmare on Cockatoo Island - 13-14th February 2024
My Role at Haus of Horror
As Co-Founder and Executive Producer, I lead the end-to-end creation and delivery of Haus of Horror — from concept development through to live event execution and audience experience.
I developed the core idea of staging classic horror films in historic and unconventional locations, ensuring each event is shaped by its site rather than simply placed within it. This includes film selection, venue pairing, creative direction, and the balance between cinema, immersion, and exploration.
I oversee full production delivery, converting non-traditional spaces into fully operational cinemas with screen, sound, power, seating, bars, and food offerings. I manage run-of-show, bump-in and bump-out, live operations, and on-site problem-solving across complex heritage and outdoor environments.
I am responsible for all compliance, licensing, and risk management, including Operational and Safety Management Plans, WHS documentation, security, traffic, and liquor Plans of Management. I work directly with councils, venue operators, police, emergency services, and regulatory bodies, and act as the senior on-site decision-maker during live events.
I manage event budgets exceeding $250,000 per production, overseeing forecasting, cost control, supplier agreements, and film licensing to ensure commercial viability alongside creative ambition.
I lead stakeholder and partner relationships with organisations including Vivid Sydney, Destination NSW, the Sydney Harbour Trust, and major studios. I also recruit and manage multidisciplinary teams of crew and performers, providing leadership in high-pressure, live environments.
