So you want to scare the pants off your friends? Start brushing up on the Pickel Theory.

That's how the folks behind ScreamWorks Atlanta, a new haunted attraction in Chamblee, got rolling. They tapped the knowledge of expert Leonard Pickel, who owns Charlotte-based D.O.A. Design Group. He also designs and consults for haunted houses, from venues like Six Flags theme parks to Madison Square Garden. Boos are his business and have been since 1976.

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Haunted house design expert Leonard Pickel
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SCREAMWORKS ATLANTA One of Atlanta's newest haunted attractions features four Pickel-designed houses. Dead End Manor has a Victorian theme; jailhouse ghouls run amok in Slammer; spooky pirates set sail in Shipwreck; and guests get lost in the darkness of the Pit. Be sure to see the over-enthusiastic actress stuck in a pipe inside Slammer and the pirate host of Shipwreck boasting a real wooden leg. ScreamWorks Atlanta, 5528 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Chamblee. $13-$35. Through Tuesday. 7-11 tonight and Sunday; 7 p.m.-midnight Friday, Saturday and Monday; 5 p.m.-midnight Tuesday. www.screamworksatlanta.com.

Pickel, who has a degree in architecture, has become the "Godfather of Haunted Houses" by promoting and selling self-penned design booklets and turnkey haunted houses. And it doesn't hurt that he's editor in chief of Haunted Attraction magazine, a trade publication for scarers.

His theory is heavy on startle and low on gore and theatrics. "Scaring people is just like telling them a joke," Pickel says. "Most of the work is done in the setup and ... the timing and delivery of the punch line." Pickel uses the "scare forward" concept. As people walk through the house, they are scared from the back, top, below and on either side, but never from the front. That accelerates the flow.

PICKEL'S TIPS FOR A GOOD SCARE: TRY THIS AT HOME

Afraid of the dark: The same gag that works in a haunted house hallway can be done in the tunnel of an overgrown trellis in your backyard.

Pickel says: Darkness is obviously a key accessory in haunted attractions. Hearing strange noises and creepy sounds in the dark can cause a patron to "dream up a creature more horrific than you could afford to build."

Misdirection: Display a scary prop like a life-size skeleton or coffin. While the person's attention is on the prop, scare them from the other direction.

Pickel says: "The best scares are those the patron is not expecting."

Hide in plain sight: On Halloween night, hang a black sheet near your front door. Dress in black from head to toe; use a black ski mask or pantyhose to cover your face. Stand still against the sheet. When trick-or-treaters approach, hop forward and give them a jolt.

Pickel says: "An actor that is camouflaged into the surroundings, seen but not recognized as a threat until it is too late, has the greatest opportunity for a successful scare."

Get in character: Scour thrift shops for a tattered suit or dress. Decorate your face with fake blood or grease paint. And gross people out while munching on edible things with yucky appearances like gummy worms.

Pickel says: "A dirty, smelly, disgustingly costumed actor" can sometimes shock the bravest of souls.