DIY Talking Pumpkins – Halloween Projection Made Easy!

Matt
Oct 24
2 min read

Ever wish your pumpkins could talk back? 🎃 In this easy Halloween DIY project, I’ll show you how to bring your jack-o’-lanterns to life using a mini projector and some clever projection mapping magic. Whether you’re decorating for trick-or-treaters, setting up a haunted house, or just want to impress your neighbors, this simple setup will turn your pumpkins into animated, talking characters worthy of a theme park display.

DIY Talking Pumpkins Halloween Projection Setup

🎥 What You’ll Need

You don’t need an expensive setup for this DIY talking pumpkins project. Here’s what I used:

Mini projector (budget-friendly model)
USB flash drive
Pumpkins (real or foam – both work great!)
AtmosFX Talking Pumpkins Animations
VLC Media Player (for seamless looping playback)

You can find all the links for these items below. 👇

🧙‍♂️ Step 1: Download the Pumpkin Animations

Head over to AtmosFX and grab their Talking Pumpkins animation pack. These files come pre-synced with audio and animation, so you don’t have to do any editing. Once downloaded, copy the videos onto your USB drive and plug it into your projector.

💻 Step 2: Use VLC for Perfect Playback

Many projectors display text or progress bars when looping videos — which ruins the illusion. The fix? VLC Media Player.

Here’s how to set it up:

Install VLC – Download it here.
Open your animation in VLC.
Go to Settings → Control Settings.
Scroll down and turn off “Video Transition.” This removes text and progress bars from showing during loops.
Click the Loop (🔁) button so the animation repeats smoothly.

For an even better effect, edit your video clips with a fade-to-black and fade-from-black transition between loops. It gives the projection a professional, seamless look.

🧡 Step 3: Align the Pumpkins and Projector

Position your projector so each pumpkin face lines up perfectly with its corresponding animation. Adjust focus and distance until the faces are sharp and clear.✨ Pro tip: Try projecting onto foam pumpkins for cleaner alignment and easier repositioning.

🔊 Step 4: Add Audio & Finishing Touches

The built-in speaker on most projectors will handle sound fine, but if you want to wow the crowd, plug in an external speaker for louder, clearer voices. Once everything’s aligned, sit back and enjoy as your pumpkins start having a conversation!

🪄 Bonus Tip: Seamless Loops

If you notice any awkward pauses or flashes between video loops, edit your animations to fade out and back in before saving. Then play them through VLC — no more breaks, just smooth, endless chatter.