Petaluma, California · 2026 crew call
Stranger Court is made by neighbors—and by talented people who decide to step in. We’re assembling artists, builders, technicians, filmmakers, communicators, spatial developers, organizers, and dependable extra hands for the 2026 experience.
01 No haunt experience required
02 You do not need to live on the court
03 Specific skills and general help both matter
Built here · documented on the court
The spectacle starts with lifts, laptops, electronics, lumber, paint, and people willing to solve the next problem together. These are real frames from prior Stranger Court builds.
Open workstreams · skilled help
We are looking for people who can help build the experience—and the audience, partnerships, stories, and experimental layers around it. You can advise, prototype, create, connect, lead, or operate without signing up for the entire season.
Work order / 01
Turn ambitious sketches into durable, installable scenery and oversized props.
Good fit: Carpenters, contractors, fabricators, builders, riggers, and practical problem-solvers.Possible assignments
Work order / 02
Give raw wood, foam, fabric, and found objects a convincing life after dark.
Good fit: Scenic painters, sculptors, foam carvers, illustrators, creature makers, and set dressers.Possible assignments
Work order / 03
Make the build respond: buttons, switches, triggers, lights, motors, and reliable cue logic.
Good fit: Electricians, engineers, Raspberry Pi or Arduino builders, programmers, and electronics makers.Possible assignments
Work order / 04
Shape the moments visitors see, hear, and remember—and make every cue fire when it should.
Good fit: Lighting designers, audio engineers, projection artists, editors, DJs, and show-control programmers.Possible assignments
Work order / 05
Bring live-production experience to a neighborhood-scale immersive build.
Good fit: Prop builders, technical directors, stage managers, practical-effects artists, and production crews.Possible assignments
Work order / 06
Help a big creative idea work safely in a real residential court with real visitors.
Good fit: Event producers, logistics leads, safety-minded builders, traffic planners, and calm operators.Possible assignments
Work order / 07
Build the relationships and resources that let an ambitious neighborhood project grow.
Good fit: Fundraisers, partnership builders, business-development leads, nonprofit advancement teams, salespeople, and well-connected community advocates.Possible assignments
Work order / 08
Help Stranger Court earn attention online and turn the build into a story people want to follow.
Good fit: Social strategists, community managers, creators, copywriters, content producers, and platform-savvy organizers.Possible assignments
Work order / 09
Give local media a clear, timely reason to tell the Stranger Court story.
Good fit: Publicists, journalists, communications professionals, media-relations leads, writers, and community storytellers.Possible assignments
Work order / 10
Capture the craft, people, and finished experience in films worth watching and sharing.
Good fit: Directors, producers, cinematographers, camera operators, editors, audio recordists, colorists, and documentary storytellers.Possible assignments
Work order / 11
Explore a phone-based digital layer that reveals apparitions, hidden clues, and responsive artifacts around the court.
Good fit: WebXR, ARKit or RealityKit, Unity, Unreal, Three.js, WebGL, mobile, and spatial-computing engineers—plus technical 3D artists.Possible assignments
General volunteers · all experience levels
Big builds are won by the people who show up, take the next clear task, and help the crew keep moving. If you are reliable, curious, and willing to learn, there is a place for you here.
Find me a stationMeasure, carry, sand, prime, paint, assemble, label, test, and clean up alongside the build leads.
Move scenery, route protected cables, place signs, organize tools, and help return the court to normal.
Welcome visitors, guide lines, watch access points, reset moments, and help the night run smoothly.
Help source materials, organize food and water for workdays, make supply runs, or contribute candy.
Document the people, process, practical effects, and finished experience without getting in the way.
Connect us with a talented friend, local maker, theater group, trade, school program, or useful resource.
Four useful ways in
We would rather make one clear ask that fits your time than collect a long list of volunteers with no defined job.
About an hour
One focused day
A defined workstream
Install or event week
A useful introduction counts
Know a carpenter, maker, theater technician, projection artist, publicist, social strategist, filmmaker, AR developer, event producer, or local group that would love this? Send them this page or introduce us directly.
2026 build calendar
The crew changes as the build moves from planning to prototyping, fabrication, installation, and event operation. Tell us when you are available and we will match the ask.
Confirm scope, specialist advice, safety needs, materials, and the first crew assignments.
Recruiting nowTest the hardest props, electronics, effects, media, and visitor interactions before full build-out.
Next phaseFabricate, sculpt, paint, wire, program, integrate, rehearse, and prepare for installation.
UpcomingComplete final checks, transform the court, welcome visitors, and safely strike the experience.
UpcomingCrew intake · SC-2026
No résumé. No perfect background. Tell us what you enjoy doing, what you already know, and how much time you realistically have.
What happens next
We read your note and identify a real fit.
A crew lead follows up for a short conversation.
You get a clear ask, timeline, and point of contact.
Prefer email? Write to info@strangercourt.com.
Before you raise your hand
No. Some workstreams need specialist knowledge, but many jobs need care, reliability, and a willingness to learn.
No. The primary worksite is in Petaluma, but nearby and remote contributors can help with planning, design reviews, media, sourcing, and introductions.
This is a volunteer, neighborhood-led project—not an employment listing. If a need involves professional services or donated materials, scope and expectations are discussed before anyone commits.
Anything from a useful one-hour review to a build day, a defined workstream, or event-week support. We will make the ask clear before you say yes.
Some all-ages tasks may be appropriate with a parent or guardian. Worksite, tool, electrical, installation, and event-operation roles are assigned with safety and supervision first.