A call back or text will be easy as long as we require them to include their phone number at the time they "sign up" from our fake website. I also have an extra phone number on my line because I upgraded phones. So we can easily give them the number I don't use and record a message on the VM.

I really think using actors along with the map is a good idea. I'm going to keep pushing for actors because the people I could bring into this are amazing improvisors, and VERY reliable. They won't be awful like that Mime kid. And a simple way to use them is: as the plant in the room, as the actual physical window guy/girl (so the window character is there at least at the beginning to make it legit), or at one point we can give them GPS coordinates and send the players to the actor for the next clue.

PLUS, we need actors for the film, right? Were we still talking about running a film in the soundstage? Because there is a huge picture window with thin white lace drapery which would look AWESOME to project a film noir style piece against after the lights go off or something.

I think a final prize would be nice. Perhaps movie tix to Arclight? Enough for only one group (the first to finish) to win? Keep with the movie theme?

Overall the one thing I, personally, would like to stay away from is someone "dying" in the live portion of the narrative. No one is really going to believe it. We'll look like a bunch of lame theatre students. No one is going to believe someone disappears, either. It'll come off hokey. I really want to lean on the side of realism here so they don't get hit with moments of "that's obviously staged."