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Why is it that the world always seems to get in the way of what I want to do? 

Sorry it’s been so long since my last blog, but I’ve been putting 60 to 70 hours in a week at work and any spare time I’ve had, I used sleeping. The Caylee Anthony case has taken a lot of the time I wanted to spend working on Haunted Central Florida and then Tropical Storm Fay put us on 12 hours on, 12 hours off, at work.  Add in a bit of time working on the scripting, life needs like laundry, bathing, paying bills, and a three hour round trip commute a day and I’ve only been getting about 6 hours sleep a night.

Now that the storm is over I hope for things to get back to normal.

To bring you up to date, I have finished all of the principal videography except one final shoot at a theater. All of the footage has been ingested and is now living happily on my hard drive.

I want to thank the folks from KPI for their help at the Orlando History Center. I think the shoot went well and I’m told that they did find some data as they went between the old courtroom and jury room.

The Orlando Ghost Tour was great. I was born in Orlando and still found out things about its history I did not know. The owner, Emilio San Martin was great and helped us out a lot.

My co-worker Heather was one of the crew. She had a great time playing ball with a little ghost girl when we went back to the History Center with the ghost tour.

One thing I did find out is that I need a better IR illuminator. If anyone has any recommendations please let me know. I went to the hunting store and attempted to purchase an IR flood light but they said there were restrictions put in place after 911 because they were worried that terrorists would use them. Go figure.

I’ve given up on finding the time to blog about the TAPS Con, except to say that it was an amazing event and the guys from TAPS were great guys. The hotel… WOW. It’s a real blast to the past and if you want to see it, as it is, go now. They are about to close it for two years for renovation. I doubt it will ever be the same.

I also want to thank those two wonderful morons, Brian and Anna Marie fro Ghostology on Para-X. I’ve been talking back and forth with Brian and they have given me a lot of insight. I think my ideas about spirits are almost 100 percent in line with Brian’s.

I think I’m a bit more of a skeptic than Brian but I have not had the experiences he has.  They are approaching from the standpoint that there is evidence of something but are open minded as to the cause.

I have discovered that there are as many opinions and theories as there are groups and many of them don’t get along very well. It’s my opinion that if everyone got together and shared their data we might be able come up with a theory that might be provable.

I am reminded of the best comment made to me at the TAPS Con, “There is more than one answer.”

If you don’t listen to Brian and Anna Marie on Para-X radio I suggest you get with it. They have the most informative and without a doubt the most entertaining ghost related podcast in the world.

Anyway, now comes the hard part the final script and the editing down of 8 hours of footage to a one hour show that is hopefully informative and entertaining.

OK,
I promised a blog on TAPSCon but work has been over the top lately and I’m
still working on it.  I work for a news media outlet in Florida
and we have a missing little girl story that has taken most of my time lately.

I
don’t want to go into it too much, but this young woman claims to have left her
child with a babysitter and then could not find her for a MONTH! She only
admitted the child was missing to her mother, the little girl’s grandmother,
when the grandmother turned her into the cops.

My
“kids” are all adults, over 30, but I still remember how it felt when I could
not find them for a few seconds at the park or at the mall. If my child were
missing for 20 minutes I’d be yelling for the cops, FBI, National Guard, CIA,
Star Gate Control and anyone else that could help me find them. She waited over
30 days, incomprehensible!

Anyway,
I have enough time to jot a few words down about today’s Haunted Central
Florida shoot, The Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp.

The
town of Cassadaga started from
the founding of the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting
Association. The Camp was chartered on December 18, 1894 The Camp was
founded by a trance medium George P. Colby from Pike, New York. 
His spirit guide, Seneca, instructed him to establish a Spiritualist community
in the south. 



The location was chosen for its unique energy level.  The word Cassadaga
is a term used by the Seneca Indians meaning, “Rocks beneath the water.”



The Camp was chartered on December 18, 1894, and as they say, the rest is
history.



Through the years, many psychics have enjoyed reading in Cassadaga due to the
ethereal vibrations with Spirit and clients with utmost clarity.  These
special etheric vibrations emanate from the earth itself, sometimes called Ley
Lines or energy Hot Spots.



Known as “The Psychic Center of the World”, Cassadaga continues today as the
premiere psychic community and is home to some of America’s
finest psychics.

Betsy
the Cassadaga marketing person set us up with Rev. Ben Cox, a SCSCMA Certified
Medium and Ordained Minister. Ben was a wealth of knowledge on Cassadaga, its
history and its spirits.

Rev.
Ben took us to the home of Anita Evans, a SCSCMA Certified Medium and Spiritual
Counselor. Anita’s home is not only one of the older homes in Cassadaga, but
one of the most beautiful Victorian homes I have ever been in.

We
interviewed Ben in one of the upstairs rooms used for séance’s. Ben told us
that several spirits from the history of the house was present as we
videotaped.

As
usual, we had no problems with our equipment or any of the tape on playback.

Rev
Ben did answer several of the questions that had been bumping around in my head
(see my last blog) According to him the spirits exist in a forever now. He says
that it’s no problem for them to stay with us and even watch over us for
extended amounts of time because they have a different time reality.

Rev.
Ben also explained that spirits can pass back and forth from the spirit realm
to our existence with ease and at will.  It’s his belief that the life
force in us exists forever and we can choose to return to this level of
existence and take on another life or stay in the other reality as it wishes.

It’s
not hard to imagine that if there were a place spirits would gravitate to it
would be Cassadaga. If you live anywhere in Florida it's worth the trip.

While we were there several paranormal groups were also there including one from Polk Co. scopeing out investigation locations. 

We went to TAPSCon, near Tampa this weekend and had a great time
talking with al the folks and got some good footage for the show. I’ll blog on
this in a day or so. Time is short right now and I want to do it justice. I really have to thank Dusty Smith for all her help, what a great lady.

Here is an e-mail I got from a friend in Texas. Brian from Brian and Anna Marie, the Ghostology podcast. If you have not given thm a listen please do. Their show is different and funny. It has lots of good information and they still manage to cram in about 2000 laughs per show.  Brian was nice enough to try and answer some of my new bee questions. Feel free to add to this info. Like I said, I'm new.

 

I asked #1.
It seems to me that there are a number of ways ghost hunters, paranormal investigators and sensitives perceive the presence of a ghost or spirit. It seems that some phenomena interact with the living and even show curiosity when investigators are present, (Intelligent haunting's.) It is also my understanding that somespirits (Residual Haunting's) may be unaware that they are dead and may be very confused. The question is: How do you think THEY see US and our world? Do they see us as ghostly figures or do they see our physical world as we see it? How would you envision a spirit perceives us? (I know this may be too simplistic because we perceive them in different ways and there may be as many ways for them to see us.)

Brian: This is one of my favorite questions of all time! I have read so many books, that I honestly don't remember where I read this bit. There was a book on "automatic writing", which, I can honestly say, I still am on the fence with, but this medium type person was speaking with someone on the other side, and they compared the way they see our world as "looking through thick frosted glass" ... We have asked several psychics that claim to speak to the other side, asking what it is like for them. We have gotten answers such as a.) It is just like earth, but with more flowers. b.) It is like a multi-colored sky. ... and... c.) It is rather difficult to explain because their existence is completely different than ours, however they can see our dimension as well as their own at the same time, but ours is less clear at times. So, who knows. LOL! I tend to believe the later, only because it seems to make the most sense to my human brain... hee hee hee...

2#.
How do you think spirits perceive time? Is it as we do, or do they exist in a world where 100 years ago, last year and now exist on the same plane, at the same moment?

Brian: I don't think there is time on the other side, so I can only assume that time is all at once, and if they chose to experience a moment in time, they may be able to do so at will. Another thought is, they may not know they are dead, and are stuck somehow in a looping cycle of their grief, heartbreak, or sudden death unsure of what is taking
place to them. If our intelligence follows, then I would assume one would realize what had happened to them eventually. But then again, if there is no time, then there is no way to describe what it may be like on the other side.

 3#.
What new investigation tools do you see coming down the road? What sort of new scientific ghost investigation gear do/might you see coming down the road? Ion detectors, different types of environmental sensors, etc.

Brian: In my opinion, we need to study quantum physics as well as experiment with the laws of our existence before being able to understand a metaphysical world. The more we can learn about our physics, the more we can open our minds to how the rules are being broken. The whole 10th dimension thing and the "double slit experiment" fascinate me currently, so we are working with Sona-phones as well as devices that convert Electromagnetic fluctuations into sound wavs. So, yes about environmental sensors. Thats my thoughts at least.

4#.
In many of shows I have seen the investigators use thermal imaging cameras, leading me to think that spirits may use ambient heat as an energy resource to manifest. Have you ever considered introducing aheat or other energy source to amplify the phenomenon? (Space Heater?) The same could be asked about magnetic or electrical/static electrical energy. (Such as an Electrostatic Wimhurst Generator or Van de Graaff Generator.)

Brian: That has come up several times and from what we gather, if thermal devices are doing their job (which we use on most sites), it may be that a spirit is pulling from other energy sources, not just heat to form, manifest, or warp our world. An example of heat not being needed for them to produce heat is at the Waverly Hills Sanatorium. It was 42 degrees and yet our thermal sensors were picking up heated movement in the hallways. Their was nothing for the spirit to manifest and manipulate our plane with that produced heat, yet they seemed to produce their own heat. Not sure how this works to be honest, but again, Ill be glad to pass this over to smarter peeps! :D

5#.
What type of technical experts do you feel are needed on an nvestigation team?

Brian: Many and none. LOL! ... For example we are working in caves this Friday and are bringing a geologist with us. This may or may not be helpful. We also like to make sure we have someone around that understands our equipment as well as someone that is semi-sensitive (claiming to be of course). Afterwards, we use 2 different Audio Forensics labs for our audio examinations as well as 1 person who studies our video and another who tears apart our photos. These people don't need a degree or anything, but should have a rather strong history in being able to dissect media and explain what "else" may be causing the anomalies.

6#.
It seems that investigators use both analog and digital audio recorders to capture EVP's. How do EVP's work with digital recorders. If ghosts use magnetic and/or electrical energy to manifest I can understand how they could influence analog recording media but I don't understand how they influence inaudible digital sounds bring recorded. The digital recording is a code (made up of 1's and 0's) that is recorded on the recording media. This seems to indicate to me that the sounds recorded are before the record stage. As sounds are recorded in both systems from pressure differences on a diaphragm and converted to digital data it is the only mechanism I can envision.

Brian: Simply put, yes and no... LOL... great answer ... right? ha ha ha... Every recording device has a diaphragm that also had filters giving the mechanism a range of sound wavs that it is able to pick up, decipher, and record. Digital (0s and 1s) and analog (tape) are merely the end-result in what is manipulating the diaphragm. So the key is the microphone and how IT is set up.

7#.
Do you ever evaluate sounds at different speeds and with different frequency filters?

Brian: Yes, we have and do, but mostly, we trash anything that is NOT 100% clear, unexpected, and in direct correlation with what is taking place in or around the target-site. So basically, if you find a sound that is out of range on a non-enhanced recorder, we will normally check it, and if it isn't anything that is clear, we can say that something was recorded, but that data normally doesn't make it into the bin, however it IS documented.

8#.
Most good recorders have a wider Dynamic range than the human ear do you think this comes into play in the recordings of non-audible EVP's? Could there be Ultrasonic or Infrasonic signals we are not hearing on standard playbacks. Could infrasonic audio generated by phenomenon be the cause of some physical and emotional feelings during an investigation?

Brian: Yes. Exactly. We have two mics that we call the EMMY 1 and the EMMY 2 that only record electromagnetic fluctuations and pulses and then convert them into sound waves. We should NOT ever get anything on these devices. But we have. So there is a different source being used
when EVPs are created, unlike a disembodied voice, which can be heard as a sound wave and recorded at the same time. Just like our GOLDEN "who are you?" audio file recorded at the Waverly.

 #9.
Has anyone done a durational statistical modeling study on a long haunted location? When activity happens in relation to dates, moon phase, sun spot activity, temperature, time, humidity, intervals between reported activities, season... you name it. This may indicate best times for research.

Brian: You would think this would happen more often than not... unfortunately, most of the HAUNTED places are owned by people who charge thousands of dollars per investigation. We have finally found one place that we are constantly taking data on a regular basis. I wish this was done more often.

So, as Peter would say from the Family Guy, "That's my Momma!" ... hee hee...

Thats what Ive got for now... all of the info that you provided we currently are testing. We believe that if we study our laws first, the laws from beyond that veil will make more sense... or ... maybe not!

 

Well, my shoot at Ashley’s in Rockledge went well. I got a great interview and all of the footage I need for the section in my show.  

To my eyes it’s an average bar restaurant for the area. The building is, as advertised an old building. The owner was great and very helpful.

We got there at 1 pm and shot exteriors. The outside is unremarkable, except for a need to redo and paint the Ashley’s sign. The building is right along side the railroad tracks and is built long and thin in the direction of the tracks. It looks very much like a rail station but the owner was very clear that it had never served this function. I think I will research the structure a bit more. 

The structure inside had all the hallmarks of a very old building. The upstairs floor was very uneven and the stairs upstairs were narrow, steep and irregular. I was somewhat surprised that it was as small as it was. The linear arrangement of the building leaves a bit to be desired in the eating arrangement. A brief look through the window in the kitchen door kept me out of there. It was too small for me and my camera.

There was no baseboard on the upstairs board walls and there were several openings near the floor, both manmade and splintered board ends. A flashlight in these openings revealed rodent remains and a few chewed catsup packages. 

I shot in the men’s bathroom and my field producer shot in the women’s. (Yes, there are still a few places I won’t go.)

I set up my interview in the upstairs eating area. I had to use ground eliminator adapters on my three prong lights and because I was in doubt of the power capability of the wiring I kept it down to two lights. 

We had no equipment or battery problems during the shoot in spite of the fact that while we were there a heavy thunderstorm passed through the area. Not unusual this time of year in Florida.

However, I was informed by my field producer Sandi (also my wife) and Richard and Kimberly Cirone from Kissimmee Paranormal Investigation, who came along on the shoot, that all during the interview there was a ???roach on the wall. I later went up to the wall and tried to chase it away and it did not seem to be afraid of me. After that I left it alone.

I was interested in the stained glass windows. Some of them seem to be from a church, others such as the martini glass are not. We were told by the owner that at least some of the windows and the railing upstairs were out of a church in England. (A claim that needs to be researched.) 

There was no indication from any of us there that there was any sort of paranormal activity, but that’s not surprising at 1 pm in the afternoon.

The owner did tell us during the interview that the incidence of any activity has been less in the past few years, for reasons unknown.  

Next weekend TAPSCon.

Well, things are finally starting to heat up.

I have four locations on tape so far. Dusty Smith, President/Founder, Lead Investigator of the Daytona Beach Paranormal Research Group, Inc. took us to the first, an abandoned, turn of the century, African American cemetery. It is reported to be haunted by several spirits.

I shot at mid day because I wanted good video and this area is overgrown with lots of places where a hole or pointy Florida plant could cause serious injury. We did not encounter anything out of the ordinary but the story of the place broke my heart. One head stone brought it home for me, “Gone but not forgotten.” Well, they have been forgotten.

This is the last earthly resting place of many African American veterans who during a time when America was treating them like animals, served our country with honor in the First and Second World War’s. It’s a memorial to strong men and women who tamed early Florida and brought up families.

What I saw was a sandy plot of land that was overgrown with plant life and covered with debris. Even sicker, there were gravesites that had been broken into and robbed of their remains. There were empty beer and booze bottles and all manner of trash. Amazingly we even found CONDOM wrappers!

Some living scum had come in and broken headstones for FUN. They had desecrated bodies. One Vet’s grave had been broken into; his medals ripped off his uniform and then crushed with rocks in the driveway next to the grave!

As sick as it sounds I can understand someone stealing the medals to sell as antiques, but to smash them for no reason, is beyond comprehension.

In the show I will not reveal the location of this cemetery because I don’t want any more scumbags to find it.

Next was the Sunshine Skyway Bridge, in Tampa.

On May 9, 1980, the freighter Summit Venture plowed into the cantilever bridge. More than 1,000 feet of the bridge fell into the bay, killing 35 motorists and bus passengers instantly. It’s still said that several of those people have been seen on the bridge.  Amazingly, not all of the old bridge has been torn down, even though a new bridge was built. The lower portions of the bridge were left and are now used as a fishing pier.

This location was great for me because of the documentation on the accident. I have the recording of the radio call to the Coast Guard, some real historic news footage from the accident and even several interviews from people who were on the bridge that day.

The next location I shot at was the old abandoned Launch Pad of the Apollo missions at Kennedy Space Center.

The old Pad is believed to be haunted by the ghosts of the three astronauts that lost their lives in a tragic fire. When you are on the pad you get a weird feeling, then at night when you enter some of the abandoned buildings, if you're quiet, some say you can hear screams of panic and distress. NASA, at one time, let visitors tour the facility, but due to 'strange occurrences' they no longer include the Apollo Launch Pad on the tour.

I’ve been there three times. The first time to shoot the ceremony that made it a memorial. The second time was after Bruce Willis put a new brass plaque on the memorial, when he was shooting Armageddon and the final time to shoot it for the Haunted Central Florida program.

Some could say that the feeling I had was just the power of suggestion after reading all the haunted material about the place, but I had the same feeling all three times.

It’s hard to explain it. The weird feeling is like nothing I have ever experienced. I first thought it was like the feeling I got when I went to the “Wall” in Washington DC.

I am Nam Era Vet and the first time I went to the Wall I thought I’d just walk up to it and look for the names of friends I had lost. I made it to about 500 yards from the wall and lost it, cried like a baby. It took me almost three hours to walk up to that black stone wall, yard at a time, and if it were not for my wife I don’t think I would have ever made it. I finally chalked it up to emotions I had held in for years, that all came pouring out at once.

After thinking about it I decided that the feeling at the Apollo location was different. The Wall was carved with the names of friends and military brothers who had gone through what I went through. I got a feeling of relief, happiness and closure when I finally did get to the Wall.

At the Apollo site it was different. It was heaviness, a feeling I could feel all around me every minute. The first time I was there, to pay my respects, I placed my hand on the monument. There was no relief, no closure, and the wall was cold to the touch, quite unusual on a hot sunny mid-summer day in Florida.  It was a feeling that made me want to get the shoot done and get the hell out of there. (I was working for the local CBS station back then and we were always at the Cape, Cape Canaveral that is, for launches. I was only 19 or so and these guys were bigger than life to me back then. I guess they still are.)

The fourth is the place they are having the TAPSCon on July 19-20, the Belleview Biltmore Resort & Spa near Tampa, FL.

Built in 1896 the luxury hotel opened January 15, 1897, built by Henry B. Plant, a railway tycoon, on Florida’s west coast.  This place is huge, with 244 rooms; it is the largest wood-frame building in Florida.

The place has several reported hauntings ranging from children, to a woman who lost her husband on their honeymoon to my favorite, the ghost of Maisie Plant, Henry Plant's daughter-in-law.

In 1916, not long after Morton F. Plant, Henry’s son and Maisie, a wealthy New Yorker got married, Maisie saw a double string of natural pearls at an exhibition. They were said to be the finest in the Western world.

Naturally she wanted them. However, Morton was not so keen with the $1 million price tag and refused to buy them for her. (Remember this was 1916!)

So, Maisie went to the jeweler with a unique proposition.  She traded her town house on the corner of 52nd Street and Fifth Avenue in New York for the Pearl Necklace.  If you are familiar with modern New York geography will know the jeweler accepted the swap.  Cartier still occupies the premises as their offices.

Maisie lived a long and interesting life. She had two other husbands, the last one being her former butler. She and finally died in 1957 and her pearls were sold at a Parke Bernet auction in 1957 for a mere $150,000. The price was so low, because of the development of cultured pearls in 1920, and they are now in a private collection.

Maisie is said to roam the halls looking for her pearls. Many of the hotel workers and guests have seen her.

As an interesting side note, if only the Plant heirs had held on to the necklace for a few more decades. A similar natural double-strand sold at Christie’s in Geneva for $3.1 million last November, an astonishing world-record price for a string of pearls.

I’ll be back there in July for TAPSCon. I have interviews scheduled with the TAPS guys and several other paranormal investigation groups.

While I was talking with the folks from Florida Ghost Team, their manager, Shawn Porter invited me and a crew to go on their “Spend The Night Program” on Friday, July18, where you go out on an actual ghost investigation. It’s part of their regular 'Spend The Night' events in Ybor City, Friday evening (July 18). Where they let a group of people investigate with them in a haunted location.

Because I  want to be wide awake for the 19th I’m sending a second crew on the 18th overnight. I will be interviewing folks and shooting equipment on Saturday the 19th and then the TAPSCon organizers have an all night investigation for me to go on that evening. Along with this I plan to shoot more footage of the Belleview Biltmore. When I finally get home Sunday I plan to sleep for 24 hours.

Before I go to the Belleview Biltmore I have several other shoots scheduled, one at the Orlando History Center, it used to be the Orlando Court House and Jail and has housed such famous bad guys as Ted Bundy.

I have a shoot scheduled at one of the most haunted restaurants in the south east, Ashley’s Restaurant in Rockledge Florida,

I’m set up for a full day in Cassadaga Florida a full town made up of psychics and mediums. Cassadaga, a Seneca Indian word meaning "rocks beneath the water" was established as a Spiritualist community by George P. Colby in 1894.

Dusty Smith has also given us permission to go on the Daytona Ghost Walk, Emilio San Martin, from the Orlando Ghost Tours has offered to take us all around Orlando. The folks at the Kissimmee Ghost tours have made a similar offer we plan to accept.

Needless to say this is just the start. I hope to add at least 10 more locations to the DONE LIST before I start editing.

When I do a program, I try to do a ton of research, so that, at least to a limited degree, I understand what I am writing. I hate it when someone makes a program about something I am into and they just do not understand the subject, just don't get it.

I have been listening for at least two hours a day (that’s my drive in and home from work) to Paranormal and Ghost podcasts. I went down the list and listened to all of them

In recent years, general research has gotten a lot easier with the Internet and Podcasts. With a three-hour round trip drive to work, I have lots of time to listen to podcasts.  In I-Tunes, I organized them from most popular to least popular thinking that that would give me the programs with the best grasp of what people wanted to hear.  I have to admit some of them I only made it half way through because of bad audio quality, poor talent or just plain bull shit information.

Then I came across a Podcast called “Ghostology.” It’s part of what’s called the Para-X Radio Network, a website that has a number of fairly good paranormal and ghost hunting podcasts.

I have almost made it through all of the podcast archives. The show ranges from an hour to two hours and it’s the only one I found that gave me a nice range of information along with a format that I can listen to that long. The hosts, Brian and Anna Marie are out of Texas and they have an informative show that uses humor. I love the show. Along with a Who’s Who of guests they have a tech section that explains what the tech gear is, how it works, why it works and how to use it.

They manage to take a fairly repetitive subject and find new things to say. They do take the subject seriously but don’t take themselves that seriously.  (OK, in my opinion, all of the shows are saying the same things. I got an EVP, I saw a shadow, I had a reading on my gauss meter, and I saw an image on the thermal cam. For an outsider it can all get to sounding like the same recording.) Anyway, I love the show and I have been chatting back and forth with Brian. Hey are nice people that believe in what they are doing but are willing to admit that they don’t have all, or even any of the answers. Strangely enough, in my mind that makes them more credible than the guy that says “I know what it is and that’s that.”

I have struck up an e-mail friendship with Brian and he has been giving me some great ideas. He is working on a new show called Ghost Tech. He’s asked me to take a look and evaluate it from a TV standpoint. I hope to talk him into giving me an episode to run along with my show. I also have leads on several other locally produced pilots or short programs that I can run along with mine as a full section. If you have anything that covers ghost hunting in general, ghost equipment or Central Florida ghosts give me an e-mail; I’d love to get a copy to run with my show.

If you want some good info or even just a laugh, give them a listen their website is http://www.para-x.com/ghostology/ and you can search for them on I-Tunes as Ghostology.

That’s all for now.

Jim

 

 

 

 

It’s been a long time between blogs because I have been
working on a web project for work. Now that’s over I can move on to my next
project full time and that’s “Haunted Central Florida.”

 

I have managed to get a few things done over the past week.
I have scheduled shoots with several of the Ghost Tours, made arrangements to
send a crew out on an all night investigation in Ybor City, gotten permission
to shoot in several excellent locations, such as Ashley’s in Rockledge, the
Orlando History Center , The Apollo 1 Memorial,  and gotten the OK from the organizers to be at
TapsCon.

 

Right now I am busy working on research. Even in these days
with the Internet, nothing beats contacting historical societies and searching
archives at the library, for the real scoop.

 

For me to feel good about any location I put on the screen I
have to have verified historical documentation best I can. That way the program
will stand as a respectable documentary and not a puff piece. I have to be as
truthful to my audience as I am to the people I shoot.

 

One of the advantages I have is that I already have a
distribution set up and I know my program will be promoted and made available
to over 200,000 subscribers on the Bright House Networks. That means I don’t
have to worry about ratings.

 

My only job is to make a great program that will educate as
well as entertain.

 

I’m already working on the budget, production schedule,
outline, ideas for interview set ups, questions, and have scheduled the expendables
(expendables = anything that is used up such as tape, bulbs for the lights
etc.) equipment and staff to do the work.

 

For those that don’t know how a TV/ film documentary is put
together, it’s a lot more than taking a camera out and shooting footage.

 

I start with an idea. In this case it was to show historic
haunted locations in Central Florida. I plan
to stay true to that idea but all of the great people that have offered to help
have mad it necessary to put some pieces in the show about paranormal groups
and tours in the viewing area. I also believe my audience will appreciate the
information.

 

Next, I write a treatment that I pitch to my bosses. If they
like the idea I get to run with it.  (I
already did that and was given the “go” for the project.)

 

Next is education. For the past two months I have been
educating myself on the subject as best I can in such a short time. What are
the “best” locations based on criteria? What type of phenomena is a ghost, and
how do I shoot it? What and why is a location haunted? Who are the people who
investigate them, what’s their training, what equipment do they use, what
results do they get, how do they evaluate the evidence? I could go on and on, but
you get the idea.

What type of equipment will I need? How many people will I
need? What are transportation, location services needs etc.

 

For the next step the process varies from producer to
producer. In some cases they write a script and work from that. In my case I
write an outline and list of subjects/locations I want to cover.  Because I work for a large organization that
has several production groups I contacted all of them and found out if they had
shot footage at any of these locations. (Usually the footage is used in
planning and I shoot new footage for the show, but you know what they say, “a
picture is worth a thousand words.”)

 

Next I contact people that can help me get into and shoot
these locations. This part has been easier on this project than on any other
shoot I have done in memory.  I do need
to say that it’s always my job to let anyone I’m working with what I have in
mind, how I plan to present the material and then convince them that I’m not a
kook and that I don’t plan to make them or what they believe in look silly. I
expected this part to be tough on this project. It has not been. You folks have
been wonderful and I hope to make a program that everyone who helped me will be
pleased with.

 

I listen to these experts and take their advice on what to
shoot, how and when to shoot it. With this information I put together a shoot
book, showing directions and basic info for all of the locations and then try
to schedule them so that we can get them done in the least amount of time and
mileage we can. During this time I also work with the art department to design
and produce the graphics and animations I may need for the show, so they can be
working on them while we are out shooting.

 

Next is the production phase. Here is where we finally tromp
out in the field hauling a ton of equipment, batteries, tape, lights, camera,
audio recorders and other junk.  We shoot
exteriors, interiors, interviews and anything else we can get on tape. We
continue doing this until we come to the end of the shoot book. For this type
of program I am a fan of shooting at about a 15 to one ratio. That means for
every min. of footage I use in the show I put 15 min. on tape. For this program
that adds up to 15 hours of tape.

 

Now, we head back to the studio. I ingest all of the footage
to a hard drive and go through it frame by frame, logging it, record time code
and making notes as I go.

 

Now that I know what I have, I start writing a script, text
graphics such as credits and attribution supers. In this case I am also writing
a number of Web pages for a companion Web section that will promote the program
as well as offer more information to the viewer. I also work with the music
librarian to pick music. Some times like this time I compose some of the music
and sound effects myself, on my system at home. The script goes to the voice talent
to be recorded and the text info goes to the art department to finish the
graphics.

 

When I finally get all of the elements in one place I sit at
an editor for three to four days editing, trying different combinations and
building video layers to composite and render to the finished product.

 

Next I sit through a viewing of the first draft show with a
target audience and make notes on anything that they like or don’t like and depending
oh how they like it I may head back to the editor.

 

Next I have to run it past my bosses and legal. If any
changes must be made I make them and resubmit for final approval.

 

 

Finally it’s done and I head off onto another project.

 

Sound like fun?

 

From here on out I’ll be talking about shoots on the day
after I shoot them. I hate having folks show up at shoot without an invite and making
the owners of the location or the people I am interviewing nervous.

 

This is sort of a first look because these blogs will end up
on the Feature Web section for the program.

 

Talk to you soon.

I just started this blog and I would be remiss if I did not
thank some people right off the top.

Dusty Smith, President/Founder, Lead Investigator of the Daytona
Beach Paranormal Research Group, Inc. Dusty took us out to a wonderful but
tragic turn of the century cemetery. Wonderful because it is haunted by several
spirits, tragic because the people of today have not only forgotten them but
have actively vandalized this sacred ground and their resting place. Thanks
Dusty, and we’ll see you again for more of Daytona’s haunted locations.

Emilio San Martin, from the Orlando Ghost Tours, Inc. Emilio
is an old TV guy like me and he has agreed to help us out at a number of spots
in and around Orlando as well as at the Biltmore
in Tampa.

Richard Cirone, Founder and Lead Field Investigator Kissimmee Paranormal
Investigations. Richard and his group have kindly agreed to help us shoot in several
locations. I had a chance to meet with several of their membership last night
and was very impressed.

Bill (forgive me for not remembering your last name, my
notes are at work.) from the Kissimmee Ghost Tour. Bill has offered to help
with locations in Kissimmee.

From what I can see so far, everyone involved with this type
of research is honestly interested in doing a serious job of investigating this
type of phenomena.

I must admit, when I thought of doing this project and
pitched it to my boss I had no idea that there were as many people involved as
there are. My internet research and the few contacts I have made so far have
opened my eyes. I am no longer worried about being able to fill an hour.

I am in the process of writing/producing and shooting a one hour special called "Haunted Central Florida." I have been talking with ghost tour and paranormal groups all over Central Florida. This program will air in the Orlando and Tampa markets from the second week in September through the full month of October.

I have already shot the Builtmore, Apollo 1 Launch  Pad at KSC, and a deserted cemetary in Daytona Beach.

This program is going to be documentary style and NOT a Halloweenee type program. I am making no judgement, just saying that this group or that (or many groups) say this place is haunted, who or what is haunting it and if available the story and why. I hope to get 8 to 10 locations in the primary program and do 31, 30 sec location clips to run on the Orlando and Tampa news channels during October.

I am always looking for people to help with reenactments and as crew. I am very selective and you would need to have theater/film/video acting for re-enactments paranormal or video production experience.  (I do, now and then, take folks who have a great interest and drive for the subject I am shooting.)

There is no pay for this volunteer work (except a DVD of the program with your credit  at the end.) I can not provide costumes, transportation or on set services.

If you agree to these conditions and would like to help out e-mail me at jsawyereditor@myway.com.

If you have suggestion for locations that have interest for this program let me know at  jsawyereditor@myway.com

Remember, I am looking for locations in Central Florida ONLY. Tampa to Daytona Beach. I want locations that have some historic value, Not some local bar, your barn/house/tool shed or any tourist traps. I already have Cassadega, Ashleys, and most of the well documented locations.

I will research any location submitted and it must hold up to that.  There needs to be some historic proof that a person haunting a place did exist and there needs to be a history of hauntings and even paranormal group investigation would be great.

This program will NOT be for sale, so don't ask.

 

Jim