Starting Your Own Paranormal Investigation Group

Most of the world has heard of Ghosts Hunters the SCI FI hit TV show. Jason, Grant and Steve have become household names. Their life seems so much fun... traveling to all those great places to hunt ghosts. Having all the latest equipment to play with. Capturing ghosts on tape and ghost voices on recorders almost every time you go out. Is that what it's really like to be a Paranormal Investigator? In a word..no.

Most of us will never have our own TV show nor the equipment they have. We struggle to keep enough extra batteries around. So what's it really like? If you really want to be a Paranormal Investigator the first thing you need to do is sit down and think about it, and I mean really think. Do you know what you are getting into? It's not as easy as it sounds. You have a lot to consider. It's not just staking out the local haunted cemetery with your friends and your cameras. You want it to be fun but you also want to do it legally,safely and professionally. We are going to try to make it a little easier by giving you tips on what needs to be done and the easiest way to do it.

The first thing you're going to need is a name for your group. This one is going to be a matter of personal preference, but it's best to choose something that sounds at least a little professional if you plan working with clients. Say the name of your city is Smalltown. You could use the name Smalltown Paranormal or Smalltown Ghost Hunters Society for example. Short but they sound professional. I know this may seem like it's not a big deal but I have seen groups that have less than pro sounding names and they have a hard time getting clients. We also did a Google search to make sure no one else had our name before we decided on it.

Ok..you have decided on a name for your group, now what about members? You may already have some friends that want to be a part of the group. Make a post on paranormal message boards that will allow you to. Ask friends if they are aware of anyone that may want to join. Please make sure you interview everyone you don't know before accepting them. This also goes for anyone your friends suggest. It pays to be cautious. How many members do you need? That again is up to you but a base of 5 or 6 should be fine.

Once you have a base group set you are ready to think about getting investigations set up and equipment. This is where the real work starts. There is no TV network to set you up with clients, and It's not going to be easy as it looks on TV either. There are probably some local places nearby that you can investigate for practice if nothing else. Check the local library for books on haunted places in your area or ask the locals. The number one thing to remember is no matter where you choose you must get permission to be there. If you have your eye on a local cemetery, contact the church if it's in a churchyard or the local law enforcement or county/city offices. Many will grant permission if you ask nicely and guarantee them you will do no damage, and that you will be responsible for any damage that may be done while you are there. Don't get discouraged when you get no for an answer. That is going to happen alot, but keep trying. You will get some cases by word of mouth. Sending a letter detailing what you will be doing, who will be there, and what you will be using during the invest can be a big help and gives that professional look to your group. Remember you will be on someone else's property and you should treat it like your own if not better.

When you are doing an investigation you won't have a team of producers that keep track of everything you do or help you record or analyze evidence. You are going to need to keep a record of what happens. Having a set of investigation forms makes this a little easier. You can make these yourself or find them on the internet.

Here are a few forms you should have for your investigations.

Permission Form.. The most important form of all. it can be a simple form stating that the home or business owner (or someone that has authority to give permission) gives you permission to investigate the property. Include the time and date of the investigation and both the client and team leader should sign this.

Release Form.. This should have a place for the client to sign either giving or refusing permission to release any investigation information to the public. This is a must for you to have. The client has a right to keep the details private and you must respect that. Our forms have options for just the release of infomation without identifying the client or location, full release and no release.

Request to Investigate Letter.. Send to this to potential clients to obtain permission. Include the guarantee that your will be responsible for any damages also. State when you would like to set up the investigation and how long you expect to be there.

Confirmation Letter.. Once you have permission, outline who will be there, when, how long you will be there and what equipment you will be using. Include what clients will be present and where they are to remain during the investigation. They should not interfere with the invest but can be present. Our forms state that they are responsible for their own safety. Make sure the client and you sign the form.

Pre Invest Form... This is a short questionnaire on what has been happening at the location. Ask what has been seen, heard , who has seen or heard what and when. How often the activity occurs and where. Do a sweep of the property and make note of things like street lights, appliances that make noise or anything like that which could be mistaken for something paranormal. If you have an EMF meter, do a sweep to see if you get any unusual readings around power lines etc.

History Form.. This is a good one to have. The more information you have on the property the better. Research the property at your local deed office and library. Talk to the homeowners and even previous ones if possible.

Evidence Form.. This is where you will record everything that happens during the invest. Keep track of times you started the invest as well as times your EVP work starts. You can carry small note pads with you to note the times something happens during the invest such as strange noises. There is a free program we use called Ghost-Tech PI that can be used to record evidence.

Follow Up.. A couple of weeks after the invest contact the client and find out how things are going since your visit. Is activity still occuring?

Members ID card... Make sure each member has one identifying them as a member of your group and that they carry this at all times when on an investigation.

Equipment Checklist.. You really need to have this one. List all equipment and check off items before you leave. You won' t have to worry about having forgotten something once you get to the invest site.

Using forms like these is up to you but I highly recommend it. Not only will you look professional, you'll have a complete record of all your investigations. I also recommend making a handbook for your group which outlines your group protocol and rules along with the forms. Include a membership form for each member to sign and include on this form that they are responsible for their own safety while on an investigation.

You have your name, members, and possible places to go. What now? Have you thought about equipment? Forgot about that part did you? Don't worry... you can do a good investigation without spending a fortune. A good 35mm or digital camera, a compass and flashlight would be fine if that's all you had. You don't have to have thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Here is a short list of affordable items you can use in your investigations.

Road Maps - Some are free ( check the internet for maps also) or you can get a really nice atlas. Either way, if you are goiing somewhere you have never been it pays to have one handy.

Watch - Usually someone has one but make sure to always have one with you. If you are on a time limit you don't want to run over that limit.

35mm or Digital camera- From $50 and up. 35 mm cameras are good to use since you will have the negative which can be a great back up for anything you may capture.

Digital Voice Recorder with USB port - Around $60

Flashlights - A cheap but essential tool

Compass - Can be used in place of an EMF meter and can be anywhere from $5 up

Note Pads and Pens - These you probably have already

EMF Meter - Different models work differently and they start around $35

Walkie Talkies or two-way radios - Handy to keep track of members if you are investigating a large area.

Items you can invest in if you have the funds..

Digital Temperature Sensor - Start at about $70

Digital Video Camera w/ nightshot - $ 100 and up

Let's see...you have the basic stuff done now. Name, members, possible invest locations and some tools. Now you need to get your name out there. Remember the tip about websites and posting? The same thing can work to get your name out there and get some invests lined up. Join paranormal boards and communities and post about your group. Any message board or community your are a member of can be a great place to advertise. Be sure to read to site guidelines on posting first. If you have a printer you can download free software to make business cards or fliers. What about your own website? There are many free webhosting sites you can use as well as paid sites. Do a web search for these and you'll find hundreds to choose from. Some have premade templates if you know nothing about website building software.

Once you have everything ready you can begin to do investigations. Send out the request letters or talk personally with property owners. Get the permission forms signed and set up the date and time. Here are a few guidelines you should follow when you are investigating any location.

1. First and most important is always obtain permission before going onto any property.

2. Make sure each member has an ID. A Drivers License and Group ID card should always be carried with you.

3. No horseplay of any kind should be allowed. Not only is it potentially dangerous, it interferes with the investigation.

4. Do not smoke during an invest.

5. Do not wear perfume or cologne. It can be mistaken for possible spirit activity.

6. Carry extra batteries, and a first aid kit.

7. Always be respectful of any property you are on as well as the clients.

8. It 's a good idea to do a daytime scout of the location to identify things that could be a safety hazard or mistaken for something paranormal, like street lights, potholes or hidden fence posts. Look for houses or bulidings nearby that could have lights on at night also, as well as other roads nearby that cars could be riding on.

9. Remove straps from all equipment. Camera straps and other things have been mistaken for vortices and ectoplasm. If you really have to leave the strap on make sure it is secure and cannot get in the way of the lens.

This is just a short list but you get the idea. These things should be part of your group protocol.

One common question about investigations is should you go during daylight hours or only at night? There may be times you can only go before dark. There is no law that says investigations have to be done at night. TV has made many think you can only get results that way, but paranormal activity can happen at any time. If daytime is the only time you can get a certain location by all means go for it. It may be a good idea to do your first invest during daylight. You can scout the area out for possible safety hazards, plus it can be test run to see how well your group works together.

You have pretty much everything you need to have your own group now, so what's next? Before you go on your first investigation practice with your equipment. Use your EMF meter in your house and check out how much energy the things in your home give off. Point it at the fuse box, or TV set and watch what happens. If you practice on things around the house you can get an idea of what you may run into during an investigation. Do trial runs with with your recorders also, so you can see how long batteries will actually last on average. You'll be glad you took the time to practice once you get out in the field.

If you have watched any paranormal TV program or visited any paranormal website you know the terms orb,ecto mist and shadow ghost or shadow person. I personally believe that 99% of the "orb" photos and video we see are dust, moisture or insects. Some can also be caused by reflective objects like road signs and windows. The internet has many sites that have example photos you can check out. It's worth it to visit some of these and see what dust orbs and such look like. The same goes for EVP's. There a ton of EVP based sites that have tips on getting the best results and also have EVP's posted. There are free software programs you can download to help you clean up and edit your recordings also. Wavepad and Audacity are just two of them and I use them both.

Now you are ready to start investigating. Remember... practice first. Once you are confident in using your equipment, you can start investigating. There will always be something new to learn as no one is an expert. Just be careful, do it legally and have fun!

Sources
I am a Paranormal Investigator in North Carolina and I have used my own experiences and ideas for this article, as well as some of our own group protocols.