From pre-investigation to post-investigation, there's so much we have to do in order to ensure we do an organized and diligent job for our client!
Let's run through our process from start to finish.
Pre-Investigation
The time prior to the investigation is crucial for us to build a rapport with and gather knowledge from our clients. We have a variety of procedures and paperwork that we go through in this phase.
Touch Point
Step one happens when either a client reaches out to us for help via email, phone, social media, or our website, or we reach out to the owners/property managers of a location we're interested in investigating. Both avenues require no exchange of money. We investigate both residential and public 'haunts'.
At this point we conduct a brief phone interview and arrange a time to meet.
Interview & Base Readings
Two of us go to meet the client in person to get an idea of the claims and experiences. We aim to get an idea of the severity, possible causes, the intentions of the client, and how to plan our approach. We'll then go over standard paperwork with the client including liability and confidentiality contracts, to name a few.
We'll also do a bit of recording with some handheld equipment during this meeting to see if we catch anything in areas they've experienced activity. We'll go around doing base readings to get a feel of the default conditions and look for possible explanations to claims.
Confer
Once we've returned from meeting the client and visiting the active location, we chat all together about first impressions and whether we think it's worth our resources for an intensive overnight/weekend investigation. If it's a location we've sought out and is still of interest, or we believe the client in need is experiencing something curious, we'll set up a time to investigate with them.
Research
In the meantime we dig, dig, dig.
We'll scour archives, libraries, the internet, verbal interviews - anything to uncover possible deaths or relevant history attached to the property, land, or clients.
The Investigation
Investigation day is busy; we're bustling in with suitcases and vans full of state-of-the-art equipment, paperwork, and lots and lots of coffee! There's so much to plan and set up.
Team Meeting
Once we've settled in we gather 'round for a meeting. We make sure we're feeling good, alert, and ready. We go through preliminary paperwork (checklists, liability forms, floorplans, etc) before making a plan of action. Loosely, we'll plan our night around hot spots of activity, scientific experiments, and freestyle/livestreaming time.
Center Ourselves
We always try to take time to get in the zone. This could be visualizing some protection, shaking off any expectations, meditating, or anything else that gets us feeling present and comfortable.
Location Check
Creating controlled environments is no easy feat. We generally do a walk through to check for drafts, unnecessary noise pollution, trip hazards, and to get a feel for the layout.
We'll remove any variables that we possibly can that could disturb/bias our scientific research.
Equipment Set-Up
Different locations will require different equipment. We'll always have our handhelds:
EMF detectors
EVP recorders
Flashlights
Walkies
EDI Meter
Night cam
Thermal cam
Polaroid
Ghost box
Laser grid.
Meanwhile, our tech crew will set up static cams at hot spots/in each room, boom and parabolic mics, SLS cams, DVR set-up, and a whole bunch of other gadgets we deem necessary.
This is a long process that continues parallel with investigating all through the night. Someone posts up at base control to watch the monitors and keep tabs on everyone, while someone does a safety check for wiring.
LiveStreaming
Then we start to miss you guys so we hop on our socials to say hi and show you around! We like to use StreamYard to simultaneously livestream on all our platforms. We usually pop in and out of livestreams throughout the night.
Lights Out!
Our favorite part of the night comes when we go dark. We investigate in daylight too, but our equipment is better suited for night and the world is a lot quieter. We usually start with a group session where we have some quiet time to observe the natural state of our environment with a few pieces of handheld equipment.
Then later, we start to split up into smaller groups to various hot spots to conduct controlled recordings and scientific experiments that are executed carefully under the scientific methodology.
Pizza & Paperwork
We meet back at base for a few breaks to have coffee, order food, and touch base with each other to share experiences and review plans.
We usually take this time to update paperwork like incident reporting, experimental labs, and case reports. We'll finish up with some more investigating until around 3-4 am.
Pack Up
Easily our least favorite part of the night is packing up allllll our equipment when we're dead tired (pun intended). Team work makes the dream work, however, and it's usually an efficient process.
We then arrange our rides home or find somewhere nearby to rest if we're too tired to drive. Sometimes we get lucky with a location that can accommodate us to sleep there.
Post-Investigation
The final phase of our process is crucial since this is often where we find compelling evidence and tie up loose ends.
Gratitude
We are habitually humbled by peoples' kindness in letting us into their personal spaces and showing us gracious hospitality, so we make sure they know how we feel. We always send out a thank you email after an investigation and let our client know we're working hard to review footage.
Review
Reviewing is both boring and exciting at the same time. The anticipation of finding something in hours and hours of visual and audio footage (that we can't fast-forward through) keeps us going. We're sure to use the best headphones and to stay alert while we take diligent notes of any anomalies.
If we find something strange we cross reference its timestamp with other present equipment to try to debunk or corroborate it.
Present
Once we've compiled our findings and summarized our conclusions, we meet back up with the client to present them. Whether a client wants this material kept private or not is entirely up to them. If while catching up we come to learn that activity is ongoing or more severe, we try to put them in touch with someone who can help in a more spiritual way.
Our job is to scientifically document and attempt to explain activity by mundane means, and we don't offer house blessings or any type of 'paranormal solution', though we do have some contacts.
Investigations are what make this hard work worthwhile, and we look forward to them the most. Whether we come out empty-handed or not, it's really the process and the truth that's rewarding.
If you or someone you know wants our help, don't hesitate to reach out!
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