What's up with those Ghost Hunter (TAPS) Folks

Been watching the Ghost Hunters (TAPS) series on TheDareWall and I just got to season 6.

They drive around in upscale SUVs. They have infrared cameras, wireless audio and video; Tons of expensive electronics; But yet it looks the best flashlight they can afford is a Maglight 2AA with a beam full of rings, while most of the crew looks like they have Harbor Freight multi LED specials. . . .

They they point their lights down hallways trying to see what's happening 30 meters away, and the lights can't even illuminant that far.

Even taking the whole ghost thing out of the equation, some of the places they have been are just dangerous to navigate in without good lights. I would want a nice floody light GP light like a PD32UE that I could keep on low for moving around. Then I'd also want a pocket thrower like a Fenix TK or a ArmyTek Predator for those long dark hallways. Of course I would want some spare 3,400ma cells for each. Finally a nice 1xAA D25A or a 2xAA LD22 (or similar) as a last ditch back up.

But things that look a lot like Harbor Freight specials. . . . No Thanks!

Ghosts really hate bright lights. It's best not to anger them.

Agree with you on TAPS. Such puny lights to see in those dark, dripping, sanitarium hallways.

Another show that cracks me up is American Pickers.
The two guys seem to use lights picked up at the discount bin near the cashier's counter of their local Ace Hardware.

Well they could walk around with Niwalker Novas, but then they'd have to explain to the audience that the search is actually taking place at night and not at midday..

WalkIntoTheLight said:

Ghosts really hate bright lights. It's best not to anger them.

Click to expand...

That was funny!

I'd go with the concept of "Mood Lighting".

The harder it is to see, the scarier it is, because you are less sure that you'd see danger, and, artifacts and shadows dancing about add uncertainty and excitement to the scene. If it was well lit, such as with stage lighting so that everything was clearly visible, fishing line, foot prints in dust from having gone through the same hallway multiple times to set up props cue points, and choreography, etc, it would not LOOK scary.

It HAS to look scary, as that means it might have ghosts...and, if the show were filmed in day light (How hard would THAT have been?), the mood would be ruined.

So, sure, thousands of dollars spent to see stuff that is not really there, and, thousands SAVED making sure that was IS there can't be seen.




And not angering the ghosts is really funny.


After I'm dead though, I'll be angered by those using dim lights, and I will poltergeist the dim lighted dim wits for perpetuity.

WalkIntoTheLight said:

Ghosts really hate bright lights. It's best not to anger them.

Click to expand...

this guy gets it

Some people say ghost´s need energy to make noises or throw rocks at you
Some ghost hunters claim that after a paranormal event their batteries were drained empty
So maybe their are afraid that if they carry a lot of Li-ion batteries that the ghost has the power to throws a GIANT rock at them instead of a tiny one

RUSH FAN said:

Another show that cracks me up is American Pickers.
The two guys seem to use lights picked up at the discount bin near the cashier's counter of their local Ace Hardware.

Click to expand...

LOL! Yeah! I was thinking the same thing! Also, if you pay attention, they seem to use a different crappy light each episode. some of them are rediculous.

StarHalo said:

Well they could walk around with Niwalker Novas, but then they'd have to explain to the audience that the search is actually taking place at night and not at midday..

Click to expand...

LOL, good one

Not that this has anything to do with that example, but every time I watch a dark tv/movie scene where someone's shining a surprisingly dim beam around given the context, I think about how much less suspenseful it would be if they were using an adequate light.

The Engineer said:

Some people say ghost´s need energy to make noises or throw rocks at you
Some ghost hunters claim that after a paranormal event their batteries were drained empty
So maybe their are afraid that if they carry a lot of Li-ion batteries that the ghost has the power to throws a GIANT rock at them instead of a tiny one

Click to expand...

Or grenades if they are using LiCo's.

Mind you , they are probably Using good batteries in all their equipment.

Conte said:

Or grenades if they are using LiCo's.

Mind you , they are probably Using good batteries in all their equipment.

Click to expand...

I'd beg to differ on the flashlights, as they don't use any that can even TAKE good batteries.



Remember, the lights on that shw are PROPS, they are not used to SEE with, they are used to NOT see with, as the darker an eerier it looks, the scarier the show can be, etc.

Obviously, if they can use FLIR, and so forth, they could drop a few bucks for even some area flood lights, such as used for emergency lighting for road construction, etc....or theatrical lighting, which their studio must have somewhere as well, and so forth.

Its poor lighting because its SUPPOSED to look dark...bit like they are TRYING to see, but the dim yellow donut lights are just barey showing anything...but they have to look like they are at least attempting to see. WE would be the only one's in an audience wondering why the lights are so dim.






Using a GOOD light would not be in their best interests, and, so, the el cheapo prop lights are used instead.

Lights that are too bright will hurt the night shooting that they always do while inside buildings. All you would see is the flash from the lights. Just my take on it.

Plus you don't want to **** off the spirits.

leon2245 said:

Not that this has anything to do with that example, but every time I watch a dark tv/movie scene where someone's shining a surprisingly dim beam around given the context, I think about how much less suspenseful it would be if they were using an adequate light.

Click to expand...

Or how horror films would end differently if just one of the victims carried a Glock/Kimber/S&W/Ruger/what-ever

"I'm the evil Blair Witch!!!"
Bam Bam Bam
"Now your the dead Blair Witch!!!!"

Movie over. .

wjv said:

Even taking the whole ghost thing out of the equation, some of the places they have been are just dangerous to navigate in without good lights.

Click to expand...

I have spoken to some of the 'hosts' who help them navigate these buildings safely. The whole crew usually visits beforehand during the day, and there seem to be people creeping around in the dark to warn actors away from trouble spots. Some of these might be water-damaged floors, or collapsed sections. They also never film two scenes in a row: An actor who sprints off-camera to "get help" will actually have a definite cue to stop out of frame, then they carefully make their way to the other spot, and come into frame out of breath, as if they had just stumbled through the dark at a running pace.

AnAppleSnail said:

An actor who sprints off-camera to "get help" will actually have a definite cue to stop out of frame, then they carefully make their way to the other spot, and come into frame out of breath, as if they had just stumbled through the dark at a running pace.

Click to expand...

Seems like a lot of work, to shoot fake scenes for a fake reality show; Wouldn't it be easier to not even bother with the location? "We're here at the haunted Wal-Mart.." "We're here at the haunted cable network production studio.."

StarHalo said:

Seems like a lot of work, to shoot fake scenes for a fake reality show; Wouldn't it be easier to not even bother with the location? "We're here at the haunted Wal-Mart.." "We're here at the haunted cable network production studio.."

Click to expand...

I've actually seen a show that did exactly that! They claimed the top floor of their studio was haunted, then spent a night of terror investigating it. It was really boring, and lame! They basically sat around getting tired and claimed they were hearing ghost noises every once in awhile. I really hope they didn't get paid overtime for it.

WalkIntoTheLight said:

I've actually seen a show that did exactly that! They claimed the top floor of their studio was haunted, then spent a night of terror investigating it. It was really boring, and lame! They basically sat around getting tired and claimed they were hearing ghost noises every once in awhile. I really hope they didn't get paid overtime for it.

Click to expand...

I would blame that on the script writers.

Reality shows spend a lot of time on the scripts, incentives and editing, to combine and edit what results into something that passes for reality, except with "intriguing plot lines". When they do a good job, the reality show has legs. When they do a poor job, the show dies.