For over 20 years, I have been investigating the unknown. With that said, it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to paranormal television. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of entertaining and smartly written series out there to watch. However, I do believe that some are beginning to overlap and meld together a little too much. Personally, I wanted something fresh and different in this genre. On July 15, 2010, my paranormal prayers were answered.
Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files is a uniquely developed concept admist the more “typically done” shows on the unexplained. Fact or Faked isn’t just about a group of ghost hunters who go out and simply film their investigations in the darkened corridors of old, abandoned buildings. There’s a whole lot more to this series. In each episode, a team of paranormal experts review various viral videos and photographs which may possess unexplainable and strange phenomenon. The videos and photos are mostly submitted to the team, although some of the footage is searched out by the show via the Internet. The team, led by former FBI agent Ben Hansen, looks over the photos and videos in the hope of finding whether they might be faked, or possibly authentic, paranormally speaking. If the footage is deemed worthy enough for further investigation, the team will then travel to the destination at hand (which may be out of the country, in some cases) to try and replicate the paranormal activity reported. The group will also attempt to test out various theories through experiments to see if the phenomenon was manipulated in any way. Once the testing is complete, the members will discuss their findings back at their headquarters in Los Angeles. When investigating, the team of six will divide into two seperate groups, allowing coverage of more than one case. For instance, three members of the team may take on a UFO case out in a Nevada desert, while the remaining few will visit a notoriously haunted bed and breakfast in Vermont. In the end, all members will share what they have learned on their cases with one another in what is called The Situation Room.
On a show such as Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, good teamwork is crucial for obtaining significant research and evidence. I recently was given the great honor of catching up wiht the show’s team leader, Ben Hansen. Hansen enthusiastically discussed his role within the group, and how his esteemed colleagues help make the show so successful. Jael de Pardo is a journalist, Bill Murphy acts as a lead scientist, Austin Porter is the stunt expert, while Lanisha Cole offers her expertise in photography and Devin Marble gives support as a tech specialist. The team meshes well, and brings forth good chemistry and harmonious cohesion. Cole and Marble are the team’s newer members, replacing former photographer, Chi-Lan Lieu, and effects specialist, Larry Caughlan, Jr. According to Hansen, team members sometimes need to move on and so they must be prepared to let go and bring in new experts as needed. “We have open calls for new members all the time. You just never know when someone will need to leave, and so we are always looking for new additions to the team,” explains Hansen. Cole, the newest member this season, was the perfect fit in the area of photography. Hansen states, “She always has a camera with her. It’s great for a lot of behind-the-scene photos we are doing right now.”
Though some team members have come and gone, Hansen has no intention, himself, of leaving anytime soon. He loves where he’s at in regards to the show, and is looking forward to Season 3 with great anticipation. For Hansen, this is a dream job. “I have had a life-long interest in the paranormal,” confides the team leader. When Hansen was a child, he started to become passionate about the unknown, especially after watching a certain movie. “I was around eight-years-old and I watched E.T. After I saw it, I laid awake that night thinking about life on other planets. My dad bought me a book on extraterrestrials, but I hid it. I thought it was geeky, and I was embarrassed to show anyone else the book. I also very much became inspired by UFOs because of my grandfather. He worked at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Later on, while I was in college, I got into ghost hunting. I would go out on ghost investigations and it was then that I got my first EVP. I guess I probably should have been studying instead,” Hansen says with a chuckle. Post college, Hansen started working in law enforcement and investigated child sex crimes, among other things. “I love criminal investigations,” states the former FBI agent. “I always watched X-Files when I was growing up, so I thought, ‘Why can’t I do both?’” Hansen further states that he uses many of the same skills on Fact or Faked that he did while working in the FBI. He considers interviewing witnesses to be one of his strengths while investigating. “After doing an analysis of a video, I need to talk to the witness or the source. Replication of the video only gets you so far,” explains Hansen.
I asked the show’s leader what is the one place he would love to investigate that he hasn’t had a chance to as of yet. “I would go to Roswell. I am really into UFOs, and it would be amazing to investigate there,” answers Hansen. “There is a supposed autopsy video of an alien at Roswell.” Now, that would be quite a piece of footage for the team to review!
So, what does it take for Hansen and his team to analyze their submitted videos and photos back at their California base? “First off, I don’t like the word, ‘debunk;’ instead, I like to use the phrase, ‘verifying paranormal claims.’ As far as what to look for in footage, well, that’s a good question. The human mind has different levels of intellect. The mind can only keep track of four variables, including logic and emotion. To me, if I look at something and it just doesn’t feel right, then I break it apart logically. Then, there are the signs of c.g. (computer graphics) and there are also the psychological aspects. If I see a video where the camera is set to a certain spot in a room, to me, it looks like the person filming may be staging something; by getting the viewer to look in a specific area, as if something will be happening there. Also, majority of hoaxing videos are brought to us and not the other way around. If we go searching the Internet for footage, it’s different. If someone seeks us out to show their video, it very well could be faked.”
When it comes to hoaxes, some can be quite involved and elaborate. One case, in particular, comes to mind for Hansen. “On our show one of the most amazing hoaxes was that of the Dr. Jonathan Reed alien case out of Washington. We still get comments from Reed’s group, and he is still striving to revisit his case. What amazes me is the extent he goes through to talk about it,” states Hansen. Reed is infamous for his tales of alien encounters. Many in the field consider him to be a showman of sorts, and even worse, a fraud. Apparently, as one of Reed’s stories go, he was once walking through a quiet Washington forest with his dog. Suddenly, the dog became spooked and broke loose from his leash. Reed tries to chase after his pet, but can’t get to him. Eventually, he discovers a gruesome scene. Reed’s beloved pet is being ripped apart from limb to limb by an alien-like creature, only a couple of feet away. Reed runs up to the creature and smacks it on the head with a large stick, knocking it to the ground causing it to bleed. Soon after, Reed sees a floating object, much like a spaceship, that measures 3 feet by 2 feet. In addition, after the dog died, Reed claims that the alien turned its bloodied body into ash. So, he grabs a video camera and starts filming everything going on around him. Meanwhile, Reed starts vomiting in the background, and can be heard breathing heavily on camera. He then takes the alien back to his house, wraps it in a blanket, and puts it in a freezer. Shortly after, Reed decides to take a nap but is too restless to sleep. He goes back over to the alien body and starts to film once again. Most who view the footage adamantly believe it to be nothing more than a hoax, albeit an elaborate one. Some disagree, however, and claim the video to be legit, noting the convincing blinking of the alien’s eyes in one scene.
Hansen believes that paranormal hoaxers have been around for centuries. Doctored photographs of spirits and ectoplasmic images were commonly seen during the Victorian Era. “This was like an early version of Photoshop,” laughs Hansen.
Though there are plenty of fakes out there, Hansen also notes that there are videos and photographs that just cannot be explained, especially some of which are seen on Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files. “I like the cases that leave me perplexed, including one that will be seen in the spring season. It’s about a woman in the U.K. who disappeared. It involves alien abduction. I can’t really say too much about it, but you do know now that I never could understand the case and I am still intrigued by it,” confides the investigator.
As mentioned earlier in this passage, some footage needs a more detailed investigation, which warrants a visit to the actual site where the activity was experienced or recorded. Theories need to be tested in order to ensure the evidence filmed is indeed, authentic. Scientific gadgets and impressive pieces of equipment are used during this part of the research process. Everything from inflatable spaceships to high-tech thermal cameras are utilized, and many of these devices are worthy of a James Bond movie. Team members must be prepared for just about anything when investigating a para-claim. So, how do these guys think of such involved and highly detailed theories and experiments? “A lot of what you see is through our viewers’ suggestions which are found online. We try out their ideas, even if the experiments seem over-the-top and ridiculous,” explains Hansen. “We’ve even called Disney before for information on holograms.”
When the team is not looking for mermaids or is busy searching out life on other planets, they are spending time with people who love them best- their fans. For Hansen, meeting fans face-to-face is his other great passion. “I love to break away from filming and meet my fans. This brings me satisfaction.” Hansen and his teammates get to visit their Fact or Faked fans at a variety of national paranormal conventions set up throughout the year, and also by organizing ghost hunts with the public. Hansen, and sometimes other members from the team, will host paranormal investigations and allow their fans to participate. One of Hansen’s last ghost hunts was at the very haunted Ft. Mifflin in Pennsylvania. Hansen has worked with the cast of the hit show, Ghost Hunters, and is planning a large investigation set for March with Steve Gonsalves and Dave Tango. Sometimes Hansen leads his public investigations alone, while other times he will join forces with other team members or paranormal celebrities. “It really depends on the size of the event ultimately,” states Hansen. “We love bringing the investigations to our fans and allowing them the the chance to learn.” Participating on an investigation with highly skilled researchers such as Hansen, is a truly great way to gain experience and insight as a paranormal investigator.
Though many aspects of the paranormal are not fully understood, and we often encounter numerous faked or hoaxed pieces of evidence in the field, one thing is for certain-Hansen and his team of experts are the real deal. Knowledgable, credible and highly professional, the cast of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files is one to be watched for many more seasons to come… and that, after all, is a fact.
Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files can be seen on the SyFy Channel on Wednesday nights, 10/9c.
There are only two weeks left of Season 2, so catch these last great episodes while you can!
If you would like to connect with Ben Hansen, look for him on Twitter at BenHansen00. Or, you can become a fan of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files by going onto syfy.com/factorfaked/twitter. If on Facebook, you may look for Ben Hansen or go to www.facebook.com/FactOrFaked
If you would like to make arrangements to do a ghost investigation with Ben Hansen, please contact Kim Rebman at penkavak@yahoo.com for more details.
For more information on the show or if you are interested in submitting a video or photograph to the team, please visit www.syfy.com.
Photos for this story were granted by NBC Universal. Copyright 2011 NBC Universal, All Rights Reserved.
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