Equipment: What Do These Travel Channel Ladies Prefer?

There were so many interesting questions that Travel Channel stars Amy Bruni, Cindy Kaza, Katrina Weidman and Chelsea Laden answered during their press conference call to promote their Comic-Con@Home panel, “Wonder Women: Superstars of Paranormal.” I’ve covered everything from their role models to their stance on social media and points in between, but I have one last one (I promise!): Equipment.

What sort of gadgets and tech do they like best, or do they prefer to employ the K.I.S.S. (Keep It Simple Stupid) rule? Let’s find out.

The Question

The question came from Gabriel Lennox from Thinking Outside.

I’m completely obsessed with like the technology that I see in paranormal investigation and ghost hunting shows.  So, if you could each go down and let me know–what’s your favorite like gadget, for lack of a better term, to use when you’re out on an investigation?

The Answers

Amy Bruni

This is Amy.  And it’s funny because when I talk about this a lot–when I first started, I was obsessed with the technology involved in paranormal investigating.  And now, as I’ve–you know, I’ve been doing this now for like over 20 years, which is scary to think.  But, I have become more–my favorite piece of equipment is just a digital voice recorder because I can get straight answers.  I collect EVPs that way, which is electronic voice phenomena.  I’ve really kind of scaled back from all of the gadgets and more have focused on getting direct answers and also kind of listening to my own feelings and my own reactions and my own experiences.  So, I don’t know if that’s necessarily the answer that you want to hear.  But, I just feel like I kind of evolved back from all of that.  We do still use a lot of–we use a ton of tech on Kindred Spirits.  We more use our technology by like spreading it out around us because we want to walk into its face and not seem threatening in any way.  So, anyway, that’s how we use our tech in a way that when we walk in a space, we don’t want a spirit to see us being–holding all these unfamiliar gadgets.  We walk in with just the recorder and have everything set off in the distance.  So, I’d say the recorder is probably our key piece.

Katrina Weidman

This is Katrina.  And for me, I’m with Amy.  I don’t really like to use a lot of tech.  But, I work with people who do.  So, I kind of use it by proxy.  But, I guess the pieces that I have had the best results with is what I’ll speak to.  And those have been certain recorders.  And, again, I don’t really know that one recorder is better than the other.  But, there definitely seems to be some recorders that get more answers than others.  And I used to work with occasionally Debbie Constantino (SP) who has since passed away.  But, her theory on that was that the more you use one particular piece of equipment, the better it becomes.  So, she believed there was some sort of energetic association with it from your energy being used.  I like to (inaudible) by George Brown.  That’s one of my favorite pieces of equipment that I’ve had good results with.  It is what people call a spirit box, essentially.  It’s (inaudible) technology.  And I also like a really good camera.  We had a camera operator that I worked with before who purely from a cinematic standpoint–he worked with the camera company to change the sensor of his camera.  And that ended up doing something where–I don’t know what happened.  But, we tapped into being able to pick up figures like I wouldn’t say all the time.  But, there were at least five really solid figures that we’ve captured using his camera.  So, I find that fascinating.  I’m excited to see where that can go in the future.

Cindy Kaza

This is Cindy.

Chelsea Laden

For–.

Cindy Kaza

–Sorry, Chelsea–.

Chelsea Laden

–Hilarious.  No, you go.

Cindy Kaza

I was just going to add, you know, because I don’t use a ton of technology.  But, I do love the digital voice recorder.  That is one thing that I do have with me on the show in the main investigation.  And I think it’s just so awesome when you really capture a really clear communication through that.  I mean, I think it’s–that’s my favorite, personally.

Chelsea Laden

I have to admit the digital recorder is pretty mind-blowing at times.  It’s a very bizarre feeling when you play back the digital recorder, and there’s something clearly there that was not in the room with you while you were recording out loud with your own (inaudible).  So, it’s definitely in my top.  But, I’m in the phase right now, where Amy mentioned, where she experienced at the beginning of her career, where I totally geek out over the technology.  Personally, my ultimate favorite is the (inaudible).  And, you know, it’s that device that has a word database in it.  And when a word is selected, actually vocalizes the word so it actually speaks it out.  So, it’s pretty creepy.  And since our show is focused around fear, it’s safe to say that a device that’s giving you like this vocalized response that can–that may be manipulated by a spirit really does amplify that fear for sure.  It makes you feel like there’s something like right there in communication and in direct conversation with you.  So, I’d have to say (inaudible) is my favorite.

Check-In

If you investigate, what’s your favorite equipment?

If you don’t, but watch the paranormal investigations on TV, which equipment do you like watching the ghost hunters use?