Brian Leffler
A well respected paranormal investigator for many years now.
Before that, he would have laughed at anyone telling him ghosts are
real. Then, out of nowhere he moved into a house that provided
him with a multitude of paranormal experiences that eventually cracked
the hardened shell that is hard-nosed skepticism. He began to
study the paranormal and became a paranormal investigator. Now
Brian is an author, being published on the Internet, in Fate Magazine
and his own book called Ghosts: Minnesota’s Other Natural Resource.
He is also a radio show producer and on-air personality with Shadow
Talk Paranormal Radio and loves to conduct interviews with his peers
in the paranormal field. Brian is also a public speaker and
is a member of the Robbie Thomas Tour Team and he hopes that you will
be watching for the Robbie Thomas Tour to come to your location so
that he will have a chance to meet his listeners. What he is
most proud of are the advances that he has contributed to in the field
of paranormal research such as finding proof that not all orbs are
dirt but in fact, a small percentage of them are actually spirit related!
Official Web Site www.shadowtalkparanormalradio.com
Brian Leffler 20 Questions
1. Where do you see ghost hunting and Paranormal groups, web sites or Ghost information, tours, Books Paranormal Radio and Television in 10 years?
In 10 years I see the field of the paranormal gaining more acceptance
in the main stream. I see more serious efforts being made to collect
verifiable evidence that is much more difficult to refute and main
stream science having a more difficult time in debunking the methods
used by the serious investigators. The way it sits now is that there
are a million “weekend warriors” that are out there with
their digital crap evidence collection methods that are seriously
damaging the strides that were made in the earlier days of evidence
collection. I know it sounds harsh but as soon as it gets figured
out by investigators that we must have something to scrutinize in
order to present evidence, it won’t get better. I think that
the blinders will come off in the next 10 years and everyone will
get back to their roots and begin collecting good, solid evidence
again as opposed to opting for just quick and easy.
2. What would you personally consider to be the definitive proof that ghosts are real?
Well, at this time the only definitive proof that I have is only good
as proof to me. I have shot plenty of video that shows me definitive
proof that they exist. I also have seen ghosts with the naked eye.
I have heard their voices directly interacting with mine on audio
tape. It has been proven to me that they exist time and time again.
3. What is the most real evidence you personally have uncovered so
far?
Well, as I said, I have shot many compelling videos that tall quite
a story but perhaps my favorite is the one where we actually captured
an orb that manifests into a shadow. That video tape gave me conclusive
proof that orbs are most assuredly part of the paranormal realm. Of
course 99% of the orbs in photos are just a result of dust or digital
cameras but they do exist and when this one manifests into the shadow,
it is very compelling and hard to deny.
4. Are you skeptical of the claims others make of their findings?
I am skeptical of their findings as well as my own. I am probably
harder on my evidence than I am on theirs. Everything must meet strict
standards before I will consider it to be paranormal evidence no matter
who is putting it out. I am a firm believer that you have to be skeptical
or you are just putting out crap evidence and seeing ghosts around
every corner.
5. If you could investigate your "Dream Haunted Hot Spot" where would it be?
My dream investigation would be to have Alcatraz all to myself and
my team for an entire weekend. That would be the dream, to have our
team there studying ghosts without interruption.
6. What was your first Paranormal encounter?
The first encounters that I had were with ghosts in an old house in
which I lived back in the early 1990’s. This is the first one
that I can recall and definitely say it was a ghost anyway. One night
after working the afternoon shift at the prison, I came home and sat
on the couch to unwind and watch a movie. About half-way through the
movie, the water faucet came on in the kitchen. It was the type with
the lift handle. It was on all the way. I got up, went in and turned
it off and it didn’t do it again. The next day I talked with
the plumbers at the prison and they verified that this type of faucet
can’t just turn on all the way for any reason. It was a creepy
house where I slept with one eye open all the time anyway.
7. What scares you about Ghost Hunting or Paranormal Investigations?
The thing that scares me the most about it would have to be the novice
investigators that really don’t know what they are doing. They
don’t know how to collect evidence that can stand up to scrutiny,
they break laws in trying to “ghost hunt” and they don’t
realize what they are dealing with in the long run. To me that is
scary. Heck, ghosts don’t scare me in the least; after all they
are just the spirits of deceased people and nothing more. It is kind
of like meeting people on the street. Everyone has some story to tell.
8. If you could work side by side with one of the Paranormal Investigator
greats, who would it be?
I think the one person I would most like to work with would be Lloyd
Auerbach. The discussion I had with him really made me realize that
we have a lot of things in common where evidence collection is involved
and that is one of the most important things to me anyway.
9. Read any good Paranormal Books lately?
I wish I had some time to read here lately. The last book that I read
that I really enjoyed would have to be Jeff Belanger’s Encyclopedia
of Haunted Places.
10. What Question do people ask you most when you tell them you’re
a paranormal investigator, Radio Personality?
The majority of them absolutely love it and immediately begin to ask
me where some of the local haunted locations are. They ask if this
is haunted or that. It is kind of fun actually. When they find out
that I am a producer and personality of a radio show, they just think
that is the bomb too! It is truly a lot of fun.
11. In your opinion, Where is the most Haunted city in America?
They all are. Anywhere there are people living and dying, there are
ghosts. There isn’t one town more haunted than another, just
more people willing to talk about it and make it public so that we
all hear about it.
12. Do you feel more people should get involved with Ghost hunting
or Paranormal Investigation?
I really hope that more will gravitate away from “ghost hunting”
and move toward investigation. Why do I say this? Because I would
like to see more people doing serious work than people just running
around for a “fun-time thrill.”
13. What does the future hold for you?
The future holds many great things I hope. I have to remain positive,
right? I love writing books and don’t see an end to that until
I kick the bucket. I love doing radio and hope to do television in
the near future. I will not stop investigating until I can’t
do it anymore physically. I love trying to find out the answers about
what happens when we leave this world.
14. Paranormal Conventions do you see them growing? And which ones are the Must go to ones?
The reputable ones will continue to grow and the shoddy fly-by-night
ones will falter and fail. Quality is what it is all about in the
end with every aspect of the paranormal.
15. What is your most favored tool of the trade?
My most favorite tool would have to the video camera. Of course the
only kind is the kind that uses an actual tape and not any of this
digicrap stuff!
16. Tell us about your best moment in investigating or conference attending for you?
The absolute best moment for me so far was when I first saw the video
of the orb manifesting into the shadow. It was awesome to prove that
orbs are paranormal in nature!
17. What is the hardest part about being a paranormal investigator?
The most difficult part for me is dealing with the cynics. They have
no ability to see past their little cubicles. They have no ability
to seek answers or try something new and that really bugs me to no
end.
Another thing that is extremely difficult for me is the people out
there faking evidence. I just want to strangle them some days while
other people want to give them awards. It is a difficult thing to
deal with when you are one that takes pride in keeping good integrity.
18. How do you document your investigations?
Our investigations are documented on paper, film, audio tape and video
tape. We document this way so that there is evidence that the world
can scrutinize. It is the only professional way to do it in my opinion.
19. Have you ever taken a ghost Tour? And, What about it did you not like?
Well, two things in this world I won’t pay for, one is sex the
other is investigating ghosts. No, I haven’t taken a tour.
20. What in the field of ghost hunting and Paranormal Investigating needs the most attention?
I think that if you have read this far, you know what my answer is.
It is getting people to collect good evidence instead of just taking
crap evidence that can’t be scrutinized because it is easier
or cheaper. If you can’t put up the money to have film developed
or buy tapes, stay home and watch television instead.
