If you’re on the lookout for real ghost footage, then the videos you’re going to want search for the most are the ones with more subtle entities. That’s right, if a spirit in a video looks absolutely terrifying, or is full-figured, there’s an exceptionally good chance there was some heavy editing involved in the video, or someone in a costume. The sheety, expressionless form we generally attribute to apparitions is a stereotype perpetuated by stupid people as a way to try and fit the paranormal in a neat, little box.. Those “ghosts” you see on Halloween decorations are fundamentally symbols, like stop signs and Prince’s name.

In reality, it’s exceedingly rare for a specter to look like that when captured on film. A typical spirit often takes the form of an orb, if it’s visible on film at all. Sometimes, not even a camera can see a wandering ghoul…just the effects, like a previously stationary object suddenly moving, or the camera just plain shutting off. Ghosts also sometimes take on the form of shadows, which are amorphous, dark blotches of spirit energy. Or they may very well retain something resembling a shape, like a third grader’s art project. Some shadows may materialize in a vague human contour too. So, between orbs and shadows, the shadows are the party that prefers superficial diversity.

Ghosts also seem to like showing their presence through electronic monitors, like television screens and computer displays. Entities often flaunt their appearances within digital screens, so if you’ve got a shot of your television showing a face when it wasn’t on, you might have some proof of spiritual life. But before you go running to your friends and the local paranormal investigators, make sure the face isn’t a reflection. That would destroy your credibility. You’d forever be known as “that girl who thought her grandpa’s reflection was a ghost”. Not good.
Unfortunately, it can be very easy to create paranormal effects within any kind of footage, both intentionally and accidentally. Aside from the endless wonders of Photoshop, a visual flare from any light source or a dust speck on the camera lens can look a lot like an orb. Motion blurs and a slow shutter speed can cause ghostly effects on moving people or objects. Smoke and fire are like hidden picture games; look at any photo of someone smoking or a house burning and you can probably see a face in it somewhere. And in the event this comes into question – because many folks are superstitious - the devil is not in your picture, even if the face looks unspeakably wicked. Trust me; the he’s got better things to do than pose for your photo.