Travel Channel's Ghostober Programming Details: "Get ready to scream your way through October, as Travel Channel gets up close with the paranormal during its annual “Ghostober” programming event. Halloween reigns all month long as 31 days of fright-filled premieres take viewers on a spine-chilling adventure to the other side – where tales of ghosts, witches and the unexplained will leave you hiding under the covers. Beginning Tuesday, October 1, a creepy mix of new series, specials and returning favorites will conjure up a nightly treat for viewers looking for thrills and chills.
Included in this year’s lineup is “Haunted Salem: Live,” a special four-hour live ghost investigation in one of the nation’s most haunted cities: Salem, Massachusetts. Led by a team of the network’s biggest paranormal stars, the immersive multiplatform event, premiering Friday, October 4 at 8 p.m. ET/ 5 p.m. PT, will investigate the ghostly activity at three historic locations tied to the infamous Salem Witch Trials.
Get ready for a frightening cross-country road trip to America’s most haunted abandoned buildings. “Destination Fear,” premiering Saturday, October 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, follows Dakota Laden (“Ghost Adventures”), his sister, Chelsea, and best friend, Tanner, as they face fear head-on in a terrifying sleepover and psychological experiment like no other.
“Halloween is Travel Channel’s Superbowl,” said Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel. “We’re pulling out all the stops for ‘Ghostober’ this year – from a live ghost hunt in Salem, Massachusetts, and an iconic investigation of the house that inspired ‘The Conjuring,’ to reopening the case files of America’s first ghost hunter, Hans Holzer. And we have the biggest stars and experts in the field to take us to every haunted, cobweb-covered corner in America, including Zak Bagans and the GAC, Jason Hawes and his team of paranormal pioneers and newcomer Dakota Laden, who will bring fear to a new level. There’s no better – and scarier – place to be this October than tuned in to Travel Channel.”
The 31-day “Ghostober” celebration continues on TravelChannel.com and Travel Channel’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. Fans can check out exclusive content from their favorite shows, including behind-the-scenes videos, cast interviews, photos and more. Viewers can also stream a variety of Travel Channel’s series, including past seasons of “Ghost Adventures,” on the Travel Channel GO app.
“Ghostober” Lineup:
NEW SERIES
“MOST TERRIFYING PLACES”
Premieres Tuesday, October 1 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
There are things in this world that are not of this world. Sinister, shadowy creatures walk among us and “Most Terrifying Places” uncovers their most horrifying haunts. From the restless dead lurking in gilded theaters to cursed ships inhabited by skeletal crews, each episode explores earth’s gravest locations. But beware – this series is not for the faint of heart. (Six one-hour episodes) #MostTerrifyingPlaces
“THE HOLZER FILES”
Premieres Thursday, October 3 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
In “The Holzer Files,” a dedicated paranormal team – led by investigator Dave Schrader, psychic medium Cindy Kaza and equipment technician Shane Pittman – investigates terrifying true hauntings from the recently discovered case files of America’s first ghost hunter, Dr. Hans Holzer. Recognized as the “father of the paranormal,” Holzer’s legendary four-decade exploration into disturbing hauntings like the Amityville Horror house helped spawn legions of supernatural enthusiasts, more than 120 books and even inspired Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis to write “Ghostbusters.” Now, for the first time ever and with the help of Holzer’s daughter, Alexandra Holzer, Travel Channel exclusively reopens Holzer’s most captivating case files – digging into thousands of documents, letters, photographs and chilling audio and visual recordings dating back to the 1950s. (10 one-hour episodes) #HolzerFiles
“GHOST NATION”
Premieres Friday, October 11 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The “OG” paranormal investigators that started it all – Jason Hawes, Steve Gonsalves, and Dave Tango – are back for all-new adventures to the other side in “Ghost Nation.” Only this time, they’re not alone. The pioneers of the genre respond to urgent calls from local paranormal investigators nationwide who have reached a dead end with their harrowing personal cases, helping homeowners who are dealing with high-stakes hauntings, and people whose lives have been overtaken by unexplained phenomena. Armed with brand new state-of-the-art technology and their meticulous methodology, the team under their new banner, United Paranormal Research Organization (UPRO), will face the most challenging and dangerous paranormal mysteries the country has to offer. With the help of their local contacts, they’ll embed themselves in the community, conducting robust multi-day investigations in an effort to track down the true source of these hauntings and restore peace to the living … and the dead. (10 one-hour episodes) #GhostNation
“HOMETOWN HORROR”
Premieres Friday, October 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Many white picket fence communities across America are gripped with tales of horror, mystery, and intrigue that have lingered over these towns for centuries – dark forces haunting unassuming communities with stories of the undead, ghouls, monsters and things that go bump in the night. “Hometown Horror” delves into these quiet communities to examine what is behind these stories and myths, and to shine a light on what may be lurking in the shadows of small-town America – such as the Pigman of Angola in New York, the hauntings of circus town Baraboo, Wisconsin, the blood-stained history of Perryville, Kentucky, and more. (Six one-hour episodes) #HometownHorror
“THE ALASKA TRIANGLE”
Premieres Monday, October 21 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Alaska is the most sparsely populated of all the states. In a vast expanse of rugged wilderness, one area – known as “The Alaska Triangle” – has been home to so much unusual activity that it has struck fear across Alaska and the world. More people disappear in this area than anywhere else in the United States, with countless sightings of strange creatures, impossible moving lights in the sky, unexplained phenomena and even malevolent ghosts. Are lay lines and electromagnetic anomalies within the Triangle causing these bizarre events? Or is something more sinister at play? From strange reports of military personnel seeing UFOs and missing aircraft that have vanished without a trace, to sightings of fearful monsters and an underground alien base hidden inside a mountain, each episode of “The Alaska Triangle” seeks to unlock the paranormal mysteries hidden within this foreboding location. (10 one-hour episodes) #AlaskaTriangle
“MY HORROR STORY”
Premieres Monday, October 21 at 11 p.m. ET/PT
In “My Horror Story,” ordinary people share their chilling true tales of surviving the unknown. From hellish possessions and blood-drawing spirits to alien abductions and otherworldly creatures, these brave storytellers are shaken to the core as they recall their grave encounters with dark paranormal forces. It's a wild, horror-filled ride through the supernatural. (10 one-hour episodes) #MyHorrorStory
“DESTINATION FEAR”
Premieres Saturday, October 26 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
“Destination Fear” may be the most terrifying road trip ever attempted. Maverick paranormal explorer Dakota Laden – who has spent the last few years investigating the frightening unknown with Zak Bagans and the “Ghost Adventures” crew – takes his sister, Chelsea, and best friend, Tanner, across the country in an RV to spend the night in the most haunted locations in America, testing the limits of human fear. His goal: to face their deepest, darkest fears and prove that the only way we can understand the paranormal is if we push ourselves to the limits of fear and overcome the terror it creates in us. (10 one-hour episodes) #DestinationFear
NEW MINISERIES and SPECIALS
“HAUNTED SALEM: LIVE” – Four-Hour Live Ghost Investigation
Premieres Friday, October 4 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
“Haunted Salem: Live” is a four-hour LIVE ghost hunt from one of America’s most haunted cities: Salem, Massachusetts. Led by a team of Travel Channel’s paranormal experts – Katrina Weidman and Jack Osbourne (“Portals to Hell”), Amy Bruni, Adam Berry and Chip Coffey (“Kindred Spirits”), Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass and Marcus Harvey (“Ghost Brothers: Haunted Houseguests”), Dave Schrader and Cindy Kaza (“The Holzer Files”) – the immersive, multiplatform event will investigate three of Salem’s most haunted locations tied to the infamous witch trials. Teams will simultaneously lead separate paranormal investigations around the city as they seek to expose the hauntings that have plagued this historic city for hundreds of years. Locations include the Ipswich Gaol, where prisoners condemned to die for practicing witchcraft were held; The Proctor House – home of John Proctor, the first male accused and hanged for practicing witchcraft; and Rockafellas, the site of the original meeting house where over 150 people, including farmer Giles Corey, were accused and ordered to stand trial for practicing witchcraft. Giles Corey is believed to have cursed the entire village after he was tortured to death for his crimes. Through an on-location, live video stream, fans can monitor all of the “Haunted Salem: Live” activity on Travel Channel’s Facebook Live feed and comment on any findings in real-time, helping direct the team where to investigate next. Additionally, Travel Channel will be live-tweeting from the event and engaging with fans via Twitter. (Four-hour special) #HauntedSalemLive
“GHOST ADVENTURES: SERIAL KILLER SPIRITS” – Four-Part Miniseries
Premieres Saturday, October 5 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
In the four-part miniseries, “Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits,” Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley, and Jay Wasley embark on a terrifying cross-country journey to document if evil energy lingers within the infamous locations associated with America’s notorious serial killers. As they delve into each case, they will retrace the killer’s steps, visit known hangouts and speak with leading experts to gain insight on why these sociopaths committed their evil acts. Every Saturday throughout October, viewers will follow the “Ghost Adventures” crew members as they investigate locations such as killer clown John Wayne Gacy’s prison cell, HH Holmes’ murder house, and the Squirrel Cage Jail, which housed the vicious Jake Bird. The crew will also study the Anson Call House, an abandoned building that many believe has ties to Ted Bundy’s terror spree during the 1970s. (Four one-hour episodes) #GhostAdventures
“WITCHES OF SALEM” – Four-Part Miniseries
Premieres Sunday, October 6 at 10 p.m. ET/PT
A new four-part docudrama, “Witches of Salem,” chronologically unravels the rapid descent of a town into madness, capturing the day-to-day hysteria that unfolds and puts an affluent New England community under siege. From reports of possession by the devil to mass arrests, sensational trials, and public hangings, each hour-long episode is an in-depth account of the eight months of “satanic panic” that overtook an otherwise sleepy Massachusetts village. (Four one-hour episodes) #WitchesOfSalem
“GHOST ADVENTURES: CURSE OF THE HARRISVILLE FARMHOUSE” (wt) – Two-Hour Halloween Special
Premieres Thursday, October 31 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
A special Halloween episode of “Ghost Adventures” will petrify viewers as the crew investigates the home of the notorious Perron family, whose horrifying hauntings were portrayed in the film, The Conjuring. The Harrisville, Rhode Island, home is one of the most terrifying places in the world and has also been made famous by the work of renowned paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who were called in to help by the Perron family. The Ghost Adventures crew is ready to confront the potentially dangerous consequences of investigating the infamous house. (Two-hour special) #GhostAdventures
NEW SEASONS
“THESE WOODS ARE HAUNTED” (Season Two)
Premieres Monday, October 14 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
The great outdoors isn't always so great. In fact, the woods are filled with mysteries that sometimes cannot be explained. “These Woods Are Haunted” features the true accounts of people who ventured deep into the forest only to come out screaming with stories that defy reality. (10 one-hour episodes) #TheseWoodsAreHaunted
NEW EPISODES
“PARANORMAL SURVIVOR”
Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT
In this revealing paranormal documentary series, survivors of paranormal experiences recount their terrifying and life-changing stories. Each episode features three remarkable stories interlinked by a specific supernatural theme. From dark shadows to demons, violent ghosts to the grim reaper, we document the stories of very different participants with similar experiences and journey with them every step of the way, as they recount the frightening process of what they’ve been through. (One-hour episodes) #ParanormalSurvivor
“PARANORMAL EMERGENCY”
Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT
Police officers, paramedics, and other first responders reveal their true encounters with the paranormal while on duty. Not only do these cases defy explanation, but they also terrify even the most seasoned men and women who have devoted their lives to serve and protect the living. (One-hour episodes) #ParanormalEmergency
“THE DEAD FILES”
Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Former NYPD homicide detective Steve DiSchiavi and physical medium Amy Allan are back on the case with a brand-new season of Travel Channel’s hit series, “The Dead Files.” In every episode, DiSchiavi and Allan first investigate each case separately. Utilizing his detective skills, DiSchiavi interviews witnesses and experts, and researches the history and facts behind each location. Allan, a physical medium who sees and communicates with the dead, assesses the property to identify what underlying entities reside there. Keeping their findings hidden from each other, the team avoids all contact with one another – coming together only at the very end to reveal their shocking discoveries to the property owners, and each other. (One-hour episodes) #DeadFiles
“MOUNTAIN MONSTERS”
New Episodes Return Wednesday, October 30 at 9 p.m. ET/PT
Deep in the Appalachian Mountains, creatures both legendary and terrifying lurk among the shadows, evading capture at every turn. Season Four of the cult-classic series, “Mountain Monsters,” reunites the fearless team of hard-core trappers to confirm the sightings of these fabled monsters. Calling themselves the AIMS team – the Appalachian Investigators of Mysterious Sightings – this rip-roarin’ group of self-proclaimed “hillbilly hunters” treks through the depths of Appalachia’s mountain forests, searching for creatures of mythical origins, determined to track down proof these monsters still roam this region today. (One-hour episodes) #MountainMonsters
Overview By Date:
October 1: “Most Terrifying Places” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
October 3: “The Dead Files” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (New Episodes)
“The Holzer Files” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
October 4: “Haunted Salem: Live” – 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (Four-Hour Live Special)
October 5: “Ghost Adventures: Serial Killer Spirits” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (Four-Part Miniseries)
October 6: “Witches of Salem” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (Four-Part Miniseries)
October 7: “Paranormal Survivor” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (New Episodes)
“Paranormal Emergency” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Episodes)
October 11: “Ghost Nation” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
“Hometown Horror” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
October 14: “These Woods Are Haunted” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (New Season)
October 21: “The Alaska Triangle” – 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
“My Horror Story” – 11 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
October 26: “Destination Fear”– 10 p.m. ET/PT (New Series)
October 30: “Mountain Monsters” – 9 p.m. ET/PT (New Episodes)
October 31: “Ghost Adventures: Curse of the Harrisville Farmhouse” (wt) – 9 p.m. ET/PT (Two-Hour Special)."
---------
Q&A with Two Sentence Horror Stories Cinematographer Guy Pooles: "Cinematographer Guy Pooles Discusses The CW’s New Horror Anthology Series, “Two Sentence Horror Stories”.
"There was a picture of me sleeping on my phone. I live alone…" [Guy continued], "There is nothing like the laughter of a baby. Unless it’s 1 a.m. and you are home alone…"
These are examples of the viral fan fiction two-sentence horror stories that eventually would spawn The CW horror anthology series by the same name, “Two Sentence Horror Stories”. The series, created by Vera Miao, just premiered a few weeks ago but is already garnering attention for its highly effective fast-paced scare tactics. Each episode is less than 30 minutes. The man responsible for some of those spine-tingling moments, cinematographer Guy Pooles. Pooles use of color, shadows and camera angles only adds to the darkness (in a good way) of the show. Below he goes into more detail about his contributions to the show.
Horror projects have a history of following specific guidelines. Did you want to stick to these guidelines, cinematography wise, with Two Sentence Horror Stories?
Guy Pooles: It’s certainly important to know what genre your story sits in, and what the viewer’s expectation of each genre will be. This became especially important with Two Sentence Horror Stories, as each episode tended to fall into an entirely different sub-genre of horror; and each sub-genre comes with its own new set of rules and expectations. You never want to be familiar or predictable but if you don’t at least acknowledge what the viewer will be expecting from each sub-genre, you’re bound to frustrate your audience somewhat.
Despite this, when it came to the Cinematography guidelines we laid for ourselves on this show, our primary visual references tended to come from outside the horror genre. Our focus was more upon films that depicted an internally unnerving conflict. We Need to Talk About Kevin and First Reformed were two examples of films that we felt used their spartan imagery to create a strong, ominous foreboding.
What elements do you find make the most terrifying scenes?
Guy Pooles: I think when there’s an emotional stake for the viewer, the tension in a scene becomes far stronger. If you give an audience a real opportunity to invest in the characters that the narrative follows, to begin to care about those characters, the threat within a film will begin to feel far more dangerous.
In the episode titled “Hide”, there is a little boy under his covers in a very close up shot, which was very reminiscent of the famous Sixth Sense scene. Did this come to your mind at all while shooting? Were you the one that was actually holding the covers up?
Guy Pooles: Actually, that scene did pop into my head as we were lining that shot up. I love Tak Fujimoto’s use of a flashlight as the main practical source of light in that scene, something we were also embracing in the way we were lighting ours.
Figuring out how to position the covers in a shot like that is always a bit of a challenge. It’s because there’s really no way to shoot such a scene in a manner that’s 100% realistic to the way such a sheet would fall over a character; it simply wouldn’t allow any space for the camera to exist in. You always end up having to drape the sheet over the camera also, which creates almost a tunnel of fabric between the viewer and the character. However, it’s something that we’ve seen quite a few times now in film and TV, so it seems like a viewer is usually willing to go with it.
Your first two already aired episodes of Two Sentence Horror Stories, “Hide” & “Gentleman”, have different directors. What would you say was the biggest difference, shot or style-wise, between the 2 episodes?
Guy Pooles: I’d say that the main difference between those two episodes is their rhythm. "Gentleman" is a sort of slow build, starting with two characters, Ken and Hana, meeting on a first date and then gradually raising the stakes and creeping towards the inevitable final collision of the two of them. "Hide", on the other hand, hits its midpoint and becomes suddenly very action-driven. Dialogue scenes essentially drop from the episode entirely as the character Araceli fights for the survival of Gracie and herself.
This difference meant that "Hide" required far more individual shots in order to piece together the more accelerated beats of the episode’s action. "Gentleman" allowed for a little more breathing room, we had more scenes in which shots could be held for longer in the edit, provided that we took the time to design and block them accordingly.
In the episode titled “Hide”, there is a very big contrast in space. From the small apartment to the large modern house. In a space like a house, do things become more complicated or easy for you? There is more space for you to worry about in the frame but also more shot options.
Guy Pooles: Well, for so much of the entire production of Two Sentence Horror Stories, we were confined to rather tight New York City locations, which are always more of a challenge to light and frame; so it was a welcome change of pace to have more space in that location from "Hide". However, that house proved to be a bit of a challenging location in other ways. So many of the walls of that ground floor were comprised of these floor to ceiling windows, and this was tricky for two reasons: Firstly, during the day interior scenes, the Grip department, would be pulling almost every solid we had off the truck in order to cut the light coming from any window that wasn’t visible in frame, so that we would be able to have full control over how the light was shaped. With that many windows, this was no small job. Secondly, during the night scenes, those giant glass panes became essentially huge mirrors that would reflect all of our lighting and camera equipment. We had to pick our angles and light shrewdly, in order to not see the entire production reflected in every shot.
When looking back on Two Sentence Horror Stories, what stands out most to you about your work?
Guy Pooles: I guess, looking back at the episodes, I’m most impressed by the efforts of the crew. The shooting schedule for the show was rather tight, and the images that you see are really a testament to a Camera, Grip and Electric team that were able to move fast and achieve work that you’d normally expect from a production twice the size of ours.
Seeing as this was my first New York-based production, almost the entire team were people I’d never had the chance to work with before, but I was so very fortunate to have ended up with the crew that I had.
When working on horror projects, do you think there are more close up shots in order for the audience to see more of the character’s raw emotions?
Guy Pooles: You know, I actually don’t think so.
A close up is arguably one of the most powerful tools a filmmaker has at their disposal. Every time you use one, you somewhat diminish the overall weight and significance of a close-up within the story you’re telling, so you’ve really got to pick your moments. I remember hearing Sydney Lumet explain how he would often try to design the entire visual language of a feature film around building to one close up at the most significant moment of the story.
Even though you could argue that the stakes of most horror stories are significantly higher than a lot of other genres, the power of the emotion within the narrative is still somewhat relative. I would hope that the most potent emotional moment in Brief Encounter has as much resonance with a viewer as the most powerful moment of The Shining; and I think if you look back on some of the greatest films made of any genre you’ll begin to notice similarities in how skillfully a close up is used."
Daily Dead's Official Podcast!
