"Looking Into The Mysteries of EVP"
With Tom & Lisa Butler
They also are featured in the bonus feature segment on the WHITE NOISE DVD section entitled, "Making Contact: EVP Experts."
Both are Co-Presidents of the American Association of EVP.
"White Noise Movie"
Drama and Thriller
Synopsis: 1 hr. 41 min. Michael Keaton plays successful architect Jonathan Rivers, whose peaceful existence is shattered by the unexplained disappearance and death of his wife, Anna (Chandra West). Jonathan is eventually contacted by a man (Ian McNeice), who claims to be receiving messages from Anna through EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), the process through which the dead communicate with the living through household recording devices. At first skeptical, Jonathan then becomes convinced of the messages' validity, and is soon obsessed with trying to contact her on his own. His further explorations into EVP and the accompanying supernatural messages unwittingly open a door to another world, allowing something uninvited into his life.
Release Date: January 7, 2005 (wide).
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for violence, disturbing images and language.
Distributor: Universal Pictures
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Phone Interview:
Conducted by: Shana ( Nina ) Webmaster Winter Steel
Shana: Hi, Lisa?
Lisa: Hi Shana, this is Lisa! I've got Tom on here too...
Tom: Hello!
Shana: That's great! How are you both?
Lisa: We're doing great!
Shana: Excellent! I'm very excited for this is my first phone interview, and I know you guys are pro's, so I'm going to try to do my best and not bore you.
Tom: Everyone is different so just try and relax....
Lisa: We're going to give you a very hard time...
Shana: Oh! Ok....
[Laughter]
Shana: I have a list composed of about 15 questions, very simple, but I believe they cover very well, what people are wanting to know between EVP, and the movie White Noise.
Lisa: OK, we'll try to be brief then, for we've only got 15 minutes.
Shana: Yeah, I know...
Lisa: We'll try to not be very lengthy on our answers.
Shana: Ok, that's no problem!
Shana: What made you decide to assume leadership of the Association from Sarah Estep in May of 2000?
Lisa: Well, Sara was concerned, at the time, about her health. She asked us to take over, and to be honest with you, Tom really wanted to, and I didn't. Because Sara has her own unique style, ( we're all different ), and I thought that Sara was the association. But, I went to bed that night - we said we'll think about it tonight - and I had a really lucid dream. These entities came to me, and said; "Sara thinks you can do it, Tom thinks you can do it, WE think you can do it - and we'll help."
Shana: Oh Wow!
Lisa: And you know? The rest is history! It turned out, I thought everybody would go away. We'll geeze, we thought; "What's the harm you know?" We'll go ahead and try this, and if it doesn't work out at least we tried. Her health turned out to be ok, and the association - we were able to take it on to the web, and it's done nothing but flourish.
Shana: That's Great! I remember when she first came out, I would always follow her work...
Lisa: Her book, that got me going, "Crisis of Eternity" Which is out of print, you can't find it. And if you can find the paperback it's $35.00 or more! It's actually available, as a free download on our website.
Shana: Oh Wow!
Tom: She has a new book out, that just came out, Galde Press, the people that publish Beat Magazine, they just published this, called "Roads to Eternity."
Shana: Well I'm going to have to look into that!
Tom: Yeah! It's more classic Sara Estep writing, a really good story teller.
Shana: The both of you have experimented with EVP for over fourteen years - what inclined you to start?
Tom: Yes...
Lisa: Reading her book...
Shana: Reading her book - as simple as so...
[Laughter]
Tom: We've always been seekers in one venue or another, but Lisa, was the one that really started, and my job, was to make sound machines and stuff like that for her. But, she was the one that was really brave enough, to say, let's try something that didn't make a bit of sense to me at the time.
Shana: Yeah...
Lisa: Now he records and he gets voices too - So?
Shana: He probably gets more than you....
[Laughter]
Tom: No, No. She's the leading one of the group...
Shana: Oh I know - She's the one!
Tom: I get to play with the technology.
Lisa: He does get voices....
[Laughter]
Shana: Any special equipment besides tape recorders you may use to gather your EVP's?
Lisa: You know, for us, actually, right now, ( when we have time - it's really too much, when we have time again ), we're actually experimenting, with the T.V. When we work with the media, we use recorder's, of course, because everybody's interested in EVP. You know in the movie how they show, people's faces and stuff?
Shana: Yeah...
Lisa: We're actually doing something similar to that, in trying to get that phenomena. That is very difficult, by the way. We've known of two researcher's in history, that were able to get pictures and voices.
Tom: We're hoping in time, they are the one's you can actually see forming on the screen, talking, making noises and stuff.
Shana: That would be ITC or Instrumental Trans Communication?
Lisa: You are well researched!
Shana: Thank you, I try...
[Laughter]
Tom: In answer to your question, these days, our recommendation to a new person, is that they find them, well, we'd like them to use whatever they have available, just don't go out and buy allot of stuff. But, cheap is better. What's working best these days, is...you know those little digital note taker's? They have such a noisy circuit, that, you don't have to supply background sound for them.
Shana: Wow, ok...
Tom: They're using them in a, it's kind of one of those seredependive discoveries, because they are so convenient the ghost hunters started using them. And they got EVP - allot of it!
Shana: I would use the one's, that you use in college, one of those hand-held recorder's...
Lisa: Yes, ok.
Shana: And I had very good result's with them, because it's made especially for a person who is talking far away, to record their voice clearly - as clearly and crisp as possible.
Tom: That's very interesting, it pick's up allot of sound around.
Shana: Yes.
Tom: You know Sara still has a pair of poly [parabolic] reflectors on one of her microphones at home.
Shana: Wow!
Tom: That's the same idea. So I'm kinda like making a silk purse out of algae - or whatever those things are.
[Laughter]
Tom: But, the downside of the digital recorder, is you've got to use computer's...
Shana: Right...
Lisa: To listen back.
Shana: Well, any advice for the beginner whom would like to gather and collect EVP's?
Lisa: Be patient! Keep your recordings short. Use headphones when you listen back.
Tom: There's a "How To," a short How to, on our website, under the "Techniques" pages...
Shana: Ok...
Tom: That we would really recommend that they go on and just and follow that. And this new DVD now, coming out, for the "White Noise," has a segment...and in truth, well, we haven't seen it, but we were the stars in it.
Shana: Wow!
[Laughter]
Tom: There's a segment in there, in the bonus features that is "How to."
Lisa: Of course now, he is saying that, we'll probably watch it, and then say; "We don't want to claim that..."
[Laughter]
Lisa: Another thing, to recommend to beginner's, is don't do this if you are fearful. The movie is a scary movie, and If you've worked with this, you've probably have had some sort of scary experience, but then, that's not the norm. What we find in haunted locations, is that the energies are excited to have somebody that might hear them.
Shana: Yeah...That's true.
Lisa: Ok good! You know the movie is Hollywood. Scary movie, and then you have Michael Keaton, Batman...
[Laughter]
Tom: One of the things we've been asked a number of times, will we record for somebody and get their loved ones. Unlike medium-ship, where mental mediums will reach a loved one for you, the individual - you have a better chance of reaching a loved one with the recordings, than we do, because you are part of that circuit.
Shana: Yeah...
Tom: Just like we say you don't record if you are fearful. Well, when you do record, and you have a strong desire to reach somebody, that adds to the energy.
Shana: And that's because of the link they have...
Lisa: Right - Exactly!
Shana: So you would recommend using EVP to somebody whom wishes to gain contact with a deceased loved one?
Lisa: Right.
Tom: There's no guarantees, but yes, we would.
Lisa: For instance, my father was an engineer - electrical engineer. And he would desist to communicate, I was never able to reach him. My mother, on the other hand, who was very religious, who I did not expect - we didn't even call on her, two years after her death she came through, with the EVP. So, we can't guarantee it.
Shana: Well, how positive are the samples you collect?
Lisa: I think for the most part, very! This past weekend, we worked with the local T.V. crew, and they had some phenomena, like people being pushed down the stairs.
Shana: Yeah?
Lisa: And we did get a guy who said "Get out! Get out!"
Shana: And this was on the set?
Lisa: No, we were out on the field.
Tom: A local building we did for a local television station.. One of the things in our messages, we tell people; "Look, when you die you're still you, you're just on the other side now." Just because you are dead - you're not an angel. And so, when we examine these EVP's, they are usually appropriate to the circumstance, but they are also spoken by people. And some of them are ornery, some of them think that we've just intruded on their space.
Shana: Mean spirited...
Lisa: Because the film, says something about one in every twelve EVP are threatening or something? There is no statistical - that is no basis - I'm sorry, in reality? We said; "Where'd you get that?" Everybody said; "Hmmmm, I, don't, Hmmmm...."
[Laughter]
Shana: It's just like a psychic whom is able to communicate with them, and will not always encounter a friendly entity...you have to get used to a mean spirited entity, whom doesn't wish to communicate, be seen..want you around.
Lisa: That's true, just like when you are on the road, you'll meet people who are like that.
Tom: One of the things we are noticing is that there is a definite cultural influence on how EVP comes out. Because again, the person is so much part of the circuit. But the people who expect, because they feel that they live in a mean spirited world, are more apt to get mean spirited voices.
Lisa: Yeah...
Tom: If you think you live in a happy world, and you're not fearful, then that is generally what you are going to get.
Shana: That's good!
Shana: So you have experienced paranormal activity other than just EVP gathering?
Tom/Lisa: Oh Yeah.
Shana: Alright...
Tom: We've been part of this for years..
Lisa: I would say, pretty much, especially when we took over the association, our life now is EVP. But the entities have done other things, they turn on the lights, they turn on the equipment....
Tom: We had two rapports at one conference we were at, you know those little medium sticks they use to put on stakes to tell you how to ...
Shana: Yeah...
Tom: She found one under her feet and a glass. A then little later, she found one in her shoe.
Lisa: I'm walking and going "Oh my God, there's a rock in my shoe!" And it was one of these sticks.
[Laughter]
Shana: Oh my goodness...
Tom: We think we know who they were from too, that was kind of exciting. It was a trademark for a group that we worked with.
Shana: Ok, so what are your comments on EVP as proof of the afterlife and paranormal?
Lisa: We think that, because of objective evidence, in other words, you don't have to believe me. It's something you can do yourself, and prove it to yourself. And the best proof is when, you have a personal experience. You don't trust, you don't believe in what I am saying is true, you are able, to take a recorder, and do this, and you get a voice.
Tom: This is a very robust phenomena, it's been research for years by very qualified people, and all the usual explanations have been set aside. We actually know more about EVP that some of our scientists know about the physical particles like Technion...
Lisa: We think it's excellent proof of survival.
Shana: Great!
Shana: Well thank you both..
Lisa: Oh it's been a pleasure!
Shana: And well, I do hope we can do this again some time!
Lisa: Good luck with your article...
Shana: Thank you so much! Bye!
Lisa: Bye...
Tom: Bye...
May, 17, 2005
On Monday in Hollywood, ( May 16, 2005 ), Tom & Lisa Butler, Directors of the American Association of Electronic Voice Phenomena demonstrate Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) at an event thrown by Universal Studios Home Entertainment to mark the Tuesday DVD release of White Noise. The event held at the Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood, where paranormal activity has been reported for decades, included a live EVP session to make contact with the departed. The White Noise DVD includes bonus features on EVP including Tom & Lisa Butler sharing their personal experiences and a demonstration how audiences can conduct their own sessions at home.
Below are streaming links to video footage of the event:
*Note: Files may be too heavy for some dial-up connections.
Quicktime
Clip One: Lisa Butler conducts an EVP session with group of participants.
Clip 1:
Clip Two: Tom Butler contacts the spirits through EVP.
Clip 2:
Clip Three: Tom Butler discusses his experiences.
Clip 3:
Clip Four: Lisa Butler describes and plays a significant EVP occurrence.
Clip 4:
Clip Five: Wendy Garcia, employee of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, shares experiences she has had with paranormal activity there.
Clip 5:
Windows Media
Clip One: Lisa Butler conducts an EVP session with group of participants.
Clip 1:
Clip Two: Tom Butler contacts the spirits through EVP.
Clip 2:
Clip Three: Tom Butler discusses his experiences.
Clip 3:
Clip Four: Lisa Butler describes and plays a significant EVP occurrence.
Clip 4:
Clip Five: Wendy Garcia, employee of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, shares experiences she has had with paranormal activity there.
Clip 5:
This audio file contains EVP messages from Tom and Lisa Butler:
Additional Footage of Monday Night's event!
Clip 1: Lisa Butler conducts EVP session from balcony of Clark-Gable Suite in the Roosevelt Hotel.
Clip 2: Tom Butler demonstrates how to listen to EVPs on his laptop.
Clip 3: Lisa Butler begins her EVP session by asking the spirits for permission.
Clip 4: Lisa Butler begins EVP session #2.
"The following EVP examples were collected during the group tour of the Gable Lombard penthouse in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel. All are Class C to B quality voices. We would normally not play these examples for the public, but given the circumstances, it seems okay as long as the public is warned that these are presented so that participants to the event can hear some of the results. We did record more, but these are the clearest."
(c)2005butler_dio_frankie_start_at_3point3sec One of the media participants said "Carlos, dio Frankie," This was followed by the EVP, "dio Frankie." There were a few clipped syllables between "Carlos" and "dio Frankie," that we removed and the EVP is being talked over at the end by Tom's voice. We did no further modification of the track. We are going to guess that we have misspelled the Spanish phrases.
(c)2005butler_yes_start_at 5point2sec You hear the unknown word in the above example and then you year Tom say, "Nini, can you speak to us?" followed by a different participant's cell phone ringing, and then the possible EVP, "yes." The telephone ring may have nothing to do with the question or the EVP, but all of this is too good of a sequence to ignore. It is with such "coincident" that our friends try to communicate with us.
The following have been amplified and spikes from the recorder have been reduced:
Tom and Lisa Butler
Additional EVP's:
~*~
Book by: Tom and Lisa Butler
Also see the FAQs page of the American Association of Electronic Phenomenon ( AA-EVP )
Related Links:
EVP - Electronic Voice Phenomena
Electronic voice phenomenon is the appearance of intelligible voices on recording tape, which have no known physical explanation.
The electronic voice phenomenon {EVP} is controversial; EVP researchers believe they capture on tape the voices of the dead, spirit beings and extraterrestrials, but skeptics contend the voices come from radio, television and city band {CB} radio transmissions or are imagined from static and white sound. EVP voices often are faint and difficult to understand; to some, they seem more like aural simulacra than real voices. Read More.
EVP's - Voices/Recordings
Also see:
Hollow Voices
Interview done by, & Copyright © Winter Steel 5/11/05
Special thanks to "Special Ops Media!"
