Nine episodes have a creaky-door sound supposedly caused by a paranormal influence. But what you heard was most likely computer-generated sound effects.

Paranormal State uses various sound effects to add dramatic flair to episodes. It is my opinion that the following nine, creaky-door sounds were added in post-production to create the illusion that the noise was due to a paranormal causation. It is my opinion that this demonstrate the use of computer-generated sound effects to fake a creaky-door sound, when in fact, there was no actual creaky-door, floor, or other item when the scene was originally recorded.

There are striking similarities in the creaky-door sounds heard in the following episodes. The times listed are approximations and don’t include commercial breaks. Each screenshot corresponds to the episode named.

There are differences between the creaky sounds, but all were most likely added in post-production. Currently I can’t prove which, if any, software package was used to create the sounds, but it is my opinion that Avid’s, digidesign® ProTools® could have been used, because it is extremely flexible and powerful at generating sound effects. The mix facilities, where listed in the closing credits, have ProTools® . The tempo (rate), pitch, and other aspects of a creaky-noise “base” sound effect can be adjusted to make an almost-endless palette of sound effects.

The episodes used either Wow and Flutter, Wild Woods, or another mix facility for it’s audio needs. Curiously, not all mix facilities are listed in the closing credits. Instead of listing the mix facility, the name (or names) of an audio-related person are given. Internet research shows Wow and Flutter, and Wild Woods, have Avid’s, digidesign® Pro Tools ®.

First published: 09 Feb 2010
Last update: 10 Mar 2010

Written by: Ernie Marsh

SEASON
1
1
1
1
2
2
3
4
4

EPISODE
The Name
Vegas
Haunted Piano
Requiem
The Ladder
The Glove
Room 37
Lost Souls
Dead Legends

1st TIME
12:38
13:24
07:58
16:54
15:43
17:52
16:00
00:48
00:46

2nd TIME
12:55

08:18
17:10



04:54
09:27

3rd TIME







15:15
16:12

“The Name” This occurs at approximately 12:38.
This scene was ripped-off footage shot on location in the Isenberg’s home for the “Dark Man” episode. This door is not in the client’s home featured in “The Name.” The door was made to appear as if it moved by a paranormal influence, and the footage was creatively edited into “The Name” in post-production. The door didn’t creak when Helen Isenberg moved it in “Dark Man.” But it creaks here...

“Vegas” This occurs at approximately 13:26.
Savannah (client) is supposedly sleeping at 3:07 AM and is made to look like she awoke because she heard a creaky-door sound and perhaps her bed was shaking. We see a cut-away shot of a cat on a carpeted floor. Although no door is shown moving, there are plenty of sound effects including the one which sounds like a creaky-door.

“Haunted Piano” This occurs at approximately 07:58.

During Dead Time, Eilfie and Katrina are sitting in the client’s basement, while Ryan and Heather are outside on the front porch next to the purportedly haunted piano. Ryan asks for a sign of the spirit’s presence, and we hear the obligatory sound; a creaking noise in this case. The sound is repeated about 20 seconds later.

“Requiem” This occurs at approximately 17:10.
The PRS is sitting around during Dead Time as a supposed means to communicate with a spirit named Walter. Chip and Ryan ask for a noise, and a higher-pitched squeaky door sound is supposedly heard coming from the purported opening of the front door of “Tech Headquarters.” Then Eilfie asks for a sign of the spirit’s presence, and (amazingly on demand) we hear another obligatory sound; this deeper-sounding creaky door.

“The Ladder” This occurs at approximately 15:43.
Sandy (the client) and the PRS sit around during Dead Time, and ask for the spirit of Edward to make his presence known. Heather’s in the basement and hears what’s supposed to be the (ceiling for her) floor creaking after Sandy asks the spirit to come upstairs. It’s made to imply that the purported spirit walked up the stairs.

“The Glove” This occurs at approximately 17:52.
Dead Time with Lisa and Eric (clients), Chad Calek (Tech Specialist), PRS members and Michelle Belanger, try to confront the purported spirit of Alec (Eric’s great-grandfather), in an effort to re-claim their house. A fabricated (faked) scene of a broken light supposedly caused by the angry wife-beating spirit Alec is shown. Lisa tells the purported spirit to pick on a grown man. A creaking sound is heard, and we see the second, faked broken-light.

“Lost Souls” This occurs at approximately 04:54.
Michael (client’s son) re-enacts the purportedly haunted opening of a crawl-space door in his bedroom, for Katrina. We hear the sound effect after Michael tells Katrina that the door “creeped” open. He did not say it creaked open. Ryan and the PRS hold a Dead Time later in the episode, and we hear the similar door-creaking sound as Ryan opens the crawl-space door to put a ball in to show he wants to play with the purported spirit.

“Dead Legends” This occurs at approximately 16:12.
Chad Calek and Ryan are doing a hallway investigation at the Hotel Conneaut. Chad supposedly hears a breath-noise in his “ear” (he didn’t say he heard the sound in both ears) followed by the similar-to-other-episodes, creaky-door sounds, we hear... a creaking-door sound. Question to Chad: if the door-creak is a sound effect, do you expect us to believe the breath-sound is real? I mean, you were involved in the fake broken-bulb scenes in “The Glove.”

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Although this website provides links to third party sites, Ernie Marsh is not responsible for the content of any such site. Links are provided as a convenience to viewers, and they shall not be interpreted as an endorsement, sponsorship, or association of any kind.

SOUNDDOGS.COM, “Downloadable sound effects since 1997.” www.sounddogs.com
I’m providing this link as an example to show that there is a wide range of available “door creak” sound effects. Type in “door creak” in the “Quick Sound Search” box at the top left of the page. I don’t know if one or more of these sound effects from this company was used in any Paranormal State episode. It is possible that software by a company called Avid, digidesign® ProTools®, was used to generate the creaky-door sound effects in the above episodes.

“Room 37” This occurs at approximately 16:00.
Dead Time finds Michelle Belanger in an upstairs hallway, trying to coax the purported spirit of a dead girl, Sarah, to open a door again. Michelle asks for a “Nice creaky special effect too,” and acts surprised as the door opens to- you guessed it- a creaky-door sound.

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