This bit is an examble of how reading or hearing about something sets up our expectations and influences our experience.  The question becomes, if you are not exposed to the so-called ghost story setup, would you then feel the same experience?  In any case, I believe the story that frames the experience of the video does indeed enhance the experience.

This was snarfed from Marian (a friend of David for whom we slogged around in search of a Starbucks for a photo all the while he was visiting us in Taipei and here she goes and gives me the willies me the first time I look at her blog out of curiousity).  In any case . . . really, you MUST read the note BEFORE you watch the video.

Read the little note below BEFORE you watch the video!!! . . . Strange but interesting.

This is a car advertisement from Great Britain. When they finished filming the ad, the film editor noticed something moving along the side of the car, like a ghostly white mist. They found out that a person had been killed a year earlier in that exact same spot. The ad was never put on TV because of the unexplained ghostly phenomenon. Watch the front end of the car as it clears the trees in the middle of the screen and you’ll see the white mist crossing in front of the car then following it along the road….Spooky! Is it a ghost, or is it simply mist? You decide. If you listen to the ad, you’ll even hear the cameraman whispering in the background about it near the end of the commercial. A little creepy but pretty cool! Turn volume up some to hear it good.

If you are sensitive in nature, you may not wish to watch this as the effect is very pronounced as watching this piece really does create a very powerful and profound physiological response.   Turn up your volume and watch the video here:

Now . . . you see what I mean? How framing the video with the story associated to it can influence us, particularly with the language used, and affect how we perceive what is so obviously simple mist? The camera man’s whispers as he is confused by the phenomenon only add to the dynamic tension and help create the uncanny response. Of course, persons with a low tolerance for such things or who may have heart conditions might do well to avoid such material altogether.

Oh, if you have palpitations, tingling up and down your spine, or you start developing that special weird sensation every time you drive in a country road like this one, don’t blame me . . . I did warn you.

All the best,
Brian