AMERICANA / RING IN THE SPOOKY SEASON

 "Stranger Things" and "Ghostbusters" actor Finn Wolfhard is among a panel of judges who will decide the winner of Ring's take all prize. Also judging is paranormal Investigator Katrina Weidman.

In a clever mix of advertising and editorial presented by USA Today’s Anthony Robledo reported that Ring, the home security company will award $100,000 to a U.S. citizen (only) for submitting the most compelling paranormal activity logged by Ring surveillance cameras. 

 The hype continues with USA Today pointing out Ring’s popular front door/porch cameras aren’t just for monitoring the living. As spooky season commences, "I would encourage folks to really keep an eye on things that are happening in front of their cameras," Ring Chief Commercial Officer Mimi Swain told USA TODAY. 

"We've seen just incredible things of floating orbs or shadows or ghosts show up on footage. And so we're really encouraging our Ring customers to have a little bit of fun with this one." Ring’s "Great Ghost Search" comes over a year after another unearthly contest when Ring asked users to submit footage of extraterrestrial beings. 

Swain said this year's competition held during the busiest doorbell season of the year is another chance for users to "capture these moments that you otherwise wouldn't be able to to notice." 

 How to enter Ring’s Great Ghost Search 

Ring users can submit their videos at www.ring.com/ghostsearch through 11:59 p.m. PDT Nov. 1. Only the first 5,000 submissions will be considered, according to Ring. 

A brief description of at most 100 words is also required, explaining what is being depicted in the video. 

 Both unaltered suspected evidence as well as silly ghost creations are welcomed, but only one will win the $100,000 check. 

Repeat: entrants must be Americans 18 years old or older. 

 Contest entries will be judged on the visibility and clarity of the ghost as well as uniqueness, entertainment value and engagement. 

 "Stranger Things" and "Ghostbusters" actor Finn Wolfhard is among a panel of judges who will decide the winner of the winner take all prize. Also judging is paranormal Investigator Katrina Weidman. 

 "Ring is known to catch all kinds of activity – but I know if I saw a ghost on my Ring camera, I’d want to move out as fast as possible," Wolfhard claims in a news release. "This Halloween season, I'm relying on my Ring camera to alert me of any such activity happening.”