Building A Perfect Found Footage Film

Found footage is a subgenre in which all or a substantial part of the film is presented as if it were discovered film or video recordings. The events on screen are typically seen through the camera of one or more of the characters involved, often accompanied by their real-time, off-camera commentary. The footage may be presented as if it were “raw” and complete or as if it had been edited into a narrative by those who “found” it.

While it wasn’t the first, The Blair Witch Project is the movie that truly launched found footage into the stratosphere, as many people believed that these “TAPES” were real, and that these kids had disappeared in the woods. Other films like Paranormal Activity and Cloverfield took the genre to varying heights, and countless others proved that it was the cheapest possible option to make a movie on an indie budget. Like any genre, found footage is stacked with pluses and minuses.

On this week’s podcast, we discuss the highs and lows of found footage, what works and what turns us off about the entire genre. We also each put together our personal takes on the genre itself and build a perfect found footage film.

Also this week, Netflix and Marvel officially parts ways plus a slew of entertainment news. Reviews of How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Alita: Battle Angel, a peek at new releases, and much more.

Discussed on this episode

• (0:00 – 30:10) Opening | News: Netflix and Marvel get a divorce, a slew of entertainment news, and much more |
• (30:11 – 58:25) Reviews of Alita: Battle Angel and Paranoia Tapes 2: Press Play | New Releases: How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World and Donnybrook
• (58:26 – 1:40:39) From The Outside In: Building A Perfect Found Footage Film
• (1:40:40 – 1:53:38) Recommendations | Closing | Outtakes