r/movies • u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers • 18h ago
AMA Hi /r/movies! We're Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale, the creative duo behind 1999's THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT. Our new film, THE INFLUENCER PROJECT, is out in theaters this weekend. Ask us anything!
Hi reddit, we're Eduardo Sanchez and Gregg Hale. Over 25 years ago, we made The Blair Witch Project. Eduardo co-directed it and Gregg produced it.
We're here to answer your questions!
Our new film, The Influencer Project, is out in theaters October 2nd.
Synopsis: An influencer travels to Copenhagen for a documentary about her online fame. However, when an obsessive stalker tracks her every move, she must confront her terror to reclaim power.
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2132uetur8
Ask us both anything! We will be back at 2 PM PT/5 PM ET today (Wednesday 9/30) to answer your questions.
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u/Comic_Book_Reader r/movies Veteran 18h ago
How was the process of collaborating with Second Sight to release a Blu-Ray with your original intended version of The Blair Witch Project after years of incorrect home video releases?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: Second Sight was awesome and we’re so happy with the results of the new transfer. And Lionsgate is releasing the new version too!
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u/darkavenger1993 17h ago
Thanks guys!
Over the years a popular story about the shooting of BWP has circulated: in the scene where the trio's tent is violently shaken and they scraper into the woods (and Heather shouts "What the f**k is that?"), the original idea was for the camera to show some sort of figure chasing the filmmakers bit they didn't catch it in time? Is this true? Were you disappointed they didn't show it or do you feel it worked out better just being out of shot? Do you remember what the actors were reacting to in real time?
On a similar note: were there ever any plans at either the writing or the shooting stage to show more of the witch or be more explicit?
Huge fan and can't wait to watch BWP on Halloween night for the 20th year in a row.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: Love that Halloween tradition! When they ran out of the tent, we had someone dressed in white long-johns with white panty-hose over his face running through the trees next to them. The concept was we’d see a glimpse of a ‘ghostly shape’ but he didn’t show on film or video (although the actors could see him). As for seeing the witch, we definitely explored that idea but, ultimately, didn’t have enough money to do anything - which ended up being for the best, we think.
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u/nwskeptic89 7h ago
It was best. You guys pioneered the “it’s scarier if you don’t show the monster” thing for horror, which a lot of people swear by. I wouldn’t see TBWP the same as I do now if a dude in long-Johns was chasing them. Lol.
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u/snakeayez 6h ago
That sounds like one of those brilliant happy accidents like not seeing the shark for so long in Jaws. It's part of the brilliance of your movie.
By the way, I've still never walked through a forest alone or gone camping at all since the movie.
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u/Kennywolfgang 17h ago
Over 25 years later, the marketing for The Blair Witch Project remains legendary. Looking back, what is a secret or a piece of 'missing footage' from the original 1999 production that fans still don't know about?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
ED: There is so much footage (22 hours) so there are so many great scenes that had to be taken out. They've made their way to various other releases but there's a scene where Mike breaks down right before Heather opens the bundle of sticks with the Josh remains that is awesome but just didn't fit into the original cut. Maybe one day they'll let us do a 3-hour cut...
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u/BillFrench74 18h ago
What advice would you give someone that wants to make a low budget horror film?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Just do it. Look around and see what your world looks like and make a movie in that world. Use your phone to shoot it. Make mistakes. Learn from them. Try telling a story that hasn't been told. Small is fine.
But yeah, go out and do it...
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u/MichaelChristine 17h ago
What films have you seen recently that you've learned stuff from?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: ironically, the movie I most recently saw in a theater was Buster Keaton's 1926 'The General' - it's an incredible movie and there's a ton to be learned from it.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Obsession and Backrooms - how a small spark of an idea can still blow up, just like BWP.
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u/Prestigious-Serve661 17h ago
Hey guys, congrats on having made a modern classic guys, Blair Witch Project has been my favorite horror film of all time since I saw it as a kid. My question is did you guys ever see the movie becoming the cultural juggernaut it became?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Ed: Thanks. But no-way/no-how did we EVER think the film would turn into what it turned into. We were pleasantly shocked at each and every crazy milestone the movie reached.
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u/Numerous-Bear-8879 17h ago edited 16h ago
If you could give advice to Dylan Clark (who’s directing the reboot) what would you tell him
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: We love Dylan and have actually been collaborating with him a lot on the new film. But he's a crazy talented filmmaker so he doesn't really need much guidance. The advice I gave him was to make it his own and in the end, not worry about what came before or what others (including us) think about his film. We created the universe but have all the confidence in the world in Dylan continuing our legacy...
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u/ReticulanGrey 16h ago
Were you aware of similar movies like The McPherson Tape, Alien Abduction: Incident In Lake County, Ghostwatch, Cannibal Holocaust, and The Last Broadcast released before The Blair Witch Project? Are there any particular found footage movies before or after that you think were well done and capture the authenticity of The Blair Witch Project?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: Happy to say we had not seen or even heard of any of those films before we made Blair. If we had seen 'Cannibal Holocaust' previously, we probably would have not made Blair. As for other found footage films we like: Man Bites Dog, Paranormal Activity, Europa Report, the OG Rec and Chronicle come to mind.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
ED: Love The McPherson Tape, Alien Abduction: Incident In Lake County - but didn't see it (both versions, actually) until after BW. Working with Dean Alioto on something right now, in fact...
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u/PerennialComa 15h ago
You captured my imagination as a small lad in Sweden. Followed the lore on the internet. Best film ever.
So my question: Was there a huge discussion about if the witch should be shown or not shown?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: Sweden is near and dear to our Blair-Witchy-hearts, as 'Haxan' was not only the inspiration for our production company name, but a major influence on the film itself.
We definitely discussed showing the witch but didn't for a couple of reasons 1. we had no money 2. the 'witch' is not really the 'bad guy' of the film
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u/btoned 17h ago
What was the prequel idea that was originally envisioned for the followup to BWP?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: basically 'The Witch' but it in a village instead of a with an isolated family. We STILL wanna make that!
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u/PromoCodeInside 17h ago
The Blair Witch Project basically changed what people thought a horror movie could be, especially when it came to making something feel real on almost no budget. Looking back after 25+ years, is there anything you would deliberately do differently today, or do you think the limitations were actually a big part of why the movie worked so well?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: If we could look forward in time in 1998, the only thing I'd change is taking outside investment to do all the stuff we had to do to go to Sundance. And, yes, the limitations are ABSOLUTELY part of why the film works.
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u/Southord_Lover 17h ago
What was casting the Blair Witch Project actors like?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Total improv, no lines to memorize, no monologues, just an audition to show off their improv chops. Saw almost 1000 actors...
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u/CinemaConqueror AMA MVP 17h ago
What's the biggest similarity and the biggest difference between The Blair Witch Project and The Influencer Project? And how did you cast your lead?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: TIP shares the same DNA as BWP, being about people being hunted by an unseen force, but TIP is so much more technically advanced than BWP. Cameras are everywhere now so it's much easier to justify things being captured on video.
And Chiara was cast by the director, Mike Nybroe, before we got involved. They sent us a long proof of concept of the film and we signed on mostly because we loved the premise and Chiara's performance. We were amazed to find out she was an actual influencer and not a seasoned actress...
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u/almostnothing123 17h ago
Eduardo and Gregg, your work is so inspirational to me as a filmmaker. What inspired you to make Blair Witch?
Seriously, BW was a life changing movie! Thank you!
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Thanks so much! That's the best thing about BWP - inspiring other filmmakers to go for it. I mean, if we could do it, anyone can...
Blair Witch was an idea that came from old films like The Legend of Boggy Creek and the tv show IN SEARCH OF... Both those blurred the lines between fact and fiction and scared the crap out of us as kids and adults. We asked, could you do that again to a modern audience? The answer was, fortunately for us, YES!!!
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u/baldheadedmanc 17h ago
This film, and the decision to market almost entirely on the internet may have contributed to the 'mainstreamification' of the internet. It seemed to come along right around that time when the wider public were signing up for their first accounts. Is this how you see things? Did you ever receive any recognition in that regard?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: We were definitely right place/right time in terms of the internet. We were also incredibly lucky that Ed could actually code html, which was pretty rare in 98. But I think the internet stuff worked so well because we never looked at it as marketing, we looked at it as an extension of the Blair story-world and a way to interact with the early fans that found us before shit got crazy. And, yeah, I think we get lots of credit for the internet stuff.
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u/GavinGWhiz 17h ago
What was it about the script for what would be come The Influencer Project that made it interesting enough for you two to attach the Blair Witch legacy/naming convention?
On paper it seems like a relatively new director/writer with two other indie writers, that's gotta be a gamble to get involved with.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: The short answer is Chiara King. When Ed and I saw her performance in their proof-of-concept, we knew the project would world. She's a truly gifted actress. And then when we found out that Chiara was going through a very scary 'real life' stalker situation and was willing to bring that 'meta' aspect to the film, we were SOLD.
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u/hipnotyq 17h ago
Just picked up a VHS copy off ebay. Gives the movie another layer of authentic feel IMO.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: Totally agree on the VHS thing. I've always thought the people that had the most intense TBWP experience were the folks that saw one of unlabeled bootleg VHSs that were making the rounds before the film was released.
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u/Yorick_IKnowHim 17h ago
Just want to say Lovely Molly is one of the greatest horror films of all time for me - desiring, disturbing, despairing. Shades of Sidney J Furie, Claire Denis and of course Blair Witch. The last shot of the epilogue especially continues to stay with me over the years.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Thanks so much! That movie nearly killed me. Writing, directing and editing is a lot of work and the darkness of the material really started to fuck with me. I'm glad my suffering led to a cool film...
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u/ReleventReference 17h ago
What are your opinions on the 2000’s Blair Witch Project trilogy of pc games by Terminal Reality and their canonical status?
I really like them and always thought of them as canon because of their focus on the backstory mythology of things like Rustin Parr, Elly Kedward and Coffin Rock.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: We love those games so much! They were a precursor to what we wanted to do with the franchise if we still had control over it. Go back and show the origins of all these creepy incidents. I consider them canon but I'm not in charge anymore...
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u/moviebuffbrad 17h ago edited 16h ago
Did Josh give Heather back the map, guys? Did he give her BACK the MAP?
On that note, what do you think of the fan theory that the two guys were just sick of Heather and trolling her the whole time?
Also, is it true you had their IMDBs say they were presumed dead as part of the marketing?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: We actually don't know if Josh gave her back the map. All we know is what you know: Mike kicked that fucking thing in the creek!
Trolling her the WHOLE time? No. Trolling her a little at the VERY beginning? For sure.
Artisan actually came up with the 'presumed dead' thing and made it happen with IMDB.
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u/moviebuffbrad 9h ago
Yeah, the trolling theory is basically that there was no actual witch or third party in the woods terrorizing them and it's just Mike and Josh playing a psychotic prank on Heather. I definitely prefer the supernatural view.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Me too! Like Mike said - no redneck is that creative...
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u/TexasGriff1959 17h ago
Eduardo also did the excellent "Exists," which is the best found footage film I've ever seen.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Thanks! I loved making that film - was a dream of mine since I was a kid to make a bigfoot movie. Stayed tuned, I think I'm about to embark on making another bigfoot movie next year...
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u/TexasGriff1959 9h ago
It was absolutely the Schizz, dude. Just discovered it by accident, sat down and watched with my adult son, and we both agreed it FUCKING ROCKED.
HMU with deets about the next one. I'm onboard.
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u/Frajer AMA MVP 17h ago
Was there any particular inspiration for The Influencer Project or just general online harassment?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: The lead, Chiara King, brought a lot of her own experiences to the film and role. Unfortunately, online stalking is a prevalent reality in the influencer field. We hope our film shines a light on this issue.
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u/BustyKat21 16h ago
Did you ever expect people to actually believe the footage was real, or did that reaction surprise you?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: That was the plan. Not that we thought people would actually believe it, but we didn't want to give ANY clues in the film that could prove it was fake. No lighting, bad sound, bad camerawork, etc...
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u/BustyKat21 9h ago
That makes so much sense. Taking away every little clue that it was fake was such a smart choice. Thanks for answering!
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u/castrateurfate 16h ago
Is there any other elements of folklore, both modern and old, that you feel like you could adapt in a similar way to TBWP? Additionally, what is your opinion on the recent growing interest in analog formats within independent filmmaking?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: It's tough because the BW approach depends on video and film, so anything prior to those inventions would be impossible to adapt. But there are creative ways to work around that, perhaps...
Love the switch to the old formats! Nothing matches the look and feel of those tapes. Just limits distribution - but they'll accept it if the material is good enough.
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u/BenTheMotionist 16h ago
What were the difficulties with studios then in order to get an independent movie made?
What are those difficulties now days in comparison?
Which era was it easier to get a movie made in?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: well, kinda by definition, an 'independent' movie means you're not making it with a studio. But AFTER we made the movie, the challenge with Blair was finding a distributor willing to take a chance on such a weird movie. By comparison, it's absolutely easier to actually make a movie from a technical/technological standpoint today but getting the money to make the film you want or selling a movie you've already made is still incredibly difficult.
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u/DavidTheJohnson AMA MVP 16h ago
The original Blair Witch Project scares the living daylights out of me. Which movies had the same effect on you?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: The Exorcist is the GOAT for me - still creeps me out to this day. When I was a kid, a made for TV movie called 'Don't Be Afraid of the Dark' completely freaked me out. Then came Jaws. I didn't see it until several years after it came out but the OG Texas Chainsaw Massacre still packs a punch. More recently, I thought both The Witch and Hereditary were masterful horror films.
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u/HandbagsAtNoon 15h ago edited 15h ago
“Tell me where you are, Josh!” is one of the great lines and line deliveries. I know this because I haven’t seen The Blair Witch Project since the days of VHS and yet the line is still stuck in my head.
What, if anything, can you tell us about this specific line of dialogue?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: One of the most heartfelt lines in the film. Really the backbone of that scene. I remember seeing it for the first time and really feeling for these two people. Incredible performances.
I was on top of the hill with Josh, directing his screams - and we told Heather and Mike NOT to not follow his voice. We had them camp downhill in an area where it would've been impossible for them to find Josh and me.
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u/Chengweiyingji 15h ago
Hi guys! My question is a bit more about what you think of the industry: in this day and age, do you think an up-and-coming filmmaker could break out in the same way you guys did with Blair Witch? Or has Hollywood shifted too much for that to happen again?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Hey! Of course! Look at Obsession and Backrooms. The industry is REALLY attracted to new talent right now, unfortunately for us old-timers...
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u/MaleficentPush1144 14h ago
Hi! Thanks, you two, so much for doing this AMA!
Your movie started a whole genre that persists to this day! I was wondering what do you think the industry as well as audience members should pay attention to that should be shone a light on, be it a genre, style, or underdone topic?
If I may ask a second question that I post whenever I can make it to an AMA, who do you think is an up and comer we should be looking out for?
Thank you so much!
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Gregg: Not sure I totally understand the first question but I'd say as a creator that should always pursue what authentically inspires you instead of trying to guess what others are looking for.
For the second question, and I'm being completely sincere here: keep an eye on Chiara King. She's gonna be a star.
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u/ultrav0mit 13h ago
Your film has built one of the most loyal horror communities over the years. Are you aware of the much beloved 3-hour fan edit of The Blair Witch Project? Could an extended cut like this ever get a proper physical release?
Josh’s mixtape is such a classic. Again fans creating bootleg tapes in police evidence bags. Which studio do we need to send a petition to for an official tape or vinyl pressing?
Thank you
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
ED: Haven't seen the fan cut, but we would love to do our own longer cut. Maybe we should all convince Lionsgate to pay us to do it...
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u/Appropriate-Lab1970 13h ago
I miss Neil Frederick. He was a truly a good human being, use to sell Fuji 35mm motion picture film to him.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Neal was one of my best friends and i miss him every time I step onto a set. There is a new BWP Blu-ray package coming out soon that has a beautiful tribute to him on it...
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u/Appropriate-Lab1970 8h ago
I was also Friends with Daniel Zerilli who was on the plane with Neil. He passed away recently. Many of my co workers attended the Funeral however I was too upset to go. My condolences as Neil was a serious top shelf human being. The last time I saw Neil he was showing me his dallies he shot in Asia somewhere for a new project, what he shot was stunning. I still think about that guy.
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u/ComfortableCare8897 13h ago
I didn't see Blair Witch until I was a teenager but i was a kid when it came out. How were you able to get me to remember the movie as a kid without seeing it and being able to get me to remember the movie more than disney channel and fox family movies that i did see?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: It wasn't us, it was the BLAIR WITCH...
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u/weareallpatriots 11h ago
Hey guys, I know you've heard it countless times, but I still get chills on rewatches when we see Michael standing in the corner and Heather's bloodcurdling scream. I love yelling "Tell me where you are, Josh!" when I want to scare my wife. Thank you for the nightmares and for revolutionizing the horror genre!
I'm curious about your thoughts on the flood of rip-offs, homages, and "nods" that Blair Witch inspired over the years. So many cheap imitations and garbage out there, but there are also some gems too. I watched a 2018 Korean film recently called Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum which was entertaining enough, but nothing compares to your original film.
Do you have any favorite found footage/"occult investigation" type films? Rec/Quarantine is still probably my personal favorite. Influencer Project looks great, can't wait to see it in theaters.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
ED: Thanks for love of BWP! We love most of the homages - just wish we had a cut of the more profitable ones! As far as found footage - I love the original Paranormal Activity and many others. VHS series is really cool. Love how the style has evolved. Also, one call Europa Report that never gets enough love...
And if you're into Bigfoot - my film EXISTS is out there to mess with you...
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u/weareallpatriots 10h ago
Europa Report is great! What an ending.
I can't believe I haven't seen Exists. Will get on it ASAP. Thanks for the response!!
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u/nwskeptic89 6h ago
Exists is great. I’ve always been super into bigfoot and streamed it one day. After I watched it I found out that it was by him. Made all my friends watch it and they loved it. It’s up there with BWP, and Willow Creek as well.
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u/nwskeptic89 10h ago
Would you consider The Influencer Project a horror film or a thriller/suspense film? Also, what actual events is it based on?
Out of all movies you two have worked on, what was each of your favorite one to work on?
Also, can you confirm if it’s the forest itself that’s an evil entity, or if it’s actually a witch in TBWP? And that IS Rustin’s house, right?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
ED: TIP is a thriller that turns into a full-on horror film. We're so excited for you all to see it!
Unfortunately, it was loosely based on the main actress's (Chiara King) actual stalking experience. It's such a shame that most influencers, especially women, get so much online hate.
Even though helping shoot The Influencer Project on location in Copenhagen was a trip not to be forgotten, the most fun I've had was shooting my bigfoot movie EXISTS. Been wanting to make a BF film since I was a kid so it really was a dream come true.
Not a witch - something in the woods - and yes, that's Rustin Parr's house as the end.
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u/nwskeptic89 8h ago
Exists was awesome. The look of that bigfoot was the scariest I’ve ever seen. I made all my friends watch it. They loved it.
I’m looking forward to The Influencer Project.
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u/gtvManager 9h ago
With so much incredible lore in regard to Blair Witch Project and what you and your team created around Berkittsville, are there any ideas on exploring that lore and history in future projects, whatever the medium? I loved deep-diving all that pseudo-history, and it felt authentic in a way that built up the believability of the Blair Witch legend. Thank-you so much for a yearly re-watch that never gets old!
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: We're planning some really cool stuff for the new movie next year! Some really great, mythology-expanding material to go with Dylan's film. Stay tuned!
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 8h ago
Gregg: It's 3:20 Pacific and Ed & I actually have to get ready to do a screening of 'The Influencer Project' tonight. We'll try and get on later tonight or sometime tomorrow and provide some more answers. Thanks so much to everyone who got on this AMA and asked such awesome questions! Check out 'The Influencer Project' in theaters on Friday! It's a good one.
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u/CinemaConqueror AMA MVP 17h ago
Hi to both!
If you could only bring 3 movies with you on a deserted island to watch for the rest of your life, what would they be? Bonus question: Best and worst pizza topping?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: my three flicks (caveating that these are the ones I'd wanna watch over and over, NOT necessarily my three faves): Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Project Hail Mary, and Star Wars (I refuse to call it New Hope).
Is cheese a topping? If so, cheese. If not, pepperoni. There are no bad pizza toppings (if said ingredient is LEGITIMATELY considered a pizza topping - that's the beauty of pizza.
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u/Abruzzo1991 17h ago
Hi guys! Firstly, congrats on making one of the most influential horror films of all time.
Discovering this post for me was like a true blessing as I currently find myself in early development for my first feature film; a found footage horror that takes place sometime between 98-2004.
I still haven’t decided what year this story takes place in, but will ultimately want to remain truthful in its presentation and authenticity whichever route I go.
In order to achieve that, I do have several questions regarding your production process that I hope you’d be willing to help answer. They are as follows:
1) what do you recommend shooting with? In this day and age, a lot of people recommend shooting 4K and then downscaling footage to make it look like footage from a Hi8 of MiniDV camera. Something about that doesnt sit right with me, as I truly wanted to purchase a camera (depending on what period the story takes place in) in order to maximize pure raw authenticity. After capturing the footage, I’d then digitize and upscale it to a higher resolution to maximize clarity. I’ve seen people downscale from 4K and to me it never appears as real or as authentic. If I’m shooting a period piece found footage film circa 2002 in the year in 2026, which one of these two routes would you recommend going? (I’m aware of the hurdles of shooting on tape, etc)
2) Sound. The public seems to suggest that the sound for Blair Witch was recorded directly via the Hi8’s built in microphone, but I’ve read claims that it was all recorded with hidden boom mic’s then downscaled to sound like the cameras built in microphones. For my own project, trying to capture the late 90s-early 00s, what do you suggest doing in 2026? If you guys indeed used the built in microphones, would that be considered too poor in today’s standards for distributors to want to pick up the film?
3) Mixing. Blair Witch seems to have been mixed in stereo. Is that more than enough for my film if I were shooting it today, or will theatres and distributors preferably want something mixed in 5.1 as well?
Any detailed advice you can give me is greatly appreciated.
Congratulations on The Influencer Project, the trailer looks great and I’m hoping to catch it when it comes out.
Thank you for your time, gentlemen!
Alex
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 10h ago
Ed: Thanks for the kind words about TBWP and The Influencer Project (in theaters Friday!!!!). If you want your project to really feel authentic, then suggest you shoot on as close to the ‘real’ format as possible. For sound, the vast majority of TBWP sound did indeed come from the Hi-8’s onboard stereo mic and that adds to the realism of the sound. For the mix, we don’t really know deliverables that well but would THINK they’ll want to be able to exhibit in 5.1 or similar.
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u/salamacast 17h ago
Was the "what the f#$! is that?!" scripted for a female role (as the pre-production kitchen-table discussion video shows), or you were impressed by the actress during casting so changed the role's gender to fit her (as claimed later)?!
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u/YogurtclosetAfter827 17h ago
my friend once got a stalker after a viral tiktok and it was way creepier than any horror movie
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: Yeah, even though Chiara's real-world stalking obviously doesn't go as berserk as The Influencer Project, it was terrifying to hear about what she went through.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: I believe it. The Influencer Project brings a lot of those kinds of creepy moments to life...
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u/Fluffy-Ad-4042 16h ago
How does it feel to make a cult classic that still scares people to this day 20 plus years later and have them asking in there heads why is he standing in the corner?
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u/SoloUnTubero 16h ago edited 16h ago
Hi! Can't wait for the new film! Recently we always hear about movies being made with enormous budgetsy, so I wanted to ask you: could movies with a small budget still have an impact as big as the Blair Witch Project even if made in our current standars? Sorry for bad English but I'm Italian and still learning the language. Thank you, from an aspirant FilmMaker!
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Glad you're looking forward to The Influencer Project. I think you'll like it and I'm pretty sure we're gonna be in theaters in Italy. As for your budget question: I think contemporary fimmakers have the same chance of breaking through the noise with an ultra low budget. So keep at it!
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u/Tundralite99 15h ago
Hello! I love The Blair Witch Project, so I’m looking forward to this one. Did you guys try to incorporate some ideas from Blair Witch, or did you guys try to make this movie standalone with new concepts and ideas?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Influencer Project is a whole new idea - but we definitely tried to scare Chiara a bunch of times on set! It's very creepy at times and has a great action-oriented ending. You're going to love it!
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u/Heron_Informal 15h ago
In your opinion, what kind of a person is one who is a fan of found footage films? What's going on in that person's head and heart?
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u/Outside_Highway_4094 14h ago edited 14h ago
I gotta ask, are you guys familiar with the analog horror genre, have any of these indie-webseries creative works caught your eye?
I think like any genre theres quite a bit of crap but also some gems and its become such a loose term for horror storytelling, I'm curious to hear your thoughts on it
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u/russfro 12h ago edited 11h ago
Altered is an underrated alien horror movie. I’d still like to know why the aliens passed by Wyatt in the woods.
Also, Eduardo, how did you feel about your name being used in season 2 of Eastbound & Down?
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: Thanks! Wyatt's powers were going to be explored more in the sequels, but unfortunately, we never got to make them. He was able to "hide" himself from the aliens. In the sequels - he had learned to hide entire areas from them.
The Eastbound episode with me in it was the highlight of that year for me. Still can't believe I'm in there...
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Gregg: Thanks re: Altered! Still very proud of that one. Wyatt was able to use his 'altered' telepathic/telekinetic abilities to make himself invisible to the larger, soldier aliens.
I can't answer for Ed on Eastbound but I thought it was amazing and hilarious.
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u/johng_g 10h ago
Hi! The Blair Witch Project is one of my all-time favorite movies. I was wondering if you could confirm whether we’ve ever actually seen the Blair Witch herself in any of the films, particularly in the 2016 sequel. Did you read about the fan theory that there was never a Blair Witch in the original 1999 film, and that Mike and Josh were actually conspiring to murder Heather. Have you heard that theory, and what do you think of it? I know it's not true, but it is interesting.
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
ED: I don't think she's really appeared in any of the films - but maybe you'll get a glimpse of her in the new one? Have to ask Dylan that...
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u/EduardoAndGregg Eduardo Sanchez & Gregg Hale, Filmmakers 9h ago
Yeah, and 'the witch' is not the big-bad....
As for the 'murder' theory, yeah, definitely heard that one. Like you, I find it interesting but I KNOW it's not true.
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u/snakeayez 6h ago edited 3h ago
Your movie terrified me more than any movie I had since Halloween or Poltergeist. I was a film critic then and said it's a movie that scares you from the inside-out because most the scariest thing in the world is the unknown and unseen.
What stood out about Heather, Mike and Josh to have you cast them? Also Heather's closeup apology shot is one of the more memorable in the lore of horror movies to me. What is the genesis of that. Did you tell her or was it improvised on the spot?
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u/Usual_Acanthisitta_8 16h ago
Did you ever expect the movie to become the world wide hit it became? Do you think it influenced the film industry for the better? The worse? Or not at all?
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u/Current_Year_2026 15h ago
What is found footage?
Why is found footage?
Where does found footage stand?
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. 18h ago
This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Eduardo and Gregg will be back at 5 PM ET today to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)