(AfroGamers.com) This post looks at how found footage is such an interesting concept in the film/movie space that somehow manages to separate itself from other types of movies and film techniques. Based on the title, this post also looks at why found footage horror is only good if its left alone as it is.

What is Found Footage Horror?

To start off, found footage can be referred to as both a technique in filmmaking and a genre of film whereby the movie or film is shot as a series of recordings, often in the first-person perspective. These recordings act as a way for the recorder (i.e. the actor) to the relay an event or story to their audience. Because of this, the found footage genre reveals a sense of realism in its technical uses of ‘shaky camera’ scenes and a reliance on diegetic sounds (e.g. in-film noises and natural ambience) instead of non-diegetic sounds (e.g. sound effects and added soundtracks).

At first, found footage was simply considered a unique film genre and technique, however that changed after the cult classic The Blair Witch Project released in 1999 that the genre gained massive popularity. After that, every filmmaker and their mother on a budget took advantage of the momentum at the time to keep releasing more and more similar and uniquely different found footage horror movies. Even though found footage was mostly used in the horror movie scene, other filmmakers have taken to it in other genres – just like with Chronicle of the sci-fi and action genres.

Let’s Keep It Underrated

As much as found footage horror movies are a great storytelling media form, we think it’s best to keep the genre lowkey and specialised for horror fanatics and the occasional movie/series binge watcher. What that means is, found footage horror is best kept niche and underrated – and not made mainstream.

It is not an inherently bad thing to have found footage horror be mainstream, especially when you think about the success of The Blair Witch Project and the Paranormal Activity franchise – which, to this day, keeps inviting people to give found footage horror, or horror movies in general, a try. But it sometimes feels like the novelty of some mainstream media like movies and TV series is lost once they are made mainstream. This can purely be a subjective take on the matter, but still… If found footage horror somehow, was actively, produced and released specifically for mainstream consumption, the freshness of the genre will likely vanish.

The biggest reason for the loss of freshness is due to the beauty of found footage and found footage horror. Which is that it lies in the key world “found”. For something to be found, it had to be lost at some point, so all these found footage movies give audiences the illusion that the movie they are watching is a CD, VHS tape or even a dark web video that they found and are secretly watching. It almost acts as conspiratorial evidence for the deaths of a family, of why a local park is haunted or why a group of teenagers went to a cabin and never returned. That is part of the appeal of the genre. So, if it were all made mainstream, everything would just be handed to us on a silver platter and those production companies would tell us to “Watch!”. And some of us just hate being told what to do. Found footage horror does not tell you what to do – it just sits there and waits for you to click ‘play’.

Found Footage Horror Suggestions

There are a lot of found footage horror movies out there – honestly, a lot – but there are a couple that really know how to capture audience’s attention based on its plot, use of the found footage technique and overall distinctiveness from other movies of the same genre. Even so, all found footage horror movies deserve to be checked out and judged by yourself – but these found footage horror movies below are definitely a must watch.

The first suggestion for a found footage horror is The Blair Witch Project. This might seem anticlimactic considering how it was the first found footage horror that brought mainstream attention to the genre but it is a significantly good movie to watch – especially if you are first starting out in watching the genre. It is not incorrect to describe The Blair Witch Project as slow-paced, but it makes up for that by creating an unsettling atmosphere by having the characters be lost whilst slowly being bewildered and apprehensive in the massive, supposedly haunted, woodland they are in. The interesting part of the found footage horror is how the climax is placed closer to the end of the movie with the final scene being left open-ended and without a definite resolution. Thus, leaving the audience with a disturbing lack of closure.

A second suggestion for a found footage horror to watch is Grave Encounters. If you are someone who enjoys watching those ghost hunting shows, then this movie is for you. The overall premise is about a group of individuals planning on recording an episode in an abandoned, haunted mental asylum with hopes of capturing evidence of the paranormal on camera. Now, this recommendation is limited to the first movie, mostly because the second one isn’t as good. The reason is that Grave Encounters 2 feels to lose a lot of its sense and realism (a key aspect of found footage) closer to the end – which can be off putting to some viewers. Other than that, there is Gonjiam: Haunted Asylum a South Korean equivalent to Grave Encounters that is also a must watch.

The last, but certainly not least, recommendation for a found footage horror is The Conspiracy. As the title suggests, the mockumentary is about conspiracies having to do with a powerful global secret society (e.g. the illuminati), government cover-ups and two filmmakers who make it their mission to investigate everything that has to do with that. This found footage is very nerve-wracking for any viewer who is an overthinker and is easily paranoid about the state of the world and those who govern it. As you watch it, there are also small innuendos that call on real-world celebrities and leaders which almost makes the mockumentary feel realer than it honestly should be. For some conspiracy theorists who end up watching this found footage horror, they could end up suspecting the movie of admitting to some conspiracies being true.

It is an unfortunate thing to admit but found footage horror is not for everyone. Even though the horror sub-genre takes the cake in how innovative and novel it is, the lack of the usual movie magic and effects may seem off-putting and uncanny in its realistic mode of storytelling. And that’s okay. Every movie watcher is allowed to tap into what they are interested in, but they all have to admit though… Found footage horror is an intriguing genre in media!

Staff Writer; Fadzai Nyamande

A South African who brings her love for fiction, manga, and storytelling into every piece she creates. Her writing is shaped by imagination, curiosity, and a true appreciation for the worlds stories can build.