Found footage (film technique)
Found footage is a film subgenre in which all or a substantial part of the work 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. For added realism, the cinematography may be done by the actors themselves as they perform, and shaky camera work and naturalistic acting are routinely employed. 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.
The most common use of the technique is in horror films, where the footage is purported to be the only surviving record of the events, with the participants now missing or dead. It has also been used in science-fiction, drama, comedy and family films.
Although found footage was originally the name of an entirely different genre, it is now frequently used to describe pseudo-documentaries crafted with this narrative technique. The film magazine Variety has, for example, used the term "faux found-footage film" to describe the 2012 film Grave Encounters 2. Film scholar David Bordwell criticizes this recent usage, arguing that it sows confusion, and instead prefers the term "discovered footage" for the narrative gimmick.
Found-footage films typically employ one or more of four cinematic techniques—first-person perspective, pseudo-documentary or mockumentary, news footage, or surveillance footage—according to an analysis of 500 found-footage films conducted by Found Footage Critic.
History
As a plot device, found footage has precedents in literature, particularly in the epistolary novel, which typically consists of either correspondence or diary entries, purportedly written by a character central to the events. Like found footage, the epistolary technique has often been employed in horror fiction: both Dracula and Frankenstein are epistolary novels, as is The Call of Cthulhu by H. P. Lovecraft.revolutionized the found footage style of narrative filmmaking with Cannibal Holocaust, the first horror film using this technique
In filmmaking, the 1980 cult horror feature Cannibal Holocaust is often claimed to be the first example of found footage. The device was popularised by The Blair Witch Project. Found footage has since been used in other commercially-successful films, including Paranormal Activity, REC, Cloverfield and Chronicle. Reviewing V/H/S for The A.V. Club, Scott Tobia notes that the genre "has since become to the ’00s and ’10s what slasher movies were to the ’80s."
The genre appeals to film producers because of its lower cost, as it is believed the illusion of amateur documentary style allows lower production values than would be accepted on a conventional film.
Writer-director Christopher B. Landon, who has made several found footage horror films, posits that the genre is likely to extend in the future outside horror.
Examples
Films
The following entries are notable films in the found footage genre, though some were only partially made in that style.| Title | Release date | Genre | Director | Production company |
| The Connection | 1961-05-?? | Drama | Shirley Clarke | The Connection Company |
| Cannibal Holocaust | 1980-02-07 | Adventure, Horror | Ruggero Deodato | F.D. Cinematografica |
| ' | 1985-11-30 | Horror | Hideshi Hino | Sai Enterprise |
| UFO Abduction | 1989–??-?? | Horror, Science fiction | Dean Alioto | IndieSyndicate Productions |
| 84C MoPic | 1989-04-07 | Drama, War | Patrick Sheane Duncan | New Century Vista Film Company |
| Man Bites Dog | 1993-01-15 | Comedy, Crime, Drama, Horror, Thriller | Rémy Belvaux André Bonzel Benoît Poelvoorde | Les Artistes Anonymes |
| Forgotten Silver | 1995-10-28 | Mockumentary | Peter Jackson | WingNut Films |
| ' | 1998-01-20 | Drama, Horror, Science fiction | Dean Alioto | Dick Clark Productions |
| The Last Broadcast | 1998-10-23 | Horror, Mystery | Stefan Avalos Lance Weiler | FFM Productions |
| The Blair Witch Project | 1999-07-30 | Horror, Mystery | Daniel Myrick Eduardo Sánchez | Haxan Films |
| The St. Francisville Experiment | 2000-04-15 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller | Ted Nicolaou | The Kushner-Locke Company |
| Gang Tapes | 2001-02-01 | Drama, Crime | Adam Ripp | Lionsgate |
| August Underground | 2001–??-?? | Horror | Fred Vogel | Absu Films Toetag Pictures |
| The Collingswood Story | 2002-10-20 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller | Mike Costanza | Cinerebel Media |
| August Underground's Mordum | 2003–??-?? | Horror | Fred Vogel Killjoy Cristie Whiles Jerami Cruise Michael T. Schneider | Toetag Pictures |
| The Great American Snuff Film | 2003–??-?? | Horror | Sean Tretta | Ominous Productions |
| Zero Day | 2003-09-03 | Drama | Ben Coccio | Professor Bright Films |
| Incident at Loch Ness | 2004-09-17 | Adventure | Zak Penn | Eden Rock Media |
| September Tapes | 2004-09-24 | Drama | Christian Johnston | Complex Films Raz Productions Raz Entertainment Persistent Entertainment |
| The Last Horror Movie | 2005-05-13 | Horror | Julian Richards | Prolific Films Snakehair Productions |
| The Curse | 2005-08-20 | Horror | Kōji Shiraishi | Xanadeux Company |
| The Zombie Diaries | 2006-10-29 | Horror | Kevin Gates Michael Bartlett | Off World Films Bleeding Edge Films |
| The Hunt | 2006-12-11 | Science fiction, Horror, Thriller | Fritz Kiersch | Graymark Productions Azisa Pictures |
| Alone with Her | 2007-01-17 | Crime, Drama, Thriller | Eric Nicholas | Pin Hole Productions LLC The Weinstein Company |
| Welcome to the Jungle | 2007-04-19 | Horror | Jonathan Hensleigh | Steelbridge Film Works Bauer Martinez Studios Valhalla Motion Pictures |
| The Poughkeepsie Tapes | 2007-04-27 | Horror | John Erick Dowdle | Brothers Dowdle Productions Poughkeepsie Films |
| August Underground's Penance | 2007-04-30 | Horror | Fred Vogel | Toetag Pictures |
| Long Pigs | 2007-09-06 | Horror | Chris Power | Clowns After Midnight Productions Jordan Entertainment Chris Bridges Effects Studio |
| Head Case | 2007-09-08 | Horror | Anthony Spadaccini | Fleet Street Films B.P.A. Productions Group, Inc. |
| Exhibit A | 2007-10-01 | Drama, Thriller | Dom Rotheroe | Warp Films |
| Paranormal Activity | 2007-10-14 | Supernatural horror | Oren Peli | Blumhouse Productions |
| Death of a Ghost Hunter | 2007-10-28 | Horror | Sean Tretta | Ominous Productions |
| Live! | 2007-11-01 | Drama | Bill Guttentag | Atlas Entertainment |
| REC | 2007-11-23 | Horror | Jaume Balagueró Paco Plaza | Castelao Producciones Filmax |
| Look | 2007-12-14 | Drama | Adam Rifkin | Captured Films |
| Monster | 2008-01-15 | Action, Thriller | Erik Estenberg | The Asylum |
| Cloverfield | 2008-01-18 | Science fiction, Monster film | Matt Reeves | Bad Robot Productions |
| Diary of the Dead | 2008-02-15 | Horror | George A. Romero | Artfire Films Romero-Grunwald Productions |
| Home Movie | 2008-07-10 | Horror | Christopher Denham | Modernciné |
| Quarantine | 2008-10-10 | Science fiction, Horror | John Erick Dowdle | Vertigo Entertainment Andale Pictures Filmax Entertainment |
| Lunopolis | 2009–??-?? | Science fiction | Matthew Avant | Media Savant |
| Occult | 2009-02-28 | Horror | Kōji Shiraishi | Image Rings Creative Axa Company Ltd. |
| Evil Things | 2009-08-13 | Horror | Dominic Perez | Go Show Media |
| District 9 | 2009-08-13 | Action, Science fiction | Neill Blomkamp | QED International WingNut Films |
| The Ritual | 2009-08-15 | Drama | Anthony Spadaccini | Fleet Street Films B.P.A. Productions Group, Inc. |
| Trash Humpers | 2009-9-12 | Comedy, Drama, Horror | Harmony Korine | Alcove Entertainment Warp Films O' Salvation |
| REC 2 | 2009-10-02 | Horror | Jaume Balagueró Paco Plaza | Castelao Producciones Filmax |
| Murder Collection V.1 | 2009-05-1 | Horror | Fred Vogel | Toetag Pictures |
| Paranormal Entity | 2009-12-22 | Supernatural horror | Shane Van Dyke | The Asylum |
| Bachiatari Bōryoku Ningen | 2012–??-?? | Black Comedy | Kōji Shiraishi | Creative AXA |
| Love Sex aur Dhokha | 2010-03-19 | Comedy, Drama | Dibakar Banerjee | Freshwater Films |
| Lake Mungo | 2010-03-23 | Horror | Joel Anderson | Screen Australia |
| Eyes in the Dark | 2010-04-25 | Horror | Bjorn Anderson | Emerald City Pictures |
| Hotel Hollywood | 2010-07-23 | Comedy, Horror | Param Gill | G S Productions |
| Shirome | 2010-08-13 | Horror | Kōji Shiraishi | Stardust Promotion Shirome Project Partners |
| The Last Exorcism | 2010-08-27 | Horror | Daniel Stamm | Strike Entertainment StudioCanal Arcade Pictures |
| Undocumented | 2010-09-?? | Horror | Chris Peckover | Sheperd Glen Productions |
| The Virginity Hit | 2010-09-10 | Comedy | Huck Botko & Andrew Gurland | Gary Sanchez Productions |
| ' | 2010-09-28 | Horror | Anthony Fankhauser | The Asylum |
| Atrocious | 2010-10-15 | Horror | Fernando Barreda Luna | Nabu Films Silencio Rodamos Programa Ibermedia |
| Paranormal Activity 2 | 2010-10-22 | Supernatural horror | Tod Williams | Blumhouse Productions |
| Trollhunter | 2010-10-29 | Fantasy, Monster film | André Øvredal | Filmkameratene A/S Film Fund FUZZ |
| Unaware | 2010-11-13 | Science fiction, Horror | Sean Bardin Robert Cooley | Cooley Productions |
| ' | 2010-11-20 | Supernatural horror | Toshikazu Nagae | Presidio Corporation |
| ' | 2011-03-01 | Horror | Jude Gerard Prest | The Asylum |
| Ragini MMS | 2011-03-13 | Drama, Horror | Pawan Kripalani | Balaji Telefilms |
| The Tunnel | 2011-05-18 | Horror | Carlo Ledesma | DLSHS Film Distracted Media Zapruder's Other Films |
| Megan Is Missing | 2011-05-?? | Drama, Horror | Michael Goi | Trio Pictures |
| Grave Encounters | 2011-06-01 | Horror | The Vicious Brothers | Twin Engine Films |
| ' | 2011-06-24 | Horror | Kevin Gates Michael Bartlett | Off World Films Bleeding Edge Films Straightwire Films |
| Hollow | 2011-07-31 | Horror | Michael Axelgaard | Hollow Pictures Tribeca Film |
| Untitled | 2011-09-?? | Drama, Horror | Shaun Troke | Shaunywa Films |
| Apollo 18 | 2011-09-02 | Science fiction, Horror | Gonzalo López-Gallego | Bazelevs |
| The Tapes | 2011-09-23 | Horror | Scott Bates Lee Alliston | Darkside Pictures Pure Film Productions |
| The Human Centipede II | 2011-10-04 | Horror | Tom Six | IFC Midnight |
| Paranormal Activity 3 | 2011-10-21 | Supernatural horror | Henry Joost Ariel Schulman | Blumhouse |
| The Amityville Haunting | 2011-12-?? | Horror | Geoff Meed | The Asylum Taut Productions |
| Chō Akunin | 2011–??-?? | Drama | Kōji Shiraishi | Tokyo Raiders |
| The Devil Inside | 2012-01-06 | Supernatural horror | William Brent Bell | Insurge Pictures |
| V/H/S | 2012-01-22 | Horror | Ti West Joe Swanberg David Buckner Adam Wingard Glenn McQuaid Radio Silence Productions | The Collective Bloody Disgusting |
| Chronicle | 2012-02-01 | Science fiction, Superhero, Thriller | Josh Trank | Davis Entertainment |
| Project X | 2012-03-02 | Comedy | Nima Nourizadeh | Silver Pictures Green Hat Films |
| Evidence | 2012-03-12 | Horror | Howie Askins | RynoRyder Productions |
| Hate Crime | 2013–??-?? | Horror | James Cullen Bressack | Psykik Junky Pictures |
| Apartment 143 | 2012-05-04 | Horror | Carles Torrens | Werc Werk Works Kasdan Pictures Likely Story |
| Chernobyl Diaries | 2012-05-25 | Horror | Brad Parker | Lionsgate Warner Bros. |
| ' | 2012-07-24 | Horror | Martin Anderson | The Asylum |
| The Dinosaur Project | 2012-08-10 | Adventure | Sid Bennett | Moonlighting Films |
| Frost | 2012-09-07 | Horror | Reynir Lyngdal | |
| A Night in the Woods | 2012-09-07 | Horror | Richard Parry | Richard Parry |
| End of Watch | 2012-09-08 | Thriller, Police Procedural | David Ayer | StudioCanal |
| The Conspiracy | 2012-09-20 | Horror | Christopher MacBride | Resolute Films and Entertainment |
| Grave Encounters 2 | 2012-10-02 | Horror | John Poliquin | Arclight Films |
| Paranormal Activity 4 | 2012-10-19 | Supernatural horror | Henry Joost Ariel Schulman | Room 101 |
| The Bay | 2012-11-02 | Science fiction, Horror | Barry Levinson | Lionsgate |
| 30 Nights of Paranormal Activity with the Devil Inside the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | 2013–01-15 | Horror comedy parody | Craig Moss | |
| A Haunted House | 2013-01-11 | Comedy, Horror, Parody | Michael Tiddes | Open Road Films |
| The Upper Footage | 2013-01-31 | Crime, Drama, Thriller | Justin Cole | |
| ' | 2013-08-2 | Super natural, Horror | Hasan Karacadağ | Hasan Karacadağ |
| Devil's Pass | 2013-02-28 | Horror | Renny Harlin | Aldamisa Entertainment Alexander Rodnyansky Non-Stop Productions Midnight Sun Pictures K. Jam Media |
| The Frankenstein Theory | 2013-03-01 | Horror | Andrew Weiner | Rocket Inner Station Therapy Content Arctic Film Group |
| Cult | 2013-04-04 | Horror | Kōji Shiraishi | |
| Scary Movie 5 | 2013-04-12 | Comedy, Horror, Parody | Malcolm D. Lee David Zucker | Dimension Films The Weinstein Company Zucker Productions |
| Willow Creek | 2013-04-29 | Horror | Bobcat Goldthwait | Jerkschool Productions |
| V/H/S/2 | 2013-06-06 | Horror | Simon Barrett Jason Eisener Gareth Evans Gregg Hale Eduardo Sánchez Timo Tjahjanto Adam Wingard | The Collective Bloody Disgusting 8383 Productions Snoot Entertainment Haxan Films Yer Dead Productions |
| Europa Report | 2013-08-02 | Science fiction | Sebastián Cordero | Wayfare Entertainment Ventures |
| The Borderlands | 2013-08-24 | Horror | Elliot Goldner | Metrodome Distribution |
| ' | 2013-08-24 | Horror | Kevin Gates Michael Bartlett | Second Sight Films |
| ' | 2013-09-28 | Horror | Anthony Spadaccini | Fleet Street Films B.P.A. Productions Group, Inc. |
| The Dirties | 2013-10-04 | Comedy-drama | Matt Johnson | SModcast Pictures |
| Sx Tape | 2013-10-10 | Horror | Bernard Rose | Aeroplano La.Lune Entertainment |
| Hooked Up | 2013-10-15 | Spanish comedy horror | Pablo Larcuen | Uncork'd Entertainment |
| Skinwalker Ranch | 2013-10-30 | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi | Devin McGinn Steve Berg | DeepStudios |
| 6-5=2 | 2013-11-29 | Horror | KS Ashoka | Swarnalatha Production |
| Best Night Ever | 2013-12-26 | Comedy | Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer | Magnet Releasing |
| ' | 2014-01-03 | Supernatural horror | Christopher Landon | Paramount Pictures |
| Devil's Due | 2014-01-17 | Supernatural horror | Matt Bettinelli-Olpin Tyler Gillett | Davis Entertainment Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
| Black Water Vampire | 2014-01-24 | Horror | Evan Tramel | BWV Productions Ruthless Pictures |
| Exists | 2014-03-07 | Horror | Eduardo Sánchez | Lionsgate Haxan Films Court Five |
| Open Windows | 2014-03-10 | Technothriller | Nacho Vigalondo | Antena 3 Films Apaches Entertainment Spiderwood Studios Wild Bunch SpectreVision |
| The Den | 2014-03-14 | Horror | Zachary Donohue | Cliffbrook Films Onset Films |
| Afflicted | 2014-04-04 | Horror | Derek Lee Clif Prowse | Automatik Entertainment Téléfilm Canada |
| Babysitting | 2014-04-16 | Comedy | Nicolas Benamou Philippe Lacheau | Axel Films Madame Films Cinéfrance 1888 Good Lap Production |
| A Haunted House 2 | 2014-04-18 | Comedy, Horror, Parody | Michael Tiddes | IM Global Octane Wayans Bros. Entertainment Baby Way Productions |
| The Sacrament | 2014-05-01 | Horror | Ti West | Worldview Entertainment Arcade Pictures |
| Alien Abduction | 2014-05-04 | Horror | Matty Beckerman | Exclusive Media Group Big Picture Next Entertainment Lawrence Bender Productions Mob Scene Creative Productions |
| Inner Demons | 2014-06-14 | Horror | Seth Grossman | Schorr Pictures |
| Earth to Echo | 2014-07-02 | Science fiction, Family | Dave Green | Relativity Media |
| Into the Storm | 2014-08-08 | Disaster film | Steven Quale | New Line Cinema Village Roadshow Pictures |
| The Possession of Michael King | 2014-08-22 | Horror | David Jung | Gold Circle Films Quickfire Films |
| As Above, So Below | 2014-08-29 | Horror, Thriller | John Erick Dowdle | Universal Pictures Legendary Pictures |
| The Hunted | 2014-09-09 | Thriller | Josh Stewart | Fortress Features Allegheny Image Factory |
| Gore, Quebec | 2014-10-14 | Horror | Jean Benoit Lauzon | Green Lake Films |
| The Taking of Deborah Logan | 2014-10-21 | Horror | Adam Robitel | Eagle Films Millennium Entertainment |
| Hangar 10 | 2014-10-22 | Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller | Daniel Simpson | Newscope Films |
| ' | 2014-11-21 | Horror | Nacho Vigalondo Marcel Sarmiento Gregg Bishop Justin Benson Todd Lincoln | Bloody Disgusting The Collective Haxan Films |
| The Pyramid | 2014-12-05 | Supernatural horror | Grégory Levasseur | Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation |
| The Atticus Institute | 2015-01-23 | Horror | Chris Sparling | SND Groupe M6 |
| Project Almanac | 2015-01-30 | Science fiction adventure | Dean Israelite | Insurge Pictures Platinum Dunes MTV Films |
| Ghoul | 2015-02-26 | Horror | Petr Jákl jr. | J.B.J Film |
| Creep | 2015-03-08 | Horror comedy | Patrick Brice | Blumhouse Productions |
| Nightlight | 2015-03-27 | Horror-thriller | Scott Beck, Bryan Woods | Herrick Entertainment |
| The Final Project | 2015-04-16 | Supernatural horror | Taylor Ri'chard | Cavu Pictures |
| Unfriended | 2015-04-17 | Supernatural Horror | Levan Gabriadze | Universal Studios Blumhouse Productions |
| Area 51 | 2015-05-15 | Science fiction horror | Oren Peli | Paramount Pictures |
| The Phoenix Incident | 2015-06-16 | Documentary, Mystery, Sci-Fi | Keith Arem | PCB Productions |
| The Cutting Room | 2015-06-?? | Horror | Warren Dudley | Itchy Fish Film |
| The Gallows | 2015-07-10 | Supernatural Horror | Travis Cluff, Chris Lofing | New Line Cinema Blumhouse Productions Management 360 Tremendum Pictures |
| JeruZalem | 2015-07-10 | Supernatural Horror | Doron Paz Yoav Paz | Universal Pictures |
| The Visit | 2015-09-11 | Horror | M. Night Shyamalan | Blinding Edge Pictures Blumhouse Productions Universal Pictures |
| ' | 2015-10-23 | Supernatural horror | Gregory Plotkin | Paramount Pictures |
| Unlisted Owner | 2016–??-?? | Horror | Jed Brian | Lawford County Productions |
| Aksbandh | 2016-04-20 | Horror | Emran Hussain | Cinematic Media |
| Population Zero | 2016-04-26 | Horror | Adam Levins | A71 Entertainment |
| Operation Avalanche | 2016-09-16 | Thriller | Matt Johnson | Vice Films |
| Blair Witch | 2016-09-16 | Horror | Adam Wingard | Lionsgate Pictures |
| ' | 2016-12-05 | Horror | Adrian Țofei | Adrian Țofei |
| The Dark Tapes | 2017-03-17 | Sci-Fi & Supernatural Horror | Michael McQuown | Epic Pictures Group |
| Phoenix Forgotten | 2017-04-21 | Horror, Mystery, Sci-Fi | Justin Barber | Cinelou Films Scott Free Productions |
| #FromJennifer | 2017-9-26 | Horror comedy | Frank Merle | Lone Morsel Productions |
| Found Footage 3D | 2017-10-12 | Horror | Steven DeGennaro | The Ubiquitous Studio 42 |
| ' | 2018-03-09 | Supernatural horror | Stephen Susco | BH Productions Universal Studios |
| The Devil's Doorway | 2018-05-25 | Supernatural horror | Aislinn Clarke | 23ten |
| The Other Side of the Wind | 2018-08-31 | Comedy, Drama | Orson Welles | Royal Road Entertainment |
| Searching | 2018-08-31 | Thriller, Mystery, Drama | Aneesh Chaganty | Bazelevs Company Screen Gems Stage 6 Films |
| ' | 2020-??-?? | Horror, Mystery, Thriller | Casablanca Film Factory | |
| Dwellers | 2020-??-?? | Horror | Drew Fortier | Ellefson Films |
TV series, made-for-TV specials and TV episodes
- Alternative 3
- Alien Autopsy:
- ' – UPN aired a 60-minute version with more interviews
- Jeopardy
- Ed, Edd n Eddy, episode: "An Ed is Born" In this episode where Eddy decides to make a home movie of himself to show his brother how 'grown up' he has become by using Ed's Video Camera.
- The Comeback
- Lost Tapes
- Marble Hornets
- The River
- Ultimate Spider-Man, episode: "Exclusive"
- Lassie Jerky, an episode of Psych that was partially filmed as found footage
- Sleep No More, the ninth episode of Doctor Who Series 9
- '
- Steven Universe, episode: "The Big Show"
- Inside No. 9, episode: "Cold Comfort", a story about a call centre, told through the CCTV Camera.
- Clarence, episode: "Clarence The Movie"
- Flag
Music videos
- "Drag the Waters" by Pantera
- "Babalon A.D." by Cradle of Filth
- "Decency Defied" by Cannibal Corpse
- "Walk with Me in Hell" by Lamb of God
- "Dull Boy" by Mudvayne
- "Beauty and a Beat" by Justin Bieber ft. Nicki Minaj
- "I Need Your Love" by Calvin Harris ft. Ellie Goulding
- "Run on Love" by Tove Lo ft. Lucas Nord
- "One Last Time" by Ariana Grande
- "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran
- "Run Away with Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen
- "All Night" by The Vamps
- "All We Know" by The Chainsmokers ft. Phoebe Ryan
- "Galway Girl" by Ed Sheeran
- "What Lovers Do" by Maroon 5 ft. SZA
- "Christmas Tree Farm" by Taylor Swift