Ways of Listening and Looking

This is an essay on the found-footage horror film The Blair Witch Project for the book included in the limited edition of Second Sight Film's disc set release. It includes a discussion of the found-footage style (especially camerawork) and a reflection on the implications that this horror cycle has had on our understanding of the ways we relate to moving-image documentation, especially in the era of ‘fake news,’ conspiracy paranoia and deep fakes. It argues that horror films can teach us a great deal about our sociopolitical reality, and that The Blair Witch Project’s blurring of the boundaries between documentary and fiction makes it a visionary and meaningful film.