The Blair Witch Project w. LIVE Director Commentary (1999)

In 1993, Dan Myrick and his University of Central Florida classmate Eduardo Sánchez conceived the legend of the Blair Witch and a story about three film students who go missing in the woods trying to capture the witch on camera. Knowing that documentaries on paranormal phenomena are typically far scarier than traditional horror films, they developed a short, 35-page screenplay that would rely heavily on improvised dialogue.

Three actors were cast and soon discovered that they would be shooting the bulk of the footage themselves with hand-held cameras. They would receive “clues” each day regarding their scenes, but would not be privy to their co-stars’ motivations. Their real-life sanity would be tested over a week in the woods.

After years of planning and an eight-month edit, Dan and Eduardo hoped the finished film would make it to cable TV. They submitted a final cut to Sundance.

And the rest is the stuff that Hollywood dreams are made of: The Blair Witch Project went on to become one of the most successful and profitable independent films in history, grossing nearly $250 million worldwide. It is credited with single-handedly reviving the “found footage” genre, and became a case study in harnessing the marketing power of the internet.

On Saturday, Oct. 10, Tampa Theatre is proud to welcome Bay-area native Dan Myrick for an exclusive Blair Witch virtual event, during which he will provide LIVE director’s commentary throughout the film. After the screening, he will share information on his newest, Ybor City-based project and answer questions from the virtual audience.

1h 21m / R / Horror ONE NIGHT ONLY: A TAMPA THEATRE EXCLUSIVE LIVE-STREAMING EVENT!