🎧 You Had To Be There: The Blair Witch Project Debuts at Sundance in 1999
The Inside Story of How a $35K Indie Horror Film Sold for $1 Million at Sundance and Made $250 Million at the Box Office.
Hi friends,
This past week, You Had To Be There celebrated the 25th anniversary of the release of the phenomenon known as The Blair Witch Project.
On January 23, 1999, at a midnight screening at the Sundance Film Festival, an indie horror film made for just $35,000 premiered—leaving audiences stunned by the ‘found footage’ they had just witnessed. After Artisan acquired it for $1 million at Sundance, an incredible marketing campaign followed—leaving audiences across the country wondering if the soon-to-be-released movie was real, fabricated, or a mix of both. With its summer 1999 box office debut, The Blair Witch Project grossed over $250 million, revolutionizing the horror genre and paving the way for more low-budget, high-return horror films that would dominate the box office and drive studios like Blumhouse to success well into the 21st century.
In this episode of You Had To Be There, Julia spoke with Rachel Cohen, who bought the film for Artisan right after its midnight premiere. Even if you’re not a horror fan or haven’t seen The Blair Witch Project, it’s a fascinating conversation where Rachel breaks down how movie acquisitions at film festivals like Sundance actually work! Julia also spoke with Michael C. Williams, one of the film’s lead actors, about his experience shooting the movie, landing the role, and being part of such a cultural phenomenon. Last, Julia also spoke with horror film expert and producer Allison Carter, to provide context on the Blair Witch phenomenon—Allison also happens to be a producer on the Academy Award-winning Everything Everywhere All at Once, so she know what she’s talking about!
It’s hard to believe now, but in 1999, a LOT of people genuinely thought The Blair Witch Project—a movie opening in theaters nationwide—might actually be real! That year, 11% of internet users visited Blairwitch.com, driven by a mix of curiosity and Artisan’s relentless, brilliantly timed marketing campaign. It was lightning in a bottle—a moment that wouldn’t have been possible two years earlier and certainly couldn’t have happened two years later.
A moment where…you had to be there.
So, if you haven’t listened yet, you’re going to love it.
As always, thanks for listening and spreading the word about You Had To Be There. Your support really makes a difference!
On that note…
I’ll be right back!
Web
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Show Notes
Producer and director Julia Thompson embarks on a 48-hour journey to find and interview someone who attended the midnight premiere of The Blair Witch Project at the Sundance Film Festival on January 23, 1999.
This episode features interviews with:
This episode features interviews with:
Allison Rose CarterÂ
Michael C. Williams
Rachel Cohen
Hilary Brougher
Credits
You Had To Be There is a Hi Barr production.
‘The Blair Witch Project Premieres at Sundance in 1999’ was written and hosted by Julia Thompson.
Produced by Julia Thompson and Web Barr.
Edited by Julia Thompson.
Edit, Sound Mix, and engineering by Vishal Nayak.
Original score by Teeny Lieberson.
Artwork created by Dylan Lathrop.
Special thanks to our parents, friends and chosen family. And most importantly, thank you to the artists who’ve inspired us because they had to do it.
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Thanks for listening!