Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Just The Gist of The Blair Witch Project
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Just The Gist of The Blair Witch Project
In 1999, The Blair Witch Project became a cultural phenomenon when audiences believed they were watching real found footage of three film students who disappeared in the Maryland woods. But film directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez had actually just created one of the most successful marketing hoaxes in movie history, using fake missing person posters, a fake Sci-Fi Channel documentary, and the early internet to convince the world the Blair Witch was real. Made for just $60,000 with handheld cameras and improvising actors, it terrified audiences worldwide and earned nearly $250 million. But those actors - Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams - were barely paid, and as of 2025, are still trying to be fairly credited for their work.
We give you Just The Gist, but if you want more, there's this:
The Blair Witch Project Wikipedia page - Complete film history and box office success
The New York Times retrospective - "How 'The Blair Witch Project' Changed Movies Forever" (2019)
The original Blair Witch website - The groundbreaking 1999 viral marketing site
Variety investigation - "'Blair Witch Project' Cast Says They Were 'Robbed' of Financial Success" (2024)
The Guardian coverage - Cast's fight for fair payment and residuals (2024)
The Hollywood Reporter - Cast demands retroactive residuals and consultation on future projects (2024)
Blair Witch official websites archive - Collection of original marketing websites
Ben Rock's articles - Behind-the-scenes insights from the film's production designer
Rewind podcast episode - "Believing in the Blair Witch" deep dive
Just The Gist is a Just The Network production. Executive Produced and hosted by Rosie Waterland. Produced and edited by James Joseph. Additional production support by Kate Leaver and Hayley Staveley, along with Acast legends Guy Scott Wilson and Simon McDermott. Production Assistant: Pocket
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @JustTheGistPodcast and Rosie @RosieWaterland
Want to give us a SuGISTion? Email us at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
View all episodes
By Just The Network
4.8
3232 ratings
In 1999, The Blair Witch Project became a cultural phenomenon when audiences believed they were watching real found footage of three film students who disappeared in the Maryland woods. But film directors Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sánchez had actually just created one of the most successful marketing hoaxes in movie history, using fake missing person posters, a fake Sci-Fi Channel documentary, and the early internet to convince the world the Blair Witch was real. Made for just $60,000 with handheld cameras and improvising actors, it terrified audiences worldwide and earned nearly $250 million. But those actors - Heather Donahue, Joshua Leonard and Michael Williams - were barely paid, and as of 2025, are still trying to be fairly credited for their work.
We give you Just The Gist, but if you want more, there's this:
The Blair Witch Project Wikipedia page - Complete film history and box office success
The New York Times retrospective - "How 'The Blair Witch Project' Changed Movies Forever" (2019)
The original Blair Witch website - The groundbreaking 1999 viral marketing site
Variety investigation - "'Blair Witch Project' Cast Says They Were 'Robbed' of Financial Success" (2024)
The Guardian coverage - Cast's fight for fair payment and residuals (2024)
The Hollywood Reporter - Cast demands retroactive residuals and consultation on future projects (2024)
Blair Witch official websites archive - Collection of original marketing websites
Ben Rock's articles - Behind-the-scenes insights from the film's production designer
Rewind podcast episode - "Believing in the Blair Witch" deep dive
Just The Gist is a Just The Network production. Executive Produced and hosted by Rosie Waterland. Produced and edited by James Joseph. Additional production support by Kate Leaver and Hayley Staveley, along with Acast legends Guy Scott Wilson and Simon McDermott. Production Assistant: Pocket
Follow us on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube @JustTheGistPodcast and Rosie @RosieWaterland
Want to give us a SuGISTion? Email us at [email protected]
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More shows like Just The Gist
View all
No Filter
587 Listeners
Conversations
893 Listeners
Mamamia Out Loud
634 Listeners
Ladies, We Need To Talk
337 Listeners
Shameless
850 Listeners
The Quicky
82 Listeners
The Spill
133 Listeners
The Imperfects
392 Listeners
It's A Lot with Abbie Chatfield
165 Listeners
Big Small Talk
38 Listeners
The Case Of
292 Listeners
Emsolation
12 Listeners