2 Shocking Found Footage Facts of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY We Didn't Know About

Say what you will about found footage, particularly of the likes of PARANORMAL ACTIVITY. It is a phenomenon. A worldwide phenomenon, and not just because it took a gimmick to its limits and delved into a form of film never before seen (besides THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT, which still to this day, in my eyes, is a true horror classic).

But, yes, there have been numerous lackluster carbon copies taking advantage of the trend. PARANORMAL ACTIVITY, though, was so visceral and minute that you couldn't help but focus your eyes on that one portion of the screen, thinking you were going to see a ghost. It was pure magic.

Even checking out the recently released extended version including the audition video lends some credibility to the fact that this indeed was a mega-blockbuster starting from literally NOTHING:

However.... The Magic REALLY Was There When You Learn of Where the Entire PARANORMAL ACTIVITY Franchise Began

Undoubtedly, there's not one film or franchise out there that can claim the level of success PARANORMAL ACTIVITY possessed (like a demon). Even when the films got shoddy and silly, they still raked in a sh*t ton of dough in the process. The shock of that's even more surprising when you realize that PARANORMAL ACTIVITY was going to be shot on a measly budget of $15K.

That's it. Nothing else. Even the BLAIR WITCH PROJECT harnessed a movie budget of $60K. So that's saying something.

We're willing to bet, though, you NEVER knew these things about the film franchise that would spark a universe into thinking that you can make a horror film -- with just a few cameras in a house.

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