24-25

*Chapter 24: Filming in Progress *

“Fantastic idea, Allen.”

James Wan, who was in the middle of preparing The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2, had heard about Allen’s concept for The Blair Witch Project from Ron Meyer. He couldn’t resist calling Allen to share his thoughts.

“I can’t wait to see everyone’s reaction after the film is released.”

James Wan had a passion for horror films, which explained his enthusiasm.

He was particularly impressed with Allen’s proposal for a horror film in the style of a “mockumentary.”

“Maybe you won’t have to wait too long,” Allen replied.

They were in Bucyzville, a small town in the state of Macari.

On the other end of the line, James Wan was momentarily silent, clearly surprised.

“The entire shooting schedule for The Blair Witch Project isn’t very long,” Allen explained. “In fact, we’ve already completed some of the scenes. In less than two weeks, you might just see it in theaters.”

The quick shooting schedule was one of the main reasons Allen had chosen this project.

In his memory, aside from a certain film where the characters spent most of their time listening to the protagonist brag in one room, no Hollywood production was faster to shoot than The Blair Witch Project.  

In fact, if the backstory of the witch hadn’t needed to be carefully developed, the movie might have been ready even sooner.

Regardless, The Blair Witch Project was currently the fastest way Allen could think of to earn “story points.”

“You’re not joking, are you, Alan?” James Wan asked.

From Ron Meyer, he had just learned about The Blair Witch Project, and now, in one phone call, he was told that the movie was almost done and ready for release.

“If it were a joke, I’d make it much more surprising,” Allen replied.

Ending the call with James Wan, Allen turned to the assistant director who had approached him.

“The interviews are mostly wrapped up, Director,” the assistant director reported.

Although the crew of The Blair Witch Project was small, the film had the backing of Universal Pictures. To ensure quality, Universal not only assembled a dedicated team to assist Allen, who had limited experience in filmmaking, but also increased the original $60,000 budget to $150,000, showing their support for the movie.

“Have the interviews with the extras been filmed?”

As Allen had told Ron Meyer, the director’s role in The Blair Witch Project was minimal.

Allen’s main tasks were to follow the script’s narrative, set up surprises where handheld cameras couldn’t capture them, and create an authentic atmosphere. Because the movie lacked gory scenes, even fake blood, a staple in horror films, was rarely used.

“They’re done. The extras didn’t even realize the interviewees were actors.”

To maintain authenticity, Allen had hired a few extras to subtly reveal the legend of the witch during interviews, enhancing the believability of the mockumentary.

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“Is the legend of the Blair Witch real?”

“Maybe. From what the townsfolk described, many of them have heard the legend…”

“Don’t be ridiculous. We’re shooting a movie right now.”

While filming in the forest, the actors began debating the authenticity of the Blair Witch legend.

Universal had them sign non-disclosure agreements, ensuring they wouldn’t reveal anything about The Blair Witch Project until after its theatrical release. But as they continued filming, the DV-recorded scenes started blurring the line between fiction and reality for them—especially after interviewing the townspeople.

As the actors ahead of him discussed the legend, Allen examined an object in his hand.

“Director, what’s that?” the assistant director asked, noticing Allen’s distracted look.

He glanced at the object Allen was holding: a pendant resembling a sharp tooth.

“It’s nothing,” Allen replied, tucking the pendant away. “Just a souvenir I bought from one of the townsfolk. Supposedly, it’s made from a wolf’s fang.”

After chatting with the assistant director for a few minutes, the group arrived at the predetermined filming location.

The cameraman, holding the DV, started filming. The group wandered around, passing the camera to one another to create a casual, self-filmed vibe. The shaky, amateur camera work, with occasional shots of the forest floor, was exactly what Allen wanted.

Such techniques, instead of being corrected, enhanced the film’s realism.

Eventually, they reached a cabin in the woods.

This cabin was a pivotal location in The Blair Witch Project, where the protagonists met their demise.

Of course, the cabin had an owner. The crew contacted them, explained their intention to shoot a movie, and paid a $300 rental fee, which the owner gladly accepted.

Since the cabin required setup, the death scenes weren’t part of the day’s shooting schedule.

After filming a few additional scenes in the surrounding forest, the primary tasks for the day were complete.

While the major scenes were done, the crew had no plans to leave the forest. To maintain the film’s authenticity, they planned to camp out for the next few days, not only to expedite the shooting schedule but also to heighten the sense of immersion.

For safety, their tents were set up only a few hundred meters from the main road, ensuring they could quickly retreat in case of emergencies like bears or wolves.

(Chapter End)  

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Chapter 25: Wrapping Up Quickly

*[Plot Points]: 3513*

That evening, after dinner...

Allen returned to the tent provided by the crew. Lying on his sleeping bag, his gaze instinctively shifted to the fragmented data displayed on the system’s panel.

Since completing The Strange Bar, he hadn’t created any new scripts for simulation. The two scripts he had written in reality were still in the preparation stage, meaning no new Plot Points had been credited.

“Maybe I could…”

The thought flashed through his mind but was quickly dismissed. Allen shook his head, abandoning the idea of simulating a script during the filming of The Blair Witch Project.

The primary reason he chose The Blair Witch Project was to quickly earn Plot Points and accelerate the development of his next script.

For now, the sooner The Blair Witch Project was released, the sooner he could accumulate Plot Points.

While simulating a script during filming could yield Plot Points, it might also disrupt the smooth progress of The Blair Witch Project.

That possibility alone was unacceptable to Allen.

Given how smoothly filming was proceeding, they could finish in just two or three days. Simulating a script at this stage would unnecessarily complicate the production.

Instead of risking setbacks for a small gain in Plot Points, Allen decided to focus on completing the film and earning points upon its release.

Although his logic was sound, Allen couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret.

He was genuinely curious about how the crew of The Blair Witch Project would react if they encountered real supernatural events while filming a horror movie.

Unfortunately, reality didn’t allow for such an experiment, so he reluctantly abandoned the idea.

Pulling his eyes away from the system’s panel, Allen unzipped his tent and glanced at the silent forest surrounding him. Looking toward the tents where the cast members were resting, he decided he couldn’t let such a perfect environment go to waste.

With that thought, he called over the assistant director, who was also resting nearby, and whispered a few instructions.

“Ahhh!!”

Minutes later, a series of blood-curdling screams echoed through the forest.

“We captured a few useful shots,” Allen remarked, giving a thumbs-up to the assistant director in the darkness, satisfied with the results.

---

Meanwhile, in New York, Universal Studios was executing Allen’s promotional plan for The Blair Witch Project in an orderly manner.

“The website is live. It includes fake news reports about the missing individuals, handwritten notes, photographs, and family information—all uploaded with backdated timestamps. Offline, Universal has arranged for anonymous ‘missing persons’ ads to appear in various magazines, newspapers, and video rental stores. Some internet users and local residents are starting to learn about the witch, but the reaction has been lukewarm so far…”

At Universal Studios headquarters, Ron Meyer, the executive in charge of distribution, carefully monitored the progress.

“Perhaps we should hire people to start discussions about the witch on popular online forums,” Allen suggested when contacted by Universal while still on location in the forest near Burkittsville, Maryland.

Essentially, he was advocating for viral marketing.

Online, human herd behavior is magnified. A simple topic or trend can spread rapidly, becoming a craze within a niche audience before evolving into a widespread phenomenon.

This power of trends is more infectious than it appears, capable of reshaping public opinion and even influencing major cultural movements.

For now, though, Allen didn’t need that level of influence.

For The Blair Witch Project, sparking small-scale discussions about the witch in the U.S. would be enough to build anticipation before the movie’s release.

As for what happened after the secret was exposed? It didn’t matter. By then, the box office revenue would already be secure.

“We’ll assign technical teams to handle the ‘promotion,’” Ron Meyer assured him.

---

Back on set, Allen stood outside a rustic cabin in the forest, surveying the temporary graves the crew had constructed as props.

“How much longer will filming take, Alan?” Ron Meyer asked over the phone, voicing a rare concern.

“You know we can’t maintain this type of marketing indefinitely without drawing federal attention. Once the authorities investigate, Universal will have to issue clarifications…”

This type of borderline deceptive promotion was risky and came with potential backlash.

“At most two more days,” Allen replied. “Once we finish tonight’s scenes involving the witch, we’ll be ready to wrap.”

The Blair Witch Project had progressed smoothly. With minimal focus on acting and no need for elaborate reshoots, the film could continue without interruptions unless a major mistake occurred.

The low-effort filming style was barely even “cinema.”

It was no wonder that the original director of The Blair Witch Project faded into obscurity after its release.

---

Even though Ron Meyer expected the shoot to be quick, Allen’s timeline still surprised him.

Pausing for a moment, he finally spoke.

“Actually, the promotional campaign needs a bit more time to spread. Alan, you don’t have to rush to finish filming.”

As Universal’s Vice President of Distribution, Meyer was accustomed to delays caused by slow production schedules.

But a shoot progressing too quickly? That was a first.

“There’s no need,” Allen responded firmly, without hesitation.

Ron Meyer: “…”

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(End of Chapter)