'Paranormal Activity' Film Goes Mainstream After Viral Marketing

by amyellensoden | October 9, 2009 at 03:59 pm

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"Paranormal Activity," a low-budget horror film made with a handheld camera and no-name actors is about to go mainstream following the success of a viral marketing campaign.

The horror film's title is currently trending on Twitter and the movie site indicates that if "Paranormal Activity" is requested 1 million times then it will open nationwide.

The combination of contemporary life in suburbia with sudden unexplained forms of violence has lead to the hype over this horror film documenting paranormal disturbances.

"Paranormal Activity" opens with a title card, thanking the families of Micah Sloat and Katie Featherstone as well as the San Diego Police Department, an immediate signal that the "found footage" we're about to see won't have a happy outcome.

Micah (Micah Sloat) has bought a video camera to document the "weird (stuff)" that has been happening in the two-story San Diego home he shares with his girlfriend of three years, Katie (Katie Featherstone).

It turns out that freaky things have been happening to Katie since her family's house burned down when she was eight. Since then, Katie has suffered through nightmares and felt the presence of a "shadowy figure" at the foot of her bed. The young couple consult a psychic (Michael Bayouth), who senses the bad mojo and refers them to a demonologist.

"Paranormal Activity" was only showed in 33 theatres throughout the USA on its opening night last Friday but will now be expanded to 170 theatres due to its success.

The film was shot by Oren Peli, a video-game designer for a reported $15,000 for Paramount Pictures. Although they considered a re-shoot with a higher budget, "Paranormal Activity" did so well in one screening that the original film will be going mainstream.

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