In 1999, the indie horror film “The Blair Witch Project” hit the world of cinema. But behind its extraordinary success, the main characters face a disappointing reality. Joshua Leonard, Rei Hance (also known as Heather Donahue), and Michael C. Williams, who play the characters in the film, revealed that they were only given fruit baskets as a reward for the film's success.
The Blair Witch Project
The Blair Witch Project is a unique phenomenon in the film industry. With a budget of only around 35 thousand US dollars, this film managed to gross more than 200 million US dollars worldwide. The story behind this film is also interesting. “The Blair Witch Project” uses the found footage concept to tell the story of three filmmakers who venture into the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, to investigate supernatural events. To promote the film before it premiered at Sundance, producers selected posters and trailers that suggested that its three main characters, who share the same names as the actors who played them, were real people who disappeared after their recordings were discovered.
Injustice Accepted by Actors
The three actors recently spoke about the injustice they received despite the films they starred in being hugely successful. They expressed their disappointment and frustration towards the production house. Leonard even stated that he didn't know about the film reboot until a friend sent him congratulations. He also never profited from the film's success, even though The Blair Witch Project was one of the successful horror films of its time.
In an interview with Variety , the trio claimed that Artisan Entertainment, which acquired the film after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival for $1.1 million, sent each of them a fruit bouquet to celebrate the film earning $100 million. US at the domestic box office.
This story illustrates how sometimes young artists who contribute to a great work do not get the appreciation they deserve. Williams said, "Big companies don't care if this happens to young artists. And believe me, that has to change."
Using the Found-Footage Concept
The Blair Witch Project uses the found-footage concept to tell the story of three filmmakers who go to Burkittsville, Maryland, to capture a supernatural phenomenon. The production house decided to use the actors' real names as the characters' names to make them seem like real characters who were lost when their footage was discovered. Their identities were also hidden so they did not attend the Cannes Film Festival to maintain the image that they were normal people which had completely disappeared.
Lawsuit Against Blair Witch 2
In 2000, the trio sued the distributor of the sequel Blair Witch 2 for using their photos. They got a deal for 300 million US dollars. Artisan production houses are also prohibited from using their names and images for personal gain. They also demanded payment demands from Artisan and Lionsgate for their work and benefits for the film. However, until now the production house has not responded to the reports and statements of the three actors.
Conclusion
This story is not just about fruit packages, but about recognition and reward for hard work and dedication. It's a reminder that beneath the glamor of the entertainment industry, there are deeper narratives about rights and justice for artists. The story of The Blair Witch Project and its fruit packages is symbolic of the struggle that many artists around the world still have to continue.
We as viewers may only see the final result of a film and enjoy the story. But it's a good idea for us to also pay attention and appreciate the process and people behind the scenes who have worked hard to bring the work to us. They are invisible souls who deserve more than just a bouquet of fruit.
