1999The classic 1999 found-footage horror film *The Blair Witch Project*’s official sequel was released9in16North America, directed by Adam.Wingard, produced and distributed by Lionsgate. The film was hailed by some media outlets as the biggest dark horse of this summer’s Hollywood releases even before its premiere—and it lived up to the hype with widespread critical acclaim.
Official U.S. poster for *Blair Witch*
So, you might ask:What does the movie’s release have to do withFenix[Fenix]?Good question—here’s the answer.
Horror films are often shot in dimly lit environments, and *The Blair Witch Project* is no exception. That’s why choosing a high-quality lighting device becomes especially crucial. Recently, a Wall Street Journal columnistMike Ayerswrote an article about why the director of the thriller sequel *Blair Witch*,Adam Wingardand the film’s cinematographer,Robby BaumgartnerchoseFenix PD35[Fenix], to provide illumination in the pitch-black settings of the movie, as well asFenix PD35how [Fenix] performed exceptionally well.
<Below is the article written bythe WSJ journalistMike Ayerstitled>
In “Blair Witch,”the present-day sequel to the 1999
low-budget horror breakout “TheBlair Witch Project,” viewers are once again
taken on a“found-footage” romp through the backwoodsof Burkittsville,
Md., in search of the supernatural entity of thetitle. Over the course of
90 minutes, six characters find themselves invarious states of panic
and terror. Most of the action takes place in thepitch dark, which
gives way to an unsung hero of the “Blair Witch”resurrection: The Fenix
PD35 flashlight.
*Blair Witch* is a modern-day sequel to the 1999 successful low-budget horror film. In the new installment, audiences are once again taken into the wild woods of Burkittsville, Maryland, in search of the supernatural entity referenced in the movie’s title. The film runs for1999a 1999“TheBlair Witch Project”Maryland town of Burkittsville, in search of the supernatural being that gives the film its name. The film, which lastsBurkittsvilleBurkittsville, Maryland, in search of the supernatural creature that lends the film its name. The9090-minute film features6actors who said they experienced varying degrees of fear during filming. Since much of the movie was shot in pitch-dark conditions, it created ideal filming circumstances for its unsung hero———theFenix PD35Fenix flashlight.
This LED light, which retails from $75 to $139.95,
depending on the type of battery youget, was an integral part in bringing
“Blair Witch” to life — and a tricky one,too. Director Adam Wingard and
cinematographer RobbyBaumgartner tested close to 20 different flashlights
beforesettling on the Fenix PD35.
ThisLEDFenix flashlight retails for prices starting from75from $ to139.95, depending on the battery used inside. It can be said that this flashlight plays an indispensable role in the film, and using it also requires a great deal of technical skill. The directorAdam Wingardand the film’s cinematographerRobby Baumgartnertested nearly20different flashlights before finally settling on theFenix PD35.
“We had to go through a ton ofdifferent flashlights and brands until we found one that didn’t create aconsistent flicker [on the camera lens], so we had a clear image,” Wingardsays.
“After reviewing a large number of flashlights from different brands, we finally found one that met our requirements — it doesn’t produce the flickering light on camera like other flashlights do, allowing us to capture clear footage,”Wingardtold us.
The characters in *The Blair Witch Project* useFenix PD35
“Blair Witch” was shot on location in32 days
near Vancouver, British Columbia. Baumgartner
estimatesthat 25 days were shot at night, with more than 80% of those nights
lit onscreen by the Fenix model. The flashlights, thus served a dual purpose:
toilluminate the shots, but also be a part of the narrative since the
charactersbrought them into the woods as camping tools.
. The filming period for *The Blair Witch Project* was32days, and the shoot took place in Vancouver, British Columbia.Baumgartnertold us that approximately25of the shooting days were at night, and80%of the lighting effects seen on screen came fromFenixproducts.
Some segments in *The Blair Witch Project* were filmed usingFenix PD35.
“With actors
essentially lighting thebackground, themselves and each other, it was paramount
to get this right orthe film would look like shit,” Baumgartner says. “It took a bit of
trial anderror to figure out how to make the best of a tricky cinematic
situation.”
“Since the actors in the film are able to provide some illumination to the background, themselves, and other characters, it’s especially important to manage the overall lighting of the scene properly; otherwise, the entire film would turn out badly,”Baumgartnersaid. “After some trial and error, we figured out how to achieve the best cinematic results.”
Baumgartner and Wingard had to spendtime teaching the
actors how to use the flashlights. “It’s not a talent thatcomes natural,” Wingard says. “I’ve seen actors that have been able to pickthis up right
away, I’ve seen actors that get annoyed with it. You’reconstantly telling them not just to shine here and
there, but sometimes you’relighting up your
fellow actor that’s standing next to
you.”
Baumgartner and Wingard first had to spend time teaching the actors how to use the flashlights. “Not everyone knows how to use a flashlight right away,”Wingardsaid. “I’ve seen some actors pick it up right away, and I’ve also seen others who were extremely impatient with the thing. You keep telling them not to shine it all over the place, and sometimes you end up shining it on the other actors yourself.”
The filmmakers also developed on-settricks to help
illuminate scenes. Baumgartner created a vest-type cloth thatthe actors would
wear off camera and would help the on-camera actorknow where to point
the light.
The filmmakers invented a small lighting trick on set: actors not in the shot would wear a vest jacket, so those within the frame would know where to point their flashlights.
“We had a week of rehearsals before,because the shooting
style was so different,” says Wes Robinson, whoplays Lane in the film. “It felt
really raw and creative. It didn’t feel likeyou’re making a studio film.”
“Because the way this film was shot was quite unique, we had a week of rehearsals beforehand,” saidLane in the film. “The filming method was very innovative, so we were all pretty inexperienced — it didn’t even feel like we were making a movie.”Wes Robinson, who played
Wingard says the original “BlairWitch” cameras “could barely
handle shooting at nighttime,” but that, in
fact,helped create a realistic feel that grabbed audiences. “If you go back andwatch that film, you can see that they
are barely getting any exposure,which is actually scary in itself,” the director says. “It makes you
feellike there’s more darkness
around you and feels realistic for the experience ofbeing out in the woods.”
Wingardtold us, “This innovative *Blair Witch Project* could only be shot at night,” which actually helped create a more realistic feeling to draw in the audience. “If you go back and watch the film, you’ll notice the scary parts mostly just show bones, but even on set, it was pretty terrifying,” the director said. “Shooting in the forest at night makes it feel even darker and more real.”
Not only was the flashlight a bigstar on set, it also
made its way into the script. Screenwriter SimonBarrett, who has worked with
Wingard in the past on “V/H/S” and “TheGuest,” says he put notes into the script about what he
envisioned. “Usually Itried to
indicate in the script what I saw lighting the scene,” Barrett says.
In addition to playing an important role on set,Fenix PD35also made it into the movie’s script. The film’s screenwriterSimon Barretthad previously worked withWingardhave collaborated on “V/H/S” and “The Guest,” in which he annotated his observations and experiences in the film script, stating, “I often point out the lighting effects I see in the script.”
For Fenix, this isn’t the first timethe trusty PD35 has
been featured onscreen. The flashlight has made appearancesin “The Walking
Dead,”“The Blacklist,” “Prometheus” and the latest “TeenageMutant Ninja Turtles”
film. It’s the company’s best-selling flashlightand is used in a
wide-range of professions, from law enforcement to janitorialservices.
According to Fenix vice president of sales, Patrick Cooper,they’ve never been
paid a sponsorship fee or product-placement fee for amovie.
“The thing that we’re really proud ofis that we don’t
promote it and they find us,” Cooper says.
ForFenix,PD35this star product has not appeared on the silver screen for the first time. It previously featured in shows and films such as The Walking Dead, The Blacklist, Prometheus, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As the company’s best-selling flashlight, it has a wide range of applications, from law enforcement to cleaning services.Fenix The distributorPatrick Coopertold us they have never sponsored any films. “What we’re most proud of is that we’ve never actively approached filmmakers for promotion—it’s always them who come to us,”Coopersaid.
<End of article>
In fact,Fenix’s large product family includes quite a few“entertainment industry insiders”who have appeared in Hollywood blockbusters—far more than justPD35.For example,Fenix TK45, with its unique sci-fi design, has won the favor of many Hollywood directors and been used in numerous major productions: The Last Day on Mars (The Last Days on Mars), Prometheus (Prometheus), Fringe (Fringe), and others.
The Last Day on Mars (The Last Days on Mars)
Prometheus (Prometheus)
Fringe("Fringe")
Fenix TKThe series of flashlights adhere to the design philosophy of the "King of Land Warfare"——TANK, and with their high brightness, long range, and robust reliability, they fully meet the special needs of tasks such as hunting, search operations, military and police patrols, and law enforcement. In addition toTK45, the products under its seriesTK15,TK35 ,TK41 ,TK70are also highly favored by directors of science fiction and action films.
TK15 "Overheard"
TK35 "Arrow"
TK35
"The Blacklist"
TK41"The Lost Door"
TK70 "Unforgettable"
FenixTheir frequent appearances on the big screen are not only due toFenix's dedication to crafting quality products with a professional and focused spirit, but also to everyone's15years of support and love.